Used 7' 9" Florida Center Became March Madness’s Most Electric Moment
Sports Illustrated • • sports
Key Points:
- Florida’s No. 1 seed men’s basketball team crushed 16-seed Prairie View A&M 114–55 in the NCAA tournament opening round, with the highlight being the debut of 7'9" Olivier Rioux, the tallest player in college basketball history.
- Rioux, who was redshirting during Florida’s previous national championship run, entered the game in the final minutes to enthusiastic cheers from fans and teammates, marking a special moment for the developmental player.
- Despite a rocky start, Rioux made an immediate impact by grabbing an offensive rebound and dunking, sparking jubilant celebrations from his teammates and energizing the crowd.
- Teammates and coaches emphasized the importance of bench players like Rioux
