Mar 27, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Florida Gators ahead Thomas Haugh (10) dribbles downcourt previous Maryland Terrapins ahead Julian Reese (10) throughout the second half throughout a West Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA match at Chase Middle. Necessary Credit score: Eakin Howard-Imagn Pictures SAN FRANCISCO — The message was easy contained in the Florida locker room halfway by means of the Gators’ NCAA Midwest Area Candy 16 contest towards Maryland on Friday.
The highest-seeded Gators (33-4) had been clinging to a two-point lead, had turned over the ball 13 instances and had been lacking ahead Alex Condon, who left early within the first half with an ankle damage.
“We attempt to have not more than 12 turnovers a recreation,” Florida coach Todd Golden mentioned. “We needed to hold defending and keep on the glass, however we needed to do a greater job dealing with the ball.”
Take into account it a job nicely executed. Florida turned it over simply 4 instances within the second 20 minutes, two of them nicely after the Gators’ 87-71 victory over the fourth-seeded Terrapins (27-9) was put away.
Will Richard scored 15 factors to tempo six gamers in double figures for Florida.
Golden’s directive is one the Gators must repeat in the event that they’re to advance to their first Closing 4 since 2014. That was additionally the yr they final reached the Elite Eight.
“We had been slightly unfastened with the ball within the first half,” Gators guard Denzel Aberdeen mentioned. “Their guards had been taking part in excessive, knocking the ball away. So now we have to be higher.”
Aberdeen scored 12 factors off the bench, pacing a unit that outscored Maryland’s reserves 29-3. That is one other power for the Gators that confirmed up on the stat sheet, and that Golden mentioned will probably be key on Saturday within the regional closing towards both third-seeded Texas Tech or Tenth-seeded Arkansas.
“We really feel our depth is considered one of our largest strengths,” Golden mentioned.
Florida’s Alijah Martin added 14 factors, Walter Clayton Jr. had 13, Thomas Haugh added 13 and Rueben Chinyelu scored 10.
The Gators received regardless of one other spectacular effort by Maryland freshman Derik Queen. The Huge Ten Freshman of the Yr and potential NBA draft lottery choose scored 27 factors on 8-for-17 capturing. He scored 56 within the three video games Maryland performed within the match.
The issue for Maryland was that assist for Queen was uncommon. Guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie managed 17 factors and canned three 3-pointers. Julian Reese and Rodney Rice added 12 factors every.
“I consider what this group of fellows was capable of do, and I am simply pleased with them,” Maryland coach Kevin Willard mentioned of his crew. “By far, that is the very best crew I’ve ever coached.”
Ultimately, Florida proved too forceful on the boards and too suffocating on protection. The Gators outrebounded the Terrapins by greater than a 42-20, together with a 15-7 margin on the offensive aspect.
“Although we did not come out this with a win, I am popping out of this holding my chin up,” Reese mentioned.
Florida held that benefit regardless of utilizing Condon for 13 1/2 minutes due to the damage. His standing for Saturday was unknown.
“They arrive from a bodily convention within the SEC, and so they’re actually deep,” Reese mentioned. “They have a number of large guys off the bench.”
Maryland made simply 11 of 28 pictures from the sphere (39.3 %) within the second half and shot simply 40.7 % from the sphere for the competition. The Terrapins endured scoring droughts of practically 5 minutes within the first half and virtually 3 1/2 minutes within the second half.
“Florida is basically good,” Williard mentioned.
The victory propelled Golden to his first Elite Eight look as a head coach. It would come within the metropolis the place he coached the College of San Francisco for 3 seasons earlier than being employed by the Gators in March 2022.
–Area Stage Media
