In a historic NCAA Tournament game, freshman forward Alex Condon made his mark by becoming the first player in UF history to make his first career start in the tournament, filling in for injured Micah Handlogten. However, it was a disappointing outcome for the No. 7-seed Florida Gators as they were handed a crushing 102-100 defeat by Colorado in the opening round of the NCAA South Region.
The game came down to the wire, with Colorado’s point guard hitting a fall-away baseline jumper with just 2.2 seconds left on the clock to secure the win. The Buffaloes dominated the court, shooting an impressive 63 percent from the floor, including six of 10 from beyond the arc, and making 28 of 33 free throws.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, Gator’s junior guard managed to hit a 35-foot 3-pointer to tie the game with only 10 seconds remaining. But ultimately, Colorado’s Simpson sealed the victory with his game-winning shot.
Adding to the disappointment, UF head coach was slapped with a technical foul during the game, marking the first time since 2010 that the Gators were eliminated in the first round of the tournament. Nevertheless, Florida had a successful season overall, finishing with 24 wins – their most in seven years. Fans can still look forward to a promising future for the team despite the early exit from the tournament.
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