Florida Beats Miami 77-67

Thomas Haugh scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the No. 1 Florida Gators defeated the No. 14 Miami Hurricanes 77-67 on Monday night in Tampa.

The game served as the season opener for both programs. Haugh, a 6-foot-9 senior, also recorded five offensive rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block. He shot 4 of 8 from beyond the arc and did not commit a single turnover. Rueben Chinyelu added six points and 14 rebounds for the Gators.

Miami kept the game close early on. The Hurricanes scored the first eight points of the second half. Somto Cyril dunked after a missed free throw to cut the Florida lead to 53-51. Florida responded with defensive pressure, holding Miami without a field goal for five minutes. Urban Klavzar hit a three-pointer to extend the Gator lead to 66-55.

Acaden Lewis, a transfer from Villanova, had 24 points in his first game for Miami. The Hurricanes trailed for most of the contest after the Gators built a 9-0 run in the first eight minutes. Florida never trailed after that initial stretch. Isaiah Brown followed a Haugh miss with a putback dunk late in the first half to give Florida a 44-32 lead.

The matchup was physical. The game included two technical fouls and three fouls upgraded to flagrants. Florida retained its roster nucleus from previous years and relied on effort in the win. The Gators had previously lost in Benchmark International Arena to Iowa in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 22.

Florida hosts Jacksonville on Thursday night. Miami hosts Wagner on Friday night.