GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Xaivian Lee scored 19 points, Thomas Haugh added 17 and No. 23 Florida pulled away late to beat Colgate 90-60 on Sunday and extend its home-winning streak against nonconference opponents to 18.
The Gators (8-4) won their third in a row since dropping back-to-back games to Duke and UConn. Rueben Chinyelu finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Alex Condon had 16 points, 10 boards, five assists, two blocks and two steals.
Olivier
Rioux, the world’s tallest teenager at 7 feet, 9 inches, played the final 1:29 but didn’t score. Officials drew the biggest boos of the night when one called Rioux for a foul in the final minute.
Colgate (6-6) kept the game close into the second half thanks to a bevy of 3-pointers, but the Raiders eventually got overwhelmed by Florida’s size and speed.
Colgate made 11 of 17 from behind the arc while losing for the third time in as many games against a ranked team.
Florida now has its longest win streak against nonconference teams since winning 25 in a row between 2010 and 2014.
Lee, who struggled in the first month of the season, led the Gators in scoring for the fifth time in their last six games.
Sam Wright and Kyle Carlesimo led Colgate with 14 points apiece. With his father, former Seton Hall and longtime NBA coach P.J. Carlesimo, on hand for the road game, Carlesimo hit four 3-pointers.
Florida coach Todd Golden, searching for more bench production, turned to Sacramento State transfer Alex Kovatchev in favor of struggling freshmen CJ Ingram and Alex Lloyd. Kovatchev played a season-high 11 minutes.
Colgate hosts Harvard on Sunday, its final game before opening Patriot League play.
Florida hosts Dartmouth next Monday, its final game before Southeastern Conference action.
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