Alijah Martin poured in a game-high 32 points Friday night and made eight 3-pointers, the most by a Florida player since January 2019, as the 21st-ranked Gators drilled visiting Southern Illinois 93-68 in Gainesville, Fla.Thomas Haugh came off the bench to add 19 points for Florida (6-0), which entered the game hitting 28.9 percent of its 3-pointers and finished the night with a season-high 16 on 39 attempts (41 percent). The Gators started 3-of-14 from 3-point range, then hit 13 of their final 25 as they blew the game open.Ali Dibba scored 17 points to pace the Salukis (2-3), while Jarrett Hensley added 14 and Kennard Davis Jr. contributed 11. Leading scorer Elijah Elliott, who came in averaging 16.5 points and shooting 55.3 percent from the field, made just 1 of 6 and managed only four points before leaving the game with 16:33 left after suffering an apparent leg injury.The Gators never trailed, but the game was close for the first 12 minutes. Hensley’s tip-in with 8:18 left in the half drew Southern Illinois within 19-15. Florida then ambushed the visitors with a 22-2 burst over a 5:15 stretch that included seven straight points from Martin.Martin’s 3-pointer with 1:05 remaining capped his 18-point half and gave the Gators a 46-19 cushion. They settled for a 46-25 advantage at the break.
No. 21 Florida drills 16 3-pointers in rout of Southern Illinois
By
/