Florida demolished Arkansas 111-77 on Saturday night to clinch a share of the SEC title, prompting the college basketball world to praise the No. 7 Gators. Seven players scored in double figures for the Todd Golden-coached squad, which improved to 14-2 in the SEC and 23-6 overall.
College Basketball Community Reacts to Florida’s Masterful Domination of Arkansas
Florida dominated Arkansas (21-8, 11-5 SEC), leading for 87% of the game, according to ESPN. The Gators’ scoring blitz was their highest-scoring game since 2017, when they scored 116 against Gardner-Webb.
ESPN Insights reported that the seven players in double figures marked the second time an SEC team had produced that many against an AP-ranked opponent in the past 30 seasons. Thomas Haugh led the Gators with 22 points, Alex Condon added 17, Boogie Fland scored 14 against his former team, Urban Klavzar chipped in 14, Xaivian Lee contributed 13, Rueben Chinyelu scored 12, and Isaiah Brown finished with 11 points.
The Gators finish with 111 PTS, their most in any game since 2017 🔥
Florida had SEVEN double-digit scorers, only the second instance of an SEC team vs an AP-ranked opponent over the last 30 seasons 😲 pic.twitter.com/gF4bBgjFcE
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) March 1, 2026
ESPN analyst Dick Vitale also chimed in on Florida’s win over Arkansas, which is coached by John Calipari. Vitale described the Gators as scary good and praised the team’s streak of nine consecutive SEC wins and six consecutive wins over ranked men’s college basketball programs.
Sports Illustrated senior writer Pat Forde was forced to accept that Florida was the best team in the country, edging past Arizona, Duke, and Michigan.
“Me last night: Michigan is the best team in the country. Me this afternoon: Duke is the best team in the country. Me later this afternoon: Arizona is the best team in the country. Me tonight: Florida is the best team in the country,” Forde wrote.
CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein brought the hammer down on Calipari after Calipari suffered one of the worst losses of his career.
“Florida’s 34-point win over Arkansas ties John Calipari’s worst loss as a head coach,” Rothstein wrote.
Florida-based writer Kevin Brockway tweeted that the dominant display was the first time in nine years that seven Gators players had scored in double figures.
“Florida with seven players in double figures for first time since Feb. 14, 2017 against Auburn,” Brockway said
Field of 68 co-founder and analyst Jeff Goodman pointed out the strength of Florida’s big men, which is miles ahead of other teams in the SEC and across the nation.
“These Florida bigs run the court so well, and play so damn hard all the time,” Goodman opined.
Florida shot well from the field, making 57% of its shots, including 42% from beyond the arc. It also made 78% of its 32 free-throw attempts. The telling stat line is rebounding: the Gators grabbed 51 rebounds, compared with 31 for the Razorbacks.
They recorded 17 assists and 5 blocks against the Razorbacks, who were overwhelmed in Gainesville. Billy Richmond led Arkansas with 22 points, and Darius Acuff Jr. added 17. DJ Wagner added 12, Malique Ewin had 11, and Meleek Thomas added 10 for the visitors, who shot 40% from the field.
