Olivier Rioux could only watch Florida\u2019s run to the national title last year.<\/p>\n
This time around, the tallest college basketball player ever<\/a> can forever say that he contributed to whatever this chase of a repeat title ultimately amounts to this March Madness.<\/p>\n The 236-centimetre redshirt freshman yet again made history on Saturday (AEDT) when he both entered and later scored during top-seeded Florida\u2019s 114-55 demolition of 16th-seeded Prairie View A&M in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n Rioux\u2019s teammates and the crowd inside Benchmark International Arena in Tampa erupted when Rioux dunked after securing an offensive rebound with 1:12 remaining.<\/p>\n Rioux arrived in Gainesville for the 2024-25 season to much fanfare due to his jaw-dropping height, but he ultimately sat out the season.<\/p>\n He did provide a viral moment after Florida\u2019s national title triumph over Houston when he cut a piece of the net without needing the help of a ladder.<\/p>\n Rioux finally debuted last November to become the tallest player in the sport\u2019s history, and one month later became the tallest player to ever score in a college basketball game.<\/p>\n Although he only played sparingly this year while setting records, he will now have at least one March Madness memory to forever remember.<\/p>\n Fans reportedly chanted \u201cWe want Ollie\u201d while the Gators turned the game into a glorified exhibition, and he entered a 109-47 game with 1:54 remaining.<\/p>\n In a comical moment, the TNT broadcast captured him standing next to the 203cm Hassane Diallo, just towering over his opponent.<\/p>\n An image of the pair standing next to each other quickly whipped around the internet with fans losing their minds over the youngster\u2019s towering frame.<\/p>\n Rioux missed two shots soon after entering before slamming home a miss.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw a wide-open dunk,\u201d Rioux said.<\/p>\n His teammates loved seeing Rioux make the most of his chance.<\/p>\n \u201cJust me seeing him being able to step up there, go in there, dunk the ball, make points, it\u2019s really \u2014 you could see everybody enjoyed it,\u201d Florida center Rueben Chinyelu said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnytime we get to \u2014 anytime we\u2019re playing and we can set up an opportunity to get our guys in, we really do that because that\u2019s what we do because they grind.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s unlikely Florida will find itself in another 50-point blowout against No. 9 Iowa on Saturday, which means Rioux may have played in his final game of the season.<\/p>\n He hopes these small moments allow him to develop into a more effective player for the Gators.<\/p>\n Rioux told The Athletic<\/a>: \u201cIt\u2019s very important. I think I did that today.\u201d<\/p>\n