FINAL: No. 3 Florida 89, No. 12 Texas A&M 70

Saturday, March 1

Gainesville, FL

8:30 PM

Florida Gators

25-4,12-4SEC

Texas A&M

20-9,9-7SEC

Texas A&M

Florida

Chris Harry's At the Buzzer presented by Ticketmaster

Graphic: Scott MacCord/UAA Communications

FINAL: No. 3 Florida 89, No. 12 Texas A&M 70

Saturday, March 1, 2025 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer

What Happened

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Senior guard Will Richard scored 25 points, bombed six 3-pointers and grabbed six rebounds to lead third-ranked Florida to an 89-70 victory over 12th-ranked Texas A&M in their Southeastern Conference game Saturday night at Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center.

Richard, who had 30 points in UF's loss Tuesday night at Georgia, scored 17 and hit five 3s in the second half, including a pair to open the period. He dropped some bigger ones in the closing minutes after the ultra-physical Aggies cut a 17-point deficit to six inside 10 minutes to go.

All told, five UF players finished in double-figure scoring. Sophomore forward Thomas Haugh tallied 17 points and fifth-year guard Alijah Martin threw in 14 on four 3-pointers. Sophomore forward Alex Condon, playing in his second game after missing four with a low-ankle sprain, had 11 points, including a couple monster and much-needed late-game dunks, plus nine rebounds and three blocks. Senior point guard Walter Clayton Jr. had 10 points.

A&M grabbed a 16-10 lead by hitting six of its first 10 shots, including three 3s from the worst 3-point shooting team in the SEC (30.6 percent). That's when the home team got hot, with Martin and Haugh each hitting a pair of deep ones for a 12-3 run over a two-minute stretch to go up for the first time at 21-19. The Gators never trailed again. UF led by 11 at halftime.

Richard started the second half with back-to-back 3s to go up by 17, but nine minutes later it was a six-point game when Richard staved off the Aggies with a couple more from distance. Little by little, the Gators took out the lead and finished with another double-digit victory by scoring the game's final nine points. Richard made nine of 13 for the game and six of nine from deep. UF shot 48 percent for the game and went 14 of 33 from the arc (42.4 percent).

The loss was Texas A&M's fourth straight. The Aggies were led by 16 points and five rebounds from guard Zhuric Phelps, while leading scorer Wade Taylor IV was held to just 11 points and 1-for-7 from the arc. A&M shot just 39 percent for the game and only had three assists.

Sophomore forward **Thomas Haugh** (10) banks in a lob in Saturday's first half.

What it Means

UF picked up its sixth Quadrant 1 win, per the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET). The Gators need more and will have several chances the next couple weeks, but definitely took advantage of the door that opened earlier Saturday when Alabama lost. Florida is now tied with Bama for second place in the SEC standings -- one game ahead Tennessee, two ahead of Missouri and A&M with two to play.

In the Spotlight

Condon was more active and looked much closer to the player who was the team's fourth-leading scorer and top rebounder when he got injured Feb. 11. Big difference from Tuesday at Georgia. He hit five of his six shots for the game. He'll be in the gym Sunday (and the days to follow), however, working on free throws. He is a natural foul-drawer, but he was just 1-for-5 against the Aggies with a missed front end in the second half.

Staggering Statistic

UF's 89 points were the second-most scored this season against the Aggies, the nation's No. 7 defense in efficiency coming in. The Gators won the battle of the boards, 42-37, and played A&M to a 15-14 near-standoff on the offensive end, where the Aggies lead in the nation.

Up Next

Florida (25-4, 12-4) will play at No. 6 Alabama Wednesday night in a game with massive ramifications relative to, first, SEC Tournament seeding and, second, NCAA Tournament seeding. The Crimson Tide (23-6, 12-4) lost on a 40-foot buzzer-beater Saturday at Tennessee. If the Gators can win in Tuscaloosa, they'll take over the No. 2 spot in the conference standings (and No. 2 tournament bye) and a send a message to the NCAA selection committee regarding one of the four No. 1 seeds in the big tournament. Texas A&M (20-9, 9-7) plays host to No. 1 Auburn.

Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu