Image Credit: UAA

Twenty-four hours after a disastrous loss that saw the program blow a double-digit lead in the second half, No. 10 Florida Gators basketball bounced back for a thorough 90-78 win over the Providence Friars to conclude the 2025 Rady Children’s Invitational. Florida led for all but 12 seconds of the contest and avoided dropping consecutive games for the first time in 22 months.

While the Gators remained in foul trouble for the second straight contest, they cut down their turnovers markedly, only coughing up the ball eight times compared to 19 in their loss to TCU. UF also saw much better performances from its starting backcourt, particularly redshirt senior guard Xaivian Lee, who compiled the best performance of his Florida career — nothing spectacular on its own but certainly a significant step up from the first few weeks of the season.

Let’s take a look at what went down Friday with some truncated Fastbreak Takeaways.

It was over when … sophomore G Boogie Fland drained a 3-pointer with junior forward Thomas Haugh adding a pair of free throws, boosting Florida’s lead back to 18 points with 4:29 to play. The Gators led by as many as 19 points in the second half, using a 10-0 run midway through the period to nearly double their advantage. UF also pieced together 14-3 scoring stretch late in the first half.

Exceptional efforts: Lee posted a game- and season-high 20 points on 4 of 9 shooting from deep with 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 turnovers. This despite entering the contest shooting 22.0% from the floor (2 of 18 over the prior three games) and 16.7% from downtown (1 of 13). He appeared much more confident and together on both ends of the court, and he also made both of his free-throw attempts.

Haugh and junior center Rueben Chinyelu each posted double-doubles in the contest. The former had an off shooting night but finished with 12 rebounds, 5 assists and 16 points after going 9 of 11 from the charity stripe. The Ruler posted 13 points and 10 boards, falling one rebound shy (Thursday) of registering a double-double in five straight games.

Pointed progress: Continuing his breakout campaign was junior G Urban Klavzar, who scored 18 points in 30 minutes and now has 38 across his last two games. Though Klavzar did not start, he saw substantial time in rare three-guard lineups as junior F/C Alex Condon was held out for precautionary reasons. Fland finished with 7 points and 3 dimes, continuing to play well in stretches but still seeking the consistency he flashed last season at Arkansas.

What it means: Florida put together a complete performance with head coach Todd Golden motivating his team nicely coming out of the disastrous loss on Thanksgiving. The Gators shockingly got outscored in the paint for the second straight contest, but they won the rebounding battle (42-37) cut down their turnovers markedly. They took 50% of their shots from beyond the arc, but few were forced.

Lee’s turnaround performance is most notable, of course, but it was the first time in seven games that he shot with any efficiency. It will be incumbent upon him to build on this effort, and a major test awaits for not just the Princeton transfer but the entire program.

What’s next? Florida will likely see its ranking take a hit when the new AP Top 25 poll is released Monday, which means it will not keep up its end of the scheduled top 10 matchup on the docket despite being set to play No. 4 Duke on Tuesday. The game will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET and air live nationally on ESPN.