Florida Gators Crush Prairie View A&M in NCAA Opener

Gators set tournament records in dominant 114-55 victory

Mar. 22, 2026 at 2:08am

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The University of Florida Gators decisively defeated Prairie View A&M 114-55 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Tampa, Florida. The Gators' performance shattered several single-game tournament records, including points scored and margin of victory.

Why it matters

This dominant win provides the Gators with significant momentum heading into the later rounds of the tournament. Their ability to control the paint and shut down the opposing offense will be crucial as they face increasingly challenging opponents.

The details

Florida established control of the game by dominating in the paint, outscoring Prairie View A&M 64-10 and winning the rebound battle 29-13. This interior dominance opened up opportunities for outside shooting, with the Gators going 7-for-15 from beyond the arc in the second half. Defensively, Florida limited Prairie View A&M to just 10-for-33 shooting from the field and 1-for-11 from three-point range.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 22, 2026 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

The players

Rueben Chinyelu

Recorded a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Gators.

Alex Condon

Contributed 13 points and 3 blocks for the Gators.

Thomas Haugh

Scored 14 points and dished out 7 assists for the Gators.

Micah Handlogten

Contributed 8 points and 7 rebounds for the Gators.

Donte Horne

Prairie View A&M's leading scorer, was limited to just 6 points on 1-of-9 shooting.

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What’s next

Florida will play nine-seed Iowa in the Round of 32 on Sunday in Tampa.

The takeaway

This case highlights the Gators' ability to control the game on both ends of the floor, setting tournament records in the process. Their dominant interior play and stifling defense will be key as they advance deeper into the NCAA Tournament.