Florida trailed Grambling State for all of 30 seconds and then the rout was on.
The Gators defeated the Tigers, 86-62, on Monday night, securing a 3-0 start to the 2024-25 college basketball season. On paper, the matchup looked like a sure thing for Florida, which went 14-1 against Quadrant 3 and 4 opponents a season ago. Still, a 24-point blowout is typically a sign that all gears are working properly within the machine.
For a second-straight game, Florida proved that it didn’t need nearly 60 combined points from its two star guards, Walter Clayton Jr. and Will Richard. Instead, the Gators distributed the ball well, finishing the night with five players in double figures and three more within a field goal from double-digit points.
Center Rueben Chinyelu led Florida in scoring with 14, followed closely by Sam Alexis, Clayton, and Richard with 12 apiece. Alexis’ 12 is more impressive than the rest, considering he only played 20 minutes off the bench.
Good win, bad shooting
Despite crossing the 80-point threshold for a third-straight game, Florida’s shooting wasn’t the best Monday night. Removing layups (14-25) and dunks (3-6) from the picture, the Gators shot 12 of 33 (36.4%) from the field.
Richard was off for most of the night (4 of 11) and made just one of five attempts from deep. Alijah Martin, who is looking to score more consistently, shot just 33% over 29 minutes, and Denzel Aberdeen tried a little too hard to score when he was on the court. A late step-back three saved Aberdeen from an abysmal night from the field, but going 2 of 8 isn’t the best look for a key bench piece.
Fortunately, those points in the paint count as much as the rest, and the big men were on tonight. Chinyelu went 7 of 8 from down low, Alex Condon worked his way to the free throw line often, hitting 6 of 8 shots, and Thomas Haugh snuck in nine points off the bench; not to mention the 5 of 9 night provided by Alexis.
Florida has played these past two games differently than the season opener against USF. Clayton is making a concerted effort to distribute and take smart shots, and Richard is working on his defense and transition offense. Both are hoping to prove they belong in the NBA.
Gators dominate the boards
Florida nearly doubled Grambling State’s rebound total, and a lot of those came on the offensive side of the ball. In total, the Gators finished with 45 boards to the Tigers’ 24, with a 17-5 differential on the offensive glass.
Size matters in basketball and more rebounds means more points in this game. Florida’s 18 second-chance points dwarf Grambling State’s two, and the 16-point differential in that category makes up the bulk of the Gators’ margin of victory.
Condon led the way with eight rebounds (four on offense and four on defense), while Haugh and Alexis had seven and six, respectively.
The surprise rebounder of the night was guard Alijah Martin, who grabbed as many as Haugh (7), including a pair of offensive boards. Even Richard had five, which means the ‘3’ position is doing its job on the glass.
How special is this Gators team?
It’s hard to gauge just how good this 20th-ranked Florida team is through just three games. It’s the first 3-0 start of the Todd Golden era, but the Gators haven’t faced an equal match yet.
The upcoming matchup with Florida State could be a true test for this squad. Although the Seminoles finished last season one game over .500, a rivalry game on the road could be a trap for the Gators.
Head coach Leonard Hamilton has the ‘Noles 2-0 to start the season — against Northern Kentucky and Rice, with a matchup against Tarleton State on Monday night — and draft hopeful Jamir Watkins just earned a Co-ACC Player of the Week nod while averaging 23.5 points and 5.5 assists per game with zero turnovers.
Florida State also has size on its roster, which could challenge Florida’s frontcourt. The kind of rebound differential seen on Monday won’t easily be duplicated against a Power Four opponent with five players taller than 6-foot-10.
If Florida can beat FSU handily on Friday, there’s a real shot at closing out November with a perfect record. Florida A&M and Southern Illinois are next up on the schedule, followed by Wake Forest on Thanksgiving as part of the ESPN Events Invitational.
Next up for Florida basketball
The Gators travel north to take on the Florida State Seminoles in Tallahassee on Friday, Nov. 15. The rivalry matchup tips off at 6 p.m. ET and can be watched on the ACC Network.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Three takeaways from Florida basketball’s rout of Grambling State
