ATHENS. Ga. (AP) — Xaivian Lee scored 18 points and No. 14 Florida finally found its touch from 3-point range, leading from the opening tip for an 86-66 victory over Georgia on Wednesday night.
The Gators (18-6, 9-2 Southeastern Conference) are hitting their stride with March just a few weeks away. The reigning national champions have won nine of 10 games — all but one of those victories by double-digit margins — and are all alone atop the league standings.
Georgia (17-7, 5-6) clearly missed top scorer Jeremiah Wilkinson, who sat out because of a shoulder injury. The Bulldogs simply didn't have enough firepower without their sophomore guard, who is averaging 17.1 points.
Blue Cain led Georgia with 17 points.
The Gators dominated from the opening tip. Florida scored the first 10 points, while Georgia missed its first eight shots. Alex Condon set the tone at the defensive end, blocking what looking to be a sure dunk by Cain flying in off the wing.
The Gators led by as many as 20 in the opening period while knocking down six of their first 12 attempts beyond the 3-point stripe. They finished 10 of 26 from long range — not dazzling, but certainly an improvement on their last-in-the-SEC 28.8% coming into the game.
Florida was up 43-27 at halftime and went on to complete a season sweep, having knocked off the Bulldogs 92-77 in Gainesville on Jan. 6.
When Boogie Fland swished a desperation 3 as the shot clock was expiring, pushing Florida to its biggest lead at 60-38 with just under 12 minutes remaining, many red-clad fans at Stegeman Coliseum headed for the exits.
Fland had 15 points and three other Gators were in double figures. Rueben Chinyelu was a beast on the boards with 20 rebounds. Florida even got a chance to send on 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux in the final minute.
Georgia did show some fight, slicing the margin to 10, but Lee made a 3 that finished off any thoughts of an improbable comeback. The Bulldogs came in averaging an SEC-leading 91.9 points, but were held to a season low.
Florida: Returns home Saturday for the first of two game against No. 25 Kentucky.
Georgia: Travels to Oklahoma on Saturday.
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