NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
It’s not often that a 6-foot-8 basketball player looks small on the court, but that’s what the tallest college basketball player in history did on Friday night.
Florida’s Olivier Rioux entered the game late in the team’s dominant 114-55 victory over No. 16 Prairie View A&M at Benchmark International Arena, and at 7-foot-9, he floored his opponents with his height.
Prairie View A&M forward Hassane Diallo, who is 6-foot-8, a foot shorter than Rioux, went viral for sizing up the towering 20-year-old as he entered the game. Rioux was the world’s tallest teenager before his birthday last month.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
Florida Gators center Olivier Rioux (32) and Prairie View A&M Panthers forward Hassane Diallo (11) watch during a first-round game of the 2026 NCAA men’s tournament at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, on March 20, 2026. (Matt Pendleton/Image Images)
Rioux has been little used throughout the year as he continues to develop, but in a short time he has become a fan favorite. Every time the Gators have a big performance late in games, the Florida crowd chants Rioux’s name to head coach Todd Golden, wanting to see the tall center in action.
Rioux sent the crowd into a frenzy when he entered the game with about two minutes left. He sent them into even greater hysteria when he scored a dunk for the first points of his career in an NCAA Tournament, as fans chanted “Oli! Oli!” songs.
RICK PITINO JOINS ‘THANK YOU, NYPD’ CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF OPENING OF ST JOHN’S MARCH MADNESS
Florida Gators center Olivier Rioux (32) makes a dunk in the second half against the Prairie View A&M Panthers during a first-round game of the 2026 NCAA men’s tournament at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, on March 20, 2026. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Image Images)
Florida’s victory was historic, as the 59-point margin of victory was the second largest in NCAA tournament history.
Prairie View A&M was down 30 points when the TNT broadcast asked head coach Byron Smith during a midgame interview what it would take to stop Florida.
“We need help from the Lord,” Smith responded.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pak Gazette APP
Florida Gators center Olivier Rioux (32) looks on in the second half against the Prairie View A&M Panthers during a first-round game of the 2026 NCAA men’s tournament at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, on March 20, 2026. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Image Images)
Prairie View A&M didn’t end up getting any help from above as the defending champions battled their way into the second round.
No. 1 Florida will play No. 9 Iowa on Sunday at 7:10 p.m. ET, when Gator fans hope to get another chance to see Rioux in action.
