GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In a commanding performance, Will Richard led the No. 21 Florida Gators to an 84-60 victory over Florida A&M on Tuesday night, scoring 20 points. Walter Clayton Jr. contributed with 17 points, while Alijah Martin added 14 points, along with nine rebounds and four assists, helping Florida secure its best start at 5-0 under coach Todd Golden, despite ongoing challenges surrounding his tenure related to an inquiry into serious allegations against him.
Golden, 39, received a warm welcome from the home crowd, a stark contrast to the negative feedback he faced during the previous week’s matchup against Florida State. Florida took control right from the start, leveraging their physical advantages to establish a significant lead early in the first half.
Sterling Young was the standout for the Rattlers, scoring 12 points, while teammate Tyler Shirley suffered what appeared to be an ankle sprain during the first half. Florida was missing key players, guard Denzel Aberdeen and forward Sam Alexis, who were unwell following the team’s prior victory over FSU.
Looking at Florida A&M’s performance, the Rattlers came into this contest with the lowest national ranking in terms of scoring defense, allowing an average of 97 points per game. However, they showed signs of improvement, conceding 13 points fewer than their average against Florida.
For the Gators, guard Urban Klavzar made his debut on their home court after sitting out the first three games, awaiting NCAA clearance. He struggled with his shot, making only one of seven attempts but did manage to provide two impressive assists during fast breaks.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when the Gators ended the first half with an impressive 19-2 scoring run, stretching their lead to 24 points. Over the last five minutes and six seconds of the half, Florida converted on 7 out of 9 shooting attempts, including three three-pointers, with Thomas Haugh making one and freshman Isaiah Brown hitting his first two career three-pointers.
Notably, Florida matched their previous game by hitting 10 three-pointers. However, they struggled in the second half, with their shooting from beyond the arc dropping as they missed 15 of 18 attempts.
Looking ahead, Florida A&M is set to host Trinity Baptist College on Friday, while the Gators will face Southern Illinois at home the same evening.