No. 14 Florida Finds Stroke, Overpowers Georgia for Road Rout
Play-by-play analyst Jimmy Dykes summed up the growing sentiment: “If Florida becomes a three-point shooting team, watch out.”
That warning proved accurate Wednesday night at Stegeman Coliseum. SEC-leading Florida (18-6, 9-2 SEC) dominated Georgia (17-7, 5-6) in a 20-point win, draining 10 3-pointers, its highest total since Dec. 17 against Saint Francis.
No. 14 Florida controlled the game from start to finish, jumping to a 10-0 lead en route to an 86-66 win behind 18 points from Xaivian Lee and 20 rebounds from Rueben Chinyelu.
“Our team is enjoying owning the identity of being a defensive, gritty and physical rebounding team that gets out in transition and takes advantage of opportunities that arise from our defense,” Florida coach Todd Golden said.
Florida has continued playing at an elite level, outscoring its last four opponents by a combined 109 points. Heading into the Georgia game, the Gators had won eight of their previous nine contests by an average of 20.8 points per game and their average margin of victory during the five-game road winning streak is 21.4 points.
“It speaks to the depth of our team,” Golden said. “I thought our bench was fantastic again tonight.”
The SEC rivals already met this season in Gainesville on Jan. 6, when Florida dominated the then 18th-ranked Bulldogs 92-77 in a game where Somtochukwu Cyril was ejected on a Flagrant 2 hit on Chinyelu.
The Gators set a physical tone inside, making sure Georgia’s big man, Cyril, felt their presence all night. He was involved in constant contact, drawing fouls and committing them, and was knocked to the floor multiple times by Florida’s aggressive post defense.
Florida came out swinging in the first half and once again looked like the complete team Golden has long said it could be. Even without much production from its leading scorers early on, the Gators controlled the game.
Chinyelu had two points with 12 rebounds and leading scorer Thomas Haugh only had four points.
Still, Florida showed just how dangerous it can be without relying on its stars. Lee led the way with 13 points, including two 3-pointers, while Isaiah Brown added nine off the bench on three triples. The Gators found their rhythm from behind the arc as they shot 43%.
“As a program, we think of our shooting as a cherry on top, we don’t want that to be what makes us good,” Golden said. “We want it to be a thing where if we are shooting the ball well, we’re really hard to beat.”
Georgia entered the game averaging 92.8 points per game at home, but Florida’s elite defense held the Bulldogs to just 27 points in the first half and limited them to 25% shooting from 3.
Coach Mike White motivated the Bulldogs at halftime as they came into the second half ready to play. Georgia adjusted defensively, choosing to switch on ball screens instead of going over the top, hoping to take away Florida’s perimeter looks.
Over the first four minutes of the second half, Florida went 0-for-6 from the field with four rebounds, while Georgia shot 2-for-9 and grabbed seven boards. The Bulldogs were beating Florida at its own game.
Georgia cut the deficit to 11 before Haugh and Urban Klavzar hit back-to-back 3-pointers, pushing the lead back to 15. Boogie Fland then drained a long 3 at the shot clock, giving the Gators their largest lead of the night at 60-38.
Florida took control toward the end unlike last year’s matchup. Florida faced Georgia in Athens on Feb. 25, 2025 and lost 88-83, the Gators’ last loss before winning the next 12 to win the national championship. Florida wouldn’t let history repeat itself at sold-out Stegeman Coliseum.
Golden emptied the bench with 35 seconds remaining as Florida defeated the Bulldogs.
Takeaways
Leading up to the Georgia game, 3-point shooting had been a concern for the Gators, fueling doubts about their ability to make a deep tournament run.
Those questions were silenced, at least for now, on Wednesday night. Florida shot 53% from the field, 80% from the free-throw line and 38.5% from beyond the arc on 10 made 3-pointers (10-for-26). The Gators saw a view of the shooting that can make them an elite team.
Florida dominated in many of the areas they have excelled in all season. The Gators out-rebounded Georgia 42-35, though the Bulldogs held the edge on offensive boards, 13-9.
Florida showed its elite motor.
After a 3-point basket by Blue Cain with eight minutes remaining, Haugh pushed the ball down the court for a dunk, which marked four times that Florida scored in the first four seconds of a Georgia make.
The Gators also showed how they respond to adjustments, as Georgia tried to slow down UF with a zone in the second half. However, Florida proved it’s one of the best teams in the country by using its elite passing to break down the defense.
Florida looked dominant, pushing the ball up the court efficiently, with Chinyelu controlling the glass, excellent ball movement and strong shooting. Even a struggling Lee managed to find the basket.
The only concern for the Gators was their 14 turnovers. Clean up that issue, and Florida could be one of the most dangerous teams in the country.
Florida next hosts former Gator Denzel Aberdeen and the 25th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats (17-7, 8-3) on Saturday with coverage beginning at 2:30 p.m. on 103.7-FM and tipoff at 3 p.m. on ABC. The Wildcats are coming off their mid-week bye and are a game back alongside Arkansas for second place in the conference standings.
Category: College Basketball, Gators Men's Basketball
