Florida’s Rueben Chinyelu had 20 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks, as the Gators upset No. 10 Vanderbilt, 98-94, in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday.
The Gators out-rebounded Vanderbilt, 40-26, shot 52.5 percent from the floor, 37.5 percent from 3 and 83.3 percent from the foul line.
Xaivian Lee (20 points, six rebounds) made huge plays down the stretch for Florida (13-5, 4-1 Southeastern Conference). Tommy Haugh (18 points, eight rebounds), Alex Condon (16 and eight) and Isaiah Brown (14 points) were also key contributors.
Tyler Tanner (20 points, five assists), Duke Miles and AK Okereke (15 points each) and Tyler Nickel and Jalen Washington (14 points each) led the Commodores (16-2, 3-2), who turned it over just four times but still lost its second straight.
Lee’s 3-pointer with 45 seconds left gave the Gators a 95-94 lead. Vanderbilt then went deep into the shot clock before Okereke lost the ball in traffic and the ball went out of bounds for a turnover.
Lee hit a free throw with 18 seconds left, Vandy’s Tanner missed a short runner, Condon rebounded and then hit the two clinching free throws on the other end.
The Commodores couldn’t overcome foul trouble to starters Devin McGlockton, who picked up his fourth foul with 13:05 remaining, and Miles, who fouled out with 4:14 left.
A seven-point possession gave the Gators a 51-49 lead early in the second half.
Vanderbilt’s McGlockton charged with a Flagrant 1 on a hook-and-hold while at the same time, Nickel was charged with a foul on the shot on the same play.
That resulted in the Gators’ Chinyelu four free throws with 18:53 left and then Haugh drilled a 3 on the accompanying possession.
Vanderbilt led 45-44 at half as each team shot 48.5 percent from the floor.
The Gators had a 22-13 rebounding edge and led by 10 in the first period, but Washington’s put-back at the buzzer on the team’s first offensive rebound put Vandy ahead.
–Field Level Media
