GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA — After Dartmouth left the floor on Dec. 29, following a loss against the No. 22 ranked University of Florida, it wouldn’t have been surprising if the team decided to hop on the bus back to the hotel.
Instead, the players made their way back onto the court. They chatted with a small group of Dartmouth fans, friends and family, posed for pictures and lingered long after the final buzzer had sounded.
One word captures their spirit: resilience.
Despite a strong second half, Dartmouth’s early struggles left the team too far behind as it fell to the defending national champions 94-72.
“They jumped us early, and I thought we weren’t quite playing our game,” Dartmouth head coach David McLaughlin said. “I thought we were more comfortable in the second half. I think we’ll see some growth from that.”
While most of Florida’s students were off campus for winter break, Dartmouth still had to contend with a crowd of nearly 11,000 rabid Gator fans, whose boos echoed throughout the stadium when Dartmouth entered the court.
It was Dartmouth’s first matchup against a top 25 opponent since November of 2023, when the Big Green traveled to Durham, N.C., to take on the then-ninth ranked Duke Blue Devils.
The Big Green scored first with a Jayden Williams ’26 free throw but quickly surrendered 12 straight points. The deficit only grew from there and Dartmouth began to look overwhelmed by Florida and its deafening crowd.
On offense, the Big Green were unable to create. Florida limited Dartmouth’s opportunities in the paint as big men Brandon Mitchell-Day ’26 and Jackson Munro ’26 were often subjugated to the perimeter. To make things worse, Dartmouth’s shooters went cold, shooting only 30% from the field in the first half.
“I would just say [Florida’s] length really affects the percentage of the shot,” Kareem Thomas ’28 said. “I felt comfortable with every shot that I took. The percentages were a little bit lower today.”
On defense, Dartmouth couldn’t keep up with Florida’s athleticism. The Gators blew by Dartmouth defenders for easy points down low. Dartmouth defenders often contested Florida’s shots late, leading to frequent fouls that gave Florida a whopping 26 free throws in the first half, of which they made 17.
“They had some monsters down low,” Williams said. “At the end of the day, it comes down to our technicality and our physicality.”
Throughout the game, Dartmouth was dominated on the glass, getting outrebounded 60-24. Florida, the best offensive rebounding team in the country, collected 25 offensive rebounds, including 15 in the first half. Dartmouth only had three all game long.
“They were basically playing volleyball up there,” McLaughlin said. “We have to rebound with five guys. So we’ll look at how many times we didn’t have our five guys there, we’ll look at when we didn't make contact first.”
So when the buzzer sounded to end the period, none of the Florida fans at the O’Dome expected Dartmouth, staring down the barrel of a 26-point deficit, to fight back.
The Dartmouth coaching staff, however, gave the players a spark.
“I challenged the guys a little bit at halftime about playing a little tougher, having a little more swagger,” coach McLaughlin said.
The players also challenged themselves to play better.
“We try to be a player-led group,” Thomas said. “Knowing that I have those guys behind me to keep my head on straight and push me when I'm not doing what I'm supposed to do really keeps me focused.”
Dartmouth began to battle back. The offense found its groove as the two teams traded baskets. Cameron McNamee ’28, impressed off the bench, nailing all three of his 3-pointer’s to cap his team-leading scoring night with 16 points.
“Cam’s a really good player,” McLaughlin said. “He’s someone that can stretch the defense. He plays with a little bit of an edge. He doesn’t settle.”
Thomas, who has led the team with over 18 points a game this season, bounced back from a slow start to post 11 of his 15 points in the second half. He sliced up the Florida defense, drawing fouls and getting to his spots with quick handles.
“Not giving up,” Thomas said when asked about the main factor behind the second half rally. “A lot of people don't get this opportunity. You’re down in the first half, you just got to keep playing.”
McNamee and Thomas’s efforts certainly helped, but the rest of the team also leveled up. The Big Green hit 50% of their shots and outscored Florida 45-41 in the second half.
“We started to get out and transition a little more,” McLaughlin said. “When we got into the paint, we got two feet down … and once you start to get a couple shots that guys had more confidence.”
As the buzzer sounded, Dartmouth held their heads high. Despite the tough start, the second half and the post-game pictures, hugs and conversation showed that the team is stronger than ever.
“I got all my family coming out, my friends,” Williams said. “Seeing them here means the world. I wish I gave them a better game, personally. But we move on. I got to keep my head up, and we’re going to dominate conference play anyway.”
Dartmouth will return to Leede Arena on Jan. 10 to face Cornell University.
