Florida routs Prairie View A&M 114-55, advances to face Iowa in NCAA second round.

Florida delivered an overwhelming performance in their NCAA Tournament opener, crushing Prairie View A&M 114-55 in what became the second-largest margin of victory in tournament history.

“Lehigh put up a good fight to start the game”

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The top-seeded Gators (27-7) showcased their championship pedigree with a 59-point victory that fell just short of Loyola Chicago's 111-42 win over Tennessee Tech in 1963.

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Florida asserted complete control early, going on runs of 18-0 and 17-0 in the first half to transform a 15-all tie into a commanding 60-21 lead at halftime.

The Gators' offensive efficiency was remarkable, shooting 75% before halftime and 64.3% for the game against the 16th-seeded Panthers (19-18).

This dominant performance followed top overall seed Duke's struggles against Siena and No. 1 Michigan's close call against Howard, establishing Florida as the most comfortable top seed in the opening round.

Prairie View A&M's journey to the NCAA Tournament represented one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college basketball history.

Just a year prior, the program had bottomed out, winning only five games, its fewest under coach Byron Smith.

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The Panthers faced significant adversity, with star player Dontae Horne "down and depressed" as his career stalled after stops at Texas State and Georgia Southern.

Despite these challenges, Smith pushed forward behind a reshaped roster that included key transfers in Horne, Cory Wells (Utah Valley), Tai'Reon Joseph (UTSA), and Lance Williams (Xavier-Louisiana).

This new group engineered a historic turnaround, winning seven straight before the First Four and then pulling off a 67-55 victory against Lehigh in the First Four at UD Arena.

According to ESPN Research, Prairie View A&M became just the third team to win an NCAA tournament game following a season of five wins or fewer since the tournament expanded to 64 in 1985.

The game showcased contrasting performances from both teams' key players.

For Florida, Boogie Fland led seven players in double figures with 16 points, demonstrating the team's remarkable depth and balanced scoring attack.

The Gators' ability to spread the offensive burden made them virtually unstoppable on offense.

For Prairie View A&M, Dontae Horne emerged as the catalyst for their tournament run, delivering 25 points, seven rebounds, and four steals in their First Four victory over Lehigh.

He was supported by Corey Wells, who scored 19 points with 11 rebounds, three steals, and three blocks, while Lance Williams contributed 10 points across 40 minutes of play.

In contrast, Lehigh's Hank Alvey was their only double-digit scorer with 23 points and 15 rebounds, highlighting Prairie View's defensive prowess with their plus-seven advantage in steals and 34 paint points securing their victory over the Mountain Hawks.

Both teams arrived at this matchup with significantly different tournament trajectories and seeding positions.

Florida entered as the top seed in the South Region, carrying the weight of defending their 2025 national championship title.

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The Gators had clinched their first championship since 2007 and third in school history with a victory over Houston, establishing themselves as favorites to repeat.

Their impressive 27-7 overall record and 6-2 conference record reflected their consistency throughout the season.

Meanwhile, Prairie View A&M made history as a 16th seed, the lowest possible seeding, having overcome the monumental challenge of winning just five games the previous season.

Their 19-18 record marked a dramatic improvement and positioned them as one of the biggest underdogs in tournament history, yet their First Four victory proved they belonged on the same stage as the nation's elite programs.

Florida's overwhelming victory secured their advancement to the NCAA Tournament second round, where they will face the South Region's No. 9 seed, Iowa, in a second-round matchup scheduled for Sunday.

“Lehigh put up a good fight to start the game”

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The Gators' performance sent a clear message to the rest of the tournament field, with Boogie Fland acknowledging, "I thought we made a big (statement)" after the dominant showing.

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For Prairie View A&M, despite the lopsided defeat, their tournament appearance represented a monumental achievement and validation of their remarkable turnaround.

They joined an exclusive club of teams that overcame extreme adversity to reach the tournament, following in the footsteps of Iowa State and Fairleigh Dickinson, both of which went on to win multiple tournament games including FDU's historic upset of No. 1 seed Purdue in 2023 after prevailing at the First Four.

While their tournament journey ended in Tampa, their story of redemption and resilience left a lasting impression on college basketball fans nationwide.