In light of the eligibility saga regarding Alabama player Charles Bediako, Florida head coach Todd Golden said without hesitation, “We are going to beat them anyway” when speaking on the “Gator Talk” radio show on Thursday.
Not only did the No. 19 Florida Gators (16-6, 7-2 SEC) beat the 23rd-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (14-7, 4-4 SEC), but they did so emphatically in a 100-77 win, reminding the SEC that the conference may still go through them this season after a slow start.
To say the Gators dominated this game would be an understatement. Florida outrebounded Alabama 44-33, scored 25 points off 18 Crimson Tide turnovers and controlled the paint, 72-26.
Florida continues domination of Alabama
The eligibility situation surrounding Bediako has certainly made headlines, but Florida held him to just six points (2-of-4 FG, seven rebounds) in a game he also fouled out of. While that sent Florida fans home happy, the win was the fifth consecutive over Alabama for the Gators, which speaks to the overall domination of late, with or without Bediako.
It was a collective effort from the Gators with Alex Condon (25 points, 11-of-15 FG, seven rebounds, six assists) and Thomas Haugh (22 points, 9-of-16 FG) leading the way. Haugh took advantage of an Alabama turnover and finished with this one-handed slam on the other end, contributing to Florida’s 26 fast-break points.
