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BOX SCORE
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Notes & quotes courtesy Florida Sports Information
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Todd Golden
Opening Statement…
“Great win for us. Really happy [with] our team’s effort. The first half, we did some really good things, but we let them stay in the game with our inability to take care of the basketball. That was a big issue for us, but credit to Miami, they’re quick. They do a good job playing the basketball and creating those turnovers. I thought in the second half we were just very competitive, much better handling the basketball. Both of these guys next to me [Alex Condon and Urban Klavžar] played great games. I wish [Condon] would’ve stayed out of foul trouble because he was dominant tonight with his 19 [points] and seven [rebounds], kind of getting whatever he wanted. He did a good job playing poised in the paint, finishing around the rim, and we saw his 3-ball go in a couple times, which was huge for us. Really, really happy for [Klavžar]. Obviously, stepped up huge for us in conference play last year when we were dealing with some injuries, was great in the exhibitions and had a slow start to the season, but the Urban Klavžar you saw tonight is the guy that we know we have on our roster. [He] stepped up and hit some really big shots in some moments tonight that allowed us to run out of here with a pretty big win. Good team in Miami. I told our guys in the locker room, this one will travel for us. I expect this to be a quad-2 level win at the end of the year, and always good to beat a rival.”
Junior F Alex Condon
On his performance and playing through foul trouble…
“I just played free. I didn’t try to think too much about, which obviously cost me in the end because we’re supposed to play without fouling. It’s something I need to tighten a little bit and realize the team needs me at the end of the stretch. Also, a big emphasis on rebounding going forward for us, as well.
On reducing his turnovers this game….
“I think just taking my time and playing off two feet is a big thing. I know I can make the right read. I feel like Coach is trusting me a lot with the ball out of the trail and making plays and kind of being that point-4 for us, but I got to take care of the ball and take my time with it, as well.”
On Rueben Chinyelu…
“Yeah, [Rueben] has been awesome for us the last two games. I think he’s being the guy he is in practice every day. We’ve always seen that from Rueben the past two years and he’s really starting to get the hang of that and emulating that in the games. He works really hard.”
Junior G Urban Klavžar
On stepping up with the bigs facing foul trouble…
“I feel like you just have to stay ready. I saw they got five fouls there and I had to stay ready to shoot those jump shots. We play with great guards and I knew Xaivian and Boogie can get me open anytime. Or even Thomas. I just had to stay ready and shoot the shots with confidence.”
On shooting and evolving into a playmaker…
“I’m just trying to be confident every day, more and more. We work a lot every day. I worked a lot with Taurean [Green] on just shooting. The work that we put it has to show every night. You have to stay confident and take those shots.”
NOTEABLE
- Four players went for 15 or more points as the Gators cruised to an 82-68 win vs. Miami, wrapping a rivalry week that saw UF top FSU and Miami in the same season for the first time since 2005-06.
- Alex Condon led the Gators with 19 points and added seven rebounds.
- Rueben Chinyelu posted 16 points and 12 rebounds along with two blocked shots for his second straight double-double (10 points, 16 rebounds vs. FSU). It marked his sixth as a Gator.
- Thomas Haugh turned in another all-around performance with 17 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. He shot 5-for-9 from the floor and 3-for-6 from 3.
- Urban Klavžar tallied a career-high 15 points off the bench, shooting 4-for-7 from 3-point range.
- It marked the first time UF had four players with 15+ points since last season’s SEC Tournament quarterfinal win vs. Missouri (Clayton, Martin, Richard, Haugh).
- The Gators improve to 48-24 all-time vs. Miami, including 4-1 at neutral sites and 1-0 under Golden.
- Florida’s three straight wins vs. Miami is the longest streak by either team in the series since UF won 11 straight from 1965-88.
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