Florida, ranked 23rd nationally, secured a dominant 102-61 victory over Saint Francis on Wednesday night, offering a welcome respite from one of the country’s most challenging non-conference schedules.
Xaivian Lee led the Gators with 18 points, while Alex Condon contributed 14 in a game where Florida never trailed.
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The Gators, now 7-4, showcased their superiority from the outset in their first home fixture in nearly a month. They converted 15 of their initial 20 shots, quickly establishing a 20-point lead.
This comfortable margin allowed coach Todd Golden to extend minutes for his bench players, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Students began chanting for 7-foot-9 centre Olivier Rioux with over six minutes remaining, and the world’s tallest teenager eventually entered the game, scoring his first collegiate field goal with a dunk.
Olivier Rioux entered the action after chants from the crowd (Getty Images)
Further contributions for Florida came from Rueben Chinyelu, who added 12 points and 11 rebounds, alongside Boogie Fland and Urban Klavzar, each chipping in 11 points.
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The defending national champions’ four losses this season have come against formidable opponents, including three teams currently ranked in the top five: Arizona, Duke, and UConn.
Conversely, Saint Francis (2-10) endured their seventh defeat by at least 25 points this season.
The Red Flash entered the contest ranked 361st out of 365 Division I teams in KenPom ratings, marking them as the lowest-ranked opponent to visit the O’Connell Centre in the KenPom era, which dates back to the 1996-97 season.
They were 45 ½-point underdogs according to BetMGM Sportsbook and trailed by as many as 25 points in the first half, with Florida extending their lead to 61-31 shortly after the break.
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Skylar Wicks, a senior, was Saint Francis’s top scorer with 22 points, taking 22 of his team’s 63 shots.
Saint Francis is set to host Robert Morris on Saturday, while Florida will welcome Colgate on Sunday.
