7-foot-9 Canadian Olivier Rioux Debuts as No. 3 Florida Dominates North Florida
Alex Condon scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Micah Handlogten recorded his second consecutive double-double as No. 3 Florida rebounded from an opening loss with a 104-64 victory over North Florida on Thursday night.
The game was so one-sided that 7-foot-9 walk-on freshman Olivier Rioux, the tallest teenager in the world, made his collegiate debut. The 19-year-old Gators player received the loudest ovation of the evening when he took off his warmup jersey and entered the game with 2:09 left, though he did not touch the ball.
After a five-point loss to 13th-ranked Arizona in Las Vegas, Florida unveiled their national championship banner during pregame introductions and dominated in their home opener. The team looked like true repeat contenders, especially with their strong defense.
Condon bounced back from being outplayed by freshman Koa Peat three nights earlier, contributing four assists, three blocks, and two steals. Florida completed the game with a commanding 64-24 rebounding advantage and outscored North Florida 66-22 in the paint.
Handlogten finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds, while Thomas Haugh added 12 points, eight boards, and four assists. The Gators extended their home opener winning streak to 35 games and improved to 12-0 against North Florida.
North Florida, in its first game under new coach Bobby Keenen, was largely outmatched in their season opener and failed to be a significant factor.
“The 19-year-old Gators freshman got the loudest ovation of the night when he pulled off his warmup jersey and entered the game with 2:09 to play,”
Summary: Florida's dominant home opener featured strong individual performances and the debut of 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux, highlighting the team's championship-caliber defense and overwhelming win.