Watch: Florida's Alijah Martin throws it down on alley-oop vs. UConn

Florida Gators guard Alijah Martin (15) dunks the ball during the first half against the Connecticut Huskies in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center. Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Watch: Florida guard Alijah Martin throws it down on alley-oop vs. UConn

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Mar 23, 2025 1:09 PM ET

The Florida Gators have made it clear they're not afraid of the defending national champions.

In its second-round NCAA Tournament matchup against the No. 8-seed Connecticut Huskies on Sunday, No. 1-seed Florida gained momentum on an alley-oop early in the first half.

With UConn trailing, 4-0, Huskies forward Liam McNeeley missed a three-pointer. Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. grabbed the rebound and passed the ball to guard Will Richard. Richard took one dribble before firing a one-handed pass to guard Alijah Martin, who made Gator fans erupt after dunking the ball.

THE GATORS BRING THE CROWD TO THEIR FEET #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/FrZC5JD6QC
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 23, 2025

Florida's ability to score in transition is one reason it's one of the more potent teams in the tournament.

Entering Sunday's matchup against UConn, the Gators ranked second in the country in fast-break points (16.6).

Martin, meanwhile, has been a spark plug for the Gators' high-powered offense throughout the season. Through his first 33 games, the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder ranked second on the team in scoring (14.5).

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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