March Madness is defined by its high-stakes drama, but Florida Gators’ fans were probably chilling with their hands at the back of their heads. Their team looked every bit like a No. 1 seed—dominant, disciplined, and determined. So when the Gators entered the Sweet 16 as favorites, it was 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. But it all went down just under eight minutes into the first half. Sure, they overcame Maryland’s “crab five” to reach the next round, but it was not without droplets of sweat trickling down their temples.

Alex Condon’s injury woes: can the Gators step up again?

Alex Condon has been a force for Florida all season, anchoring the Gators’ defense and dominating the glass. He’s been putting up decent numbers, but his presence in the paint isn’t just about points; it’s about the energy, the leadership, and, let’s be honest, the intimidation factor that comes with being a nearly seven-foot powerhouse. On Thursday night, however, in the heart of a heated Sweet 16 battle against Maryland, disaster struck.

Condon, with his signature fearlessness, dived for a loose ball near the sideline. And instead of something that would have seen a show of claps, he landed awkwardly, tweaking his right ankle—the same one that had sidelined him for two weeks back in February.

Instead of pausing at the bench, 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. After all, before his exit, Condon had already notched four points and two rebounds, urging NCAA March Madness to tweet, “Condon cleans it up off the glass,” a nod to his early impact.

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, Florida’s team spokesperson shared an update revealing that the big man was being evaluated for an ankle injury. X-rays were ordered fast—Shehadi confirmed, saying, “We saw him clutch his ankle, walk off the court…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.” Of course, given his injury history, Florida’s medical staff was taking no chances.

The same ankle from February is causing problems just as the Gators are making a serious run in the tournament. So the timing? Not ideal. The concern? Very real. And it all just worsened when Rocco Miller posted on X, “I still haven’t seen any sign of Alex Condon by the Florida bench….One can only assume he may be done tonight.”

But then halftime hit, Florida was up 40-38, and- bam- Alex Condon reappeared. He hit a few 3-pointers while warming up, testing that ankle, and entered the game with 13:29 to play. His night ended with an overall of six points, four rebounds, and a block—modest, sure, but his presence fueled an 87-71 rout. However, going forward, they cannot risk something like this again- Condon’s no benchwarmer.

Alex Condon had a dream freshman season. The 6-foot-11 forward appeared in all 36 games for the Florida Gators in 2023-2024, staying healthy and making a name for himself. His hard work paid off when he earned SEC All-Freshman honors. But as he stepped into his sophomore year, his smooth run took a major hit.

The setback came in a game against Mississippi State. Just minutes after tipoff, Condon landed awkwardly—possibly stepping on another player’s foot—and went down with an ankle injury. As we said before, it wasn’t something minor; he was sidelined for two weeks.

The injury struck early in a season where Condon had already notched five double-doubles, including a career-high 27 points against Alabama. Florida head coach Todd Golden was relieved then, saying, “We dodged a bullet with it only being a low-ankle sprain; no structural damage, no bone damage.” Still, his absence forced adjustments. Now that the times are crucial, such adjustments might not fare well for the team.

The Big 4 of UF are absolutely crucial if they want to take their dreams through to the end. And without Condon, or Rueben Chinyelu, Thomas Haugh, and Micah Handlogten for that matter, it won’t remain that elite. However, we do have a silver lining this time. His quick return suggests the injury is minor, but it remains a tightrope.