GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The fifth-ranked Florida Gators hosted their rivals, the Georgia Bulldogs, looking to rebound after a tough football season by handling business on the hardwood.

Early in the first half, Alijah Martin showcased his defensive skills, stealing the ball and going coast-to-coast for a slam dunk to put the Gators ahead, 11-5.

A few possessions later, Walter Clayton Jr. added another highlight with a steal and an assist, lobbing it up to Thomas Haugh for an emphatic dunk. The play extended Florida’s lead to 18-11.

The Gators dominated from that point, going on a 20-8 run. The surge was capped off by a three-pointer from Will Richard, who lived up to his nickname, “Mr. Clutch,” pushing Florida’s lead to 38-19 at halftime.

Florida never looked back, defeating Georgia 89-59.

“I thought our defense got us going in the first half,” said Florida head coach Todd Golden. “I thought our activity on the defensive end, we got some good run-outs, which got us going. The building came alive. Before I continue, our crowd has been absolutely amazing, especially on these weekend games.”

Guard Alijah Martin credited the team’s fast start for the win. “The mindset was, just don’t come out slow. We’ve got a tendency of coming out slow, and tonight we weren’t going to do that. Once we got the ball rolling, we just kept it going,” Martin said.

The Gators have a full week off before their next game. They travel to Tennessee to face the Volunteers next Saturday at noon.