Image Credit: UAA

One of three Florida Gators to test NBA Draft waters before ultimately returning to the program, junior center Rueben Chinyelu knew he had a lot of work to do if he wanted to play professional basketball. A terrific defender and rebounder yet an inconsistent scorer, Chinyelu did appear to improve early in the 2025-26 season, but if his last three games are any indication, he may be playing himself into being one of the hottest frontcourt prospects in the country.

Chinyelu matched a career-high and Stephen C. O’Connell Center-high with 21 rebounds on Tuesday night while posting a fourth straight double-double for the first time in his career. His 15 points marked the first time in his career that he had scored that many in four straight games; he had never previously done it in consecutive contests.

This after “The Ruler” bested a career-high 19 points on Jan. 13 with a career-high 20 points on Jan. 17.

His dominance has led No. 16 Florida to five straight wins, including three over ranked teams. The Gators dominated the visiting LSU Tigers, 79-61, on Tuesday in Gainesville, Florida.

The reigning SEC Player of the Week appears poised to repeat the honor, and his performance would have been even more astounding had he not gone 5 of 10 from the free-throw line. (Chinyelu had made 12 straight gimmies entering the game.)

Florida has not only won five straight SEC games but four of those five by 15+ points. It remains first in the SEC standings with a 5-1 mark. The Gators have also won nine of their last 10 games since Dec. 13, 2025.

It was over when … Chinyelu and sophomore guard Urban Klavžar combined for 15 points over a stretch of 3:55 to push Florida ahead by 22 points with 8:42 to play. The Gators led by 12 at halftime but were unable to pull away after the break until the extended scoring stretch and dominance from the game’s leaders.

Exceptional efforts: Aside from Chinyelu’s dominance, Klavžar caught fire from beyond the arc, draining 5 of 9 attempts from long range for a game-high 18 points with two assists and three rebounds. It was an important two-man effort considering junior forward Thomas Haugh and sophomore G Boogie Fland combined to go 6 of 22 from the field and 2 of 8 from long range, though they did manage to post 12 points.

Odds & ends: Florida improved to 55-66 all-time against LSU as head coach Todd Golden moved to 5-0 over the Tigers … the Gators have now won 16 straight games in the O’Dome, 10 against SEC opponents … Florida improved to 12-1 this season when leading at halftime, 14-1 when leading with 5 minutes to play, 14-3 when outrebounding an opponent, 6-1 when outshooting an opponent from 3-point land, 11-1 when attempting more free throws, 8-1 when winning the bench scoring battle and 13-2 when 4+ players score in double figures

What it means: Finishing 9 of 27 from 3-point range, Florida posted a 33.3% efficiency in consecutive games for just the second time this season. Its dominance in the paint (edges of 50-30 rebounding, 21-10 on second chances) carried it once again, but UF must figure out ways to put the ball through the hoop from mid- and long-range. The NCAA Tournament is carried by guard play, and the Gators are not getting what they need on a game-to-game basis at this juncture.

What’s next? Florida concludes its two-game homestand on Saturday when it hosts Auburn at 4 p.m. ET. The game will air live nationally on ESPN.