GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In an impressive display, Alijah Martin and Walter Clayton Jr. each tallied 17 points, leading the No. 5 Florida Gators to a commanding 89-59 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday. This win marked the Gators’ 12th consecutive triumph in the series, which represents the longest such streak for either team in their Southeastern Conference rivalry, dating back to 1923.
Contributions came from Will Richard, who added 16 points, and Alex Condon with 14 points for Florida (18-2, 5-2). Additionally, Thomas Haugh delivered a notable performance off the bench, achieving a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Conversely, Georgia’s leading scorer and rebounder, Asa Newell, a 6-foot-11 freshman hailing from Florida, managed just eight points on 4-of-14 shooting and secured six rebounds.
Martin was instrumental in the early stages of the game, scoring 11 of Florida’s first 16 points. His layup ignited an 11-0 run that transformed a tightly contested match into a definitive advantage for the Gators. Georgia led for only a brief period of 11 seconds before the game slipped away.
Georgia’s coach, Mike White, continued to struggle against his former team, now holding an 0-6 record in matchups with Florida.
Looking ahead, Georgia is set to face a somewhat lighter schedule following a challenging stretch in which six of their first seven conference games were against ranked opponents, including four top-10 teams. Meanwhile, Florida’s Micah Handlogten, a 7-foot-1 junior who suffered a broken leg in the SEC Tournament last March, had initially expressed his intent to return to the lineup but ultimately decided to delay his comeback and will remain sidelined.
A decisive moment in the game occurred midway through the first half, as Richard knocked down three 3-pointers in just three minutes, his final shot giving the Gators a 19-point lead. Notably, Clayton set a school record, extending his consecutive games with a 3-pointer to 43.
Looking to the future, Georgia is scheduled to host South Carolina on Tuesday night. The Gators, after a brief pause, will compete against No. 6 Tennessee on February 1.
