No. 16 Florida proved to be too much on the boards, pulling clear of Associate Head Coach David Patrick and his LSU Men’s Basketball team in the final minutes of the first half on the way to a 79-61 victory at the Exactech Arena.
The game marked the return to play for LSU point guard Dedan Thomas Jr., who missed the previous five games with a left lower leg injury. Thomas, who returned to practice at the start of the week, played 17 minutes off the bench, making one field goal with two rebounds and three assists in his first action since December 19th.
The Gators' physicality was the defining story of the night, as they out-rebounded the Tigers 50-30. A staggering 24-7 advantage on the offensive board led Florida to a 21-10 cushion in second-chance points. Center Rueben Chinyelu, who entered the contest averaging a double-double, was the primary catalyst, exploding for 15 points and 21 rebounds—11 of which came on the offensive end.
The Tigers started brightly, holding a narrow 9-7 lead early in the first half. However, the Gators responded with an 8-1 run to take the lead for good. Florida closed the period on a 10-3 scoring sprint, punctuated by a Thomas Haugh three-pointer at the buzzer to lead 38-26 at intermission.
In the second half, Urban Klavzar caught fire from beyond the arc, hitting five three-pointers to lead Florida with 18 points. The Gators' lead ballooned to as many as 24 with six minutes remaining. Despite Mike Nwoko’s team-high 17 points for the Tigers, LSU’s shooting struggles—including an 0-for-6 mark from distance in the second half—prevented any hope of a comeback.
LSU, now 13-6 overall and 1-5 in the SEC, will look to regroup before traveling to face No. 20 Arkansas this Saturday.
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