Xaivian Lee scored a game-high 20 points and Urban Klavzar came off the bench to toss in 18 to lead No. 10 Florida to a 90-78 victory over Providence in the Rady Children’s Invitational consolation game Friday in San Diego.
Florida (5-2) made a season-high 12 3-pointers on 33 attempts. Lee and Boogie Fland each made a team-high four 3-pointers. Fland finished with 17 points.
The Gators received 16 points, 12 rebounds and five assists from Thomas Haugh, and a 13-point, 10-rebound performance from Rueben Chinyelu.
Ryan Mela (17 points) and Jaylin Sellers (14) were Providence’s lead scorers. Sellers made each of his three 3-point attempts. Jason Edwards scored 13 points, Corey Floyd Jr. had 12 and Stefan Vaaks was good for 10 for the Friars (4-4).
Providence forward Oswin Erhunmwunse fouled out in 13 minutes of playing time, and forward Cole Hargrove fouled out in 12 minutes. Each player had two points.
Florida forward Alex Condon was held out of Friday’s game after he was accidentally hit in the chin by Chinyelu on Thursday. Condon ranks second on the team in scoring (15.7), rebounds (8.8), assists (3.5) and steals (1.0). He’s also first in blocked shots (1.2).
Florida, which lost to TCU 84-80 in the tournament semifinals Thursday, scored 45 points in each half. Providence was coming off a 104-83 loss to Wisconsin in Thursday’s other semifinal.
Florida took its first double-digit lead when two Haugh free throws made it 32-22 with 6:18 remaining in the first half, and the Gators had their largest lead of the half at 35-22 following Haugh’s dunk with 5:27 on the clock. Providence narrowed its deficit to 45-39 at halftime.
Sellers drained a 3-pointer and Mela added four free throws in a 7-0 Providence run that cut Florida’s lead to 51-47, but the Gators responded with a 10-0 run featuring consecutive triples by Fland.
Florida had its largest lead at 80-61 after Klavzar made a 3-pointer with 7:34 remaining. The Gators led by at least 12 points for the rest of the game.
