No. 1 Florida Gators Beat No. 12 Miami 77-67 in Season Opener

The No. 1 Florida Gators defeated the No. 12 Miami Hurricanes 77-67 on Monday night in a season-opening contest at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa. The Gators took the win despite a disjointed second half that featured heavy fouling and frequent reviews. Florida built its lead in the first half and held onto it for the remainder of the game.

This matchup marked a return to the arena where Florida lost to Iowa in the NCAA Tournament last March. The Gators started slowly but found their footing midway through the first half. An eight-man rotation helped Florida build a double-digit lead. That cushion allowed the team to control the pace for the rest of the night.

Junior forward Thomas Haugh led the Gators with 19 points. He shot 6-of-13 from the field and made half of his three-point attempts. Starting guards Boogie Fland and Denzel Aberdeen struggled offensively, combining for 19 points on 5-of-18 shooting from the floor. Florida also missed several free throws, shooting under 60 percent from the line.

The second half was messy for both teams. Miami could not find rhythm, shooting just 35 percent from the field. The Hurricanes shot 4-of-26, or 15 percent, from beyond the arc. Todd Golden, the Florida coach, relied on his defensive unit to stop Miami from making runs. The Gators locked down the perimeter and protected the rim in late possessions.

Florida’s defense held Miami to a low scoring average while surviving the physical play. The Gators now return home to Gainesville for their next game. They will play Jacksonville University on Thursday night at the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.