Florida vs LSU Game Recap
#2 Florida 79, LSU 65
Pete Maravich Assembly Center | Baton Rouge, La.
Records: Florida 24-3, 11-3 SEC; LSU 14-13, 3-11 SEC
Next Up: Tuesday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m., at Georgia, SEC Network
Notable
* Rueben Chinyelu's career-high 19 points led the Gators' attack, as the big man also grabbed 13 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Thomas Haugh also notched a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds), his third, as five Gators went for double figures to win a game of runs. Alijah Martin (14), Walter Clayton Jr. (13) and Denzel Aberdeen (11) also scored in double figures.
* Florida raced to an 18-4 lead in the opening minutes, including an 11-0 run, and limited LSU to a 2-for-12 start from the field.
* Leading 29-15, the Gators made one of their final 13 attempts of the half and absorbed a 22-2 run to go into halftime down, 37-31.
* After falling behind 46-38 in the second half, the Gators went on a 22-6 run to reclaim control of the game.
* LSU cut Florida's lead to four with 7:56 to play, but UF finished on a 16-6 run including a 14-0 stretch.
* Florida had a season-low five turnovers and have just 11 turnovers over the last two games.
* Over the current six-game winning streak, Florida is averaging 11.7 3-pointers and 18.3 assists per game.
* Playing just 75 miles from his hometown of Summit, Miss., Martin returned to the starting lineup and finished with 14 points and six rebounds.
* Martin scored six straight points (and-1 and a 3-pointer) to put Florida up 10 in the closing minutes.
* Martin had an estimated 100 family and friends in attendance.
* Urban Klavžar has hit a 3-pointer in all six games of Florida's current winning streak.
* Florida converted all four and-1 opportunities (Aberdeen, Clayton, Chinyelu, Martin).
* Clayton has hit a 3-pointer in 49 straight appearances.
* Florida's six-game winning streak marks its longest in SEC play since winning eight straight SEC games from Jan. 25-Feb. 21, 2017.
* The win was the Gators' 19th this season by double digits, the team's most wins by 10+ points in a season since posting 21 in 2013-14.
* Florida stays undefeated vs. LSU under Todd Golden, improving to 4-0.
* Florida has matched last season's win total at 24. It also ties for the third-most regular season wins in program history (29 in 2013-14, 26 in 2006-07).
Head Coach Todd Golden
Opening statement...
"Just a great win for us. I thought we came out playing very well, obviously got out to a big lead in the first half. Credit to LSU, I thought they punked us back half of the first half. They went on a 22-2 run, made some big threes, played with a lot of confidence, didn't allow us to operate very comfortably offensively, which honestly we've been pretty good that way. But they held us to I think two points in eight minutes or whatever it was. At halftime, we had to recalibrate and make sure that we got back to defending and rebounding, taking care of the ball and doing the things that don't require talent. In the second half, I thought we imposed our will on them a little bit. Much more efficient offensively, obviously, scoring 48 points. Defensively, I thought we drilled down, did a better job of taking away their high pick-and-roll game and getting out to shooters and making it uncomfortable for them to score. A big part of this win for us tonight was imposing our will on the glass, plus-15 on the glass, gave ourselves some second-chance opportunities and limited their second-chance opportunities compared to ours. Great win for us, really proud of our group, and now we've got to get ready for Tuesday."
On Rueben Chinyelu's play...
"His best game as a Gator, for sure. Nineteen [points] and 13 [rebounds], he did what we needed him to do the whole game. The first half, I think he was plus-seven or -eight in a half that we were minus-six overall. I can't remember what is was, but we were good when he was on the floor. We got hit with Miller hitting a couple pick-and-pop threes in the first half that were his second and third made threes of the season, so we've got to live with that a little bit. But Rueben just did a great job imposing his will, finishing around the rim and cleaning up the glass. He got us seven offensive rebounds, 19 points, two assists for him. Again, he's improving so much in real time, and he's given us a big lift over these last couple weeks."
On Thomas Haugh...
"Honestly, I thought first half he wasn't playing as well as he normally does. Usually he keeps us in our offense and he's a guy that's making winning play after winning play, and I challenged him at halftime to keep us more organized and be more aggressive. We didn't take him off the floor in the second half, and he was a huge part of the way we played and obviously had some big-time drives and finishes, a couple really nice dunks, another big three in front of our bench. Again, the one positive of Condo [Alex Condon] being out these last couple games is it's given Tommy an opportunity to just go play with a lot of freedom knowing he's going to be on the floor 30 minutes plus, and he's done a great job taking advantage of that opportunity."
Sophomore C Rueben Chinyelu
On his performance
"Just playing my game, getting what I need from teammates and knowing I have to be there for them. That all just brings the best out of me."
Sophomore F Thomas Haugh
On the second half rally...
"I think we got way too comfortable in the first half. We got that lead and thought it was going to be easy. That's not the SEC. You get settled in, that can happen. Coach Golden gave us a nice little pep talk at halftime - I can't really say what he said - but we came out in second half and pretty much controlled it."
#2 Florida 79, LSU 65
Pete Maravich Assembly Center | Baton Rouge, La.
Records: Florida 24-3, 11-3 SEC; LSU 14-13, 3-11 SEC
Next Up: Tuesday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m., at Georgia, SEC Network
Notable
* Rueben Chinyelu's career-high 19 points led the Gators' attack, as the big man also grabbed 13 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Thomas Haugh also notched a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds), his third, as five Gators went for double figures to win a game of runs. Alijah Martin (14), Walter Clayton Jr. (13) and Denzel Aberdeen (11) also scored in double figures.
* Florida raced to an 18-4 lead in the opening minutes, including an 11-0 run, and limited LSU to a 2-for-12 start from the field.
* Leading 29-15, the Gators made one of their final 13 attempts of the half and absorbed a 22-2 run to go into halftime down, 37-31.
* After falling behind 46-38 in the second half, the Gators went on a 22-6 run to reclaim control of the game.
* LSU cut Florida's lead to four with 7:56 to play, but UF finished on a 16-6 run including a 14-0 stretch.
* Florida had a season-low five turnovers and have just 11 turnovers over the last two games.
* Over the current six-game winning streak, Florida is averaging 11.7 3-pointers and 18.3 assists per game.
* Playing just 75 miles from his hometown of Summit, Miss., Martin returned to the starting lineup and finished with 14 points and six rebounds.
* Martin scored six straight points (and-1 and a 3-pointer) to put Florida up 10 in the closing minutes.
* Martin had an estimated 100 family and friends in attendance.
* Urban Klavžar has hit a 3-pointer in all six games of Florida's current winning streak.
* Florida converted all four and-1 opportunities (Aberdeen, Clayton, Chinyelu, Martin).
* Clayton has hit a 3-pointer in 49 straight appearances.
* Florida's six-game winning streak marks its longest in SEC play since winning eight straight SEC games from Jan. 25-Feb. 21, 2017.
* The win was the Gators' 19th this season by double digits, the team's most wins by 10+ points in a season since posting 21 in 2013-14.
* Florida stays undefeated vs. LSU under Todd Golden, improving to 4-0.
* Florida has matched last season's win total at 24. It also ties for the third-most regular season wins in program history (29 in 2013-14, 26 in 2006-07).
Head Coach Todd Golden
Opening statement...
"Just a great win for us. I thought we came out playing very well, obviously got out to a big lead in the first half. Credit to LSU, I thought they punked us back half of the first half. They went on a 22-2 run, made some big threes, played with a lot of confidence, didn't allow us to operate very comfortably offensively, which honestly we've been pretty good that way. But they held us to I think two points in eight minutes or whatever it was. At halftime, we had to recalibrate and make sure that we got back to defending and rebounding, taking care of the ball and doing the things that don't require talent. In the second half, I thought we imposed our will on them a little bit. Much more efficient offensively, obviously, scoring 48 points. Defensively, I thought we drilled down, did a better job of taking away their high pick-and-roll game and getting out to shooters and making it uncomfortable for them to score. A big part of this win for us tonight was imposing our will on the glass, plus-15 on the glass, gave ourselves some second-chance opportunities and limited their second-chance opportunities compared to ours. Great win for us, really proud of our group, and now we've got to get ready for Tuesday."
On Rueben Chinyelu's play...
"His best game as a Gator, for sure. Nineteen [points] and 13 [rebounds], he did what we needed him to do the whole game. The first half, I think he was plus-seven or -eight in a half that we were minus-six overall. I can't remember what is was, but we were good when he was on the floor. We got hit with Miller hitting a couple pick-and-pop threes in the first half that were his second and third made threes of the season, so we've got to live with that a little bit. But Rueben just did a great job imposing his will, finishing around the rim and cleaning up the glass. He got us seven offensive rebounds, 19 points, two assists for him. Again, he's improving so much in real time, and he's given us a big lift over these last couple weeks."
On Thomas Haugh...
"Honestly, I thought first half he wasn't playing as well as he normally does. Usually he keeps us in our offense and he's a guy that's making winning play after winning play, and I challenged him at halftime to keep us more organized and be more aggressive. We didn't take him off the floor in the second half, and he was a huge part of the way we played and obviously had some big-time drives and finishes, a couple really nice dunks, another big three in front of our bench. Again, the one positive of Condo [Alex Condon] being out these last couple games is it's given Tommy an opportunity to just go play with a lot of freedom knowing he's going to be on the floor 30 minutes plus, and he's done a great job taking advantage of that opportunity."
Sophomore C Rueben Chinyelu
On his performance
"Just playing my game, getting what I need from teammates and knowing I have to be there for them. That all just brings the best out of me."
Sophomore F Thomas Haugh
On the second half rally...
"I think we got way too comfortable in the first half. We got that lead and thought it was going to be easy. That's not the SEC. You get settled in, that can happen. Coach Golden gave us a nice little pep talk at halftime - I can't really say what he said - but we came out in second half and pretty much controlled it."
