Florida Clinches At Least a Share of SEC Title With 111-77 Rout of No. 20 Arkansas

GAINESVILLE — No. 7 Florida secured at least a share of the Southeastern Conference title Saturday night with a commanding 111-77 victory over No. 20 Arkansas, extending its win streak to nine games and cementing its first regular-season championship since 2014.

Thomas Haugh led the Gators with 22 points, while Rueben Chinyelu posted his 17th double double of the season. Alex Condon contributed key points in the paint as Florida dominated the boards 51-31 and controlled the tempo throughout. The Gators improved to 23-6 overall and 14-2 in SEC play, maintaining a two-game lead over No. 17 Alabama with two games remaining. Florida can secure the outright SEC title Tuesday against Mississippi State at home.

The game was effectively over early, as Florida built a 30 point lead with 13 minutes remaining. Bench players Urban Klavzar and Isaiah Brown provided unexpected firepower. Klavzar made his first four three pointers and finished with 14 points, while Brown added 11, including two from behind the arc. The Gators’ big men, however, dictated the pace, making Florida one of the most balanced teams in the league this season.

Arkansas, coached by John Calipari, struggled to respond despite Billy Richmond III scoring 22 points and Darius Acuff Jr. adding 17 points with six assists. The Razorbacks fell to 21-8 overall and 11-5 in SEC play, snapping a six-game win streak in Gainesville. The loss tied the worst defeat of Calipari’s coaching career, previously a 34-point loss to Duke in 2018.

Florida’s dominance continued against ranked opponents, marking six straight wins in which the Gators scored at least 90 points. That streak ranks as the second-longest in college basketball history, trailing only UNLV and Loyola-Marymount in the 1989-90 season. Guard Boogie Fland, facing his former team, was instrumental in keeping Arkansas at bay.

Next steps: Florida will host Mississippi State on Tuesday to potentially clinch the SEC outright title, while Arkansas travels to face Texas on Wednesday seeking to rebound before postseason play.

The outcome of these games will influence tournament seeding and position both teams for March postseason matchups.