Florida began its national title defense with a dominant performance for the ages Friday, beating Prairie View A&M 114-55 to set a new record for the largest margin ever in a 1-versus-16 matchup.
The 59-point gap stands as the second-biggest margin in NCAA Tournament history, trailing only a 69-point win by Loyola Chicago over Tennessee Tech in 1963, before the event expanded to 64 teams.
Prairie View A&M has now endured two of the three biggest losses in March Madness history, with a 58-point defeat to Kansas in 1998 ranking third all-time.
Friday’s massive 35.5-point spread was no sweat for the Gators, as the SEC powerhouse covered that number by halftime. Florida showcased its depth in the contest, with 13 players scoring and seven reaching double digits.
