TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alex Condon had 27 points and 10 rebounds to lead No. 5 Florida to a 99-94 win over No. 7 Alabama in a key Southeastern Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night.
The Gators (26-4, 13-4 SEC) also got 22 points and eight assists from Walter Clayton Jr.
Florida strengthened its NCAA tournament credentials with a second road win over a top-10 team, having beaten No. 1 Auburn last month. It’s the first time in program history the Gators have done it twice in one season.
Mark Sears led Alabama (23-7, 12-5) with 30 points, six rebounds and five assists. The Crimson Tide also got 19 points from Labaron Philon, 11 from Clifford Omoruyi and 10 points each from Grant Nelson and Aiden Sherrell, but they lost for the second straight game and the fourth time in their past six.
The win could put the Gators ahead of Tennessee in the race for the final No. 1 seed in the 68-team NCAA field. Florida entered Wednesday one spot ahead of the Volunteers in the NET rankings that are heavily considered by the selection committee, and the win put the Gators alone in second place in the SEC, behind regular-season champion Auburn and ahead of third-place Alabama.