Florida Gators Dominate Prairie View A&M in Record-Breaking NCAA Tournament Win

The Gators set multiple program records in their 114-55 blowout victory.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 4:55am

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The Florida Gators opened the NCAA Tournament with a dominant 114-55 victory over Prairie View A&M, setting multiple program records in the process. The Gators scored 114 points and had 29 assists, both new records for the team in NCAA Tournament play. Their 59-point margin of victory is the second-largest in tournament history.

Why it matters

Florida's record-breaking performance showcases the team's offensive firepower and ability to overwhelm opponents in the NCAA Tournament. As a top seed, the Gators are expected to make a deep run, and this win demonstrates their potential to do so.

The details

The Gators raced out to a 15-15 tie early on before locking down defensively and going on several large runs, including an 18-0 run, a 10-0 run, and a 17-0 run in the first half. Florida dominated the paint, outscoring Prairie View A&M 38-0 in the first half. The Gators' stifling defense limited the Panthers to just 6 points over a 13-minute stretch after the initial 15-15 tie.

  • The Florida Gators opened the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 21, 2026.

The players

Todd Golden

The head coach of the Florida Gators men's basketball team.

Rueben

A Florida player who recorded his 19th double-double of the season in the win.

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What they’re saying

“Really pleased with the way our players performed tonight. I thought we did a really good job of just executing and playing with great intent from start to finish.”

— Todd Golden, Head Coach

“Rueb is, as you know, just a fantastic player, a relentless worker and has just improved so much since he's got here to where he is now. It's just really hard to wear him down.”

— Todd Golden, Head Coach

What’s next

The Gators will face Iowa in the Round of 32 on Sunday, March 23, 2026.

The takeaway

Florida's dominant performance showcases their offensive firepower and defensive intensity, making them a formidable opponent as they look to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.