The Gators entered the Sweet 16 as favourites, and for good reason. They cruised past Norfolk State in the first round and survived a gritty showdown against UConn in the second to reach this stage. Their opponent, the Maryland Terrapins, had their own thrilling path—taking down Grand Canyon before pulling off a dramatic buzzer-beater win against Colorado State.
Ranked third overall in the KenPom rankings, Florida boasted the tournament’s second-best offense and an elite defense ranked 11th. Maryland, meanwhile, wasn’t far behind, sitting at 10th overall with a top-six defense. With two powerhouse teams clashing, it was bound to be a battle. And, the Gators looked every bit like a No. 1 seed—dominant, disciplined, and determined. But just as they were settling into their rhythm, disaster struck.
Alex Condon had been a force for Florida all season, anchoring the Gators’ defense and dominating the glass. But on Thursday night, in the heart of a heated Sweet 16 battle against Maryland, disaster struck.
Less than eight minutes into the game, as the top-seeded Gators fought to maintain control against the fourth-seeded Terrapins, Condon went diving for a loose ball. In the chaos, he landed awkwardly, tweaking his right ankle—the same one that had sidelined him for two weeks back in February.
Alex Condon is Questionable to return, Florida spokesman told @TheFieldOf68.
It’s his right ankle, the same one he previously sprained.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 28, 2025
The 6-foot-11 forward immediately hopped up, unable to put any weight on his leg, and limped straight to the locker room. It was a gut-wrenching sight for Florida fans. Losing Condon, the team’s leading rebounder and a key defensive anchor, was the last thing the Gators needed in a high-stakes matchup like this.
Florida head coach Todd Golden, speaking in an in-game interview with TBS’ Lauren Shehadi, didn’t have much information right away but confirmed what many feared.
“It looked like he twisted his ankle,” Golden said. “I don’t know exactly the severity yet. I’ll talk to the trainer after I talk to you.”
Shortly after Condon left the court, Shehadi provided an update, revealing that the big man was undergoing precautionary X-rays. Given his injury history, Florida’s medical staff was taking no chances.
“We saw him clutch his ankle, walk off the court,” Shehadi reported. “He rolled his right ankle—the same one he hurt back in February. I’m told they’re extra cautious and they’re taking precautionary X-rays right now. I’ll keep you posted if we get results.”
With their dominant big man sidelined, Florida suddenly found themselves vulnerable in the paint. Would Condon make a return?
This is a developing story…
The post What Happened to Alex Condon at Florida vs Maryland? Injury Update on Gators Star After He Leaves the Sweet 16 Game at Halftime appeared first on EssentiallySports.
