Condon's "Winning Plays" Spark Gators' Turnaround Win Over Kentucky

Florida forward Alex Condon silenced critics with a double-double performance in the Gators' 92-83 victory over the Wildcats.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Florida Gators forward Alex Condon received criticism for a seven-turnover game against Georgia, but his 14-point, 11-rebound double-double performance in the team's 92-83 win over Kentucky on Saturday has head coach Todd Golden defending Condon as one of the best players in the country at his position.

Why it matters

Condon's bounce-back game against Kentucky was crucial for the Gators, who are currently the top-seeded team in the SEC and looking to win their first regular season conference title since 2014. Condon's defensive presence and "winning plays" have been a big part of Florida's success this season.

The details

After the Georgia game, Florida legend Patric Young tweeted that Condon "has got to be better" and that he "disappeared" around this time last year. However, head coach Todd Golden defended Condon, saying he's "one of those guys that people want to poke and prod at, but the guy is on the right side of winning most every night." Condon responded with a dominant performance against Kentucky, recording 10 points and 7 rebounds in the second half to help the Gators hold on for the victory.

  • On February 11, Condon had 7 turnovers in Florida's game against Georgia.
  • On February 14, former Florida player Patric Young criticized Condon's performance on Twitter.
  • On February 18, Condon recorded a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double in Florida's 92-83 win over Kentucky.

The players

Alex Condon

A junior forward for the Florida Gators who is averaging 1.4 blocks per game and is third in the SEC in rebounds per game.

Todd Golden

The head coach of the Florida Gators, who defended Condon and said he is "one of those guys that people want to poke and prod at, but the guy is on the right side of winning most every night."

Patric Young

A former member of Florida's 2014 Final Four team who criticized Condon's 7-turnover performance against Georgia on Twitter.

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What they’re saying

“I tell you what Alex Condon has got to be better. He is too good to have 7 TO's. Hopefully a performance like this one will spark some fire in him for the remainder of the season.”

— Patric Young (Twitter)

“He's a damn good player. There's very few guys in America that you take over him. Condo is one of those guys that people want to poke and prod at, but the guy is on the right side of winning most every night. He deserves a lot of credit for that.”

— Todd Golden, Head Coach, Florida Gators (Florida Gators on SI)

“It's his winning plays, it's his effort that's unmatched, and it's why he's such a great player.”

— Todd Golden, Head Coach, Florida Gators (Florida Gators on SI)

“I'm really happy about just the total effort from the lads.”

— Alex Condon (Florida Gators on SI)

What’s next

The Gators will look to continue their strong SEC play with a matchup against South Carolina coming up soon. They will also have a rematch with Kentucky in Lexington on March 7 as they try to win their first SEC regular season title since 2014.

The takeaway

Condon's bounce-back performance against Kentucky showed his value to the Gators as they make a push for the SEC regular season title. His defensive presence and "winning plays" have been crucial to Florida's success, and the team will need him to continue playing at a high level down the stretch.