Florida vs. Miami score, takeaways: No. 10 Gators frontcourt stands out in thorough win

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Image Credit: UAA

The No. 10 Florida Gators took care of business Sunday night, pulling away from the Miami Hurricanes in the second half of the 2025 Jacksonville Hoops Showdown for an 82-68 win, their third straight victory following a season-opening loss in Las Vegas. While the Gators were not overwhelming wire-to-wire, they pulled away steadily in the second half to coast to the finish and go 2-0 against their traditional Power Four in-state rivals.

Head coach Todd Golden nevertheless has plenty to figure out in getting the reigning national champions ready to play tougher competition. Florida again proved it is an uneven team, one largely coasting on a size and talent advantage, not so much a level of play that is higher than its opponents.

With only one home game remaining this month and some exceedingly difficult opponents ahead before the SEC season begins at the turn of the year, the Gators must figure out how to play more consistently — and specifically, how to shoot better.

Let’s take a look at Florida’s latest victory with some Fastbreak Takeaways.

It was over when …  junior guard Urban Klavžar drained a dagger 3-pointer to seal the victory — and the best game of his Florida career — pushing the Gators ahead by 16 points with 2:02 to play. UF ultimately took a game-high 19-point lead with 92 seconds left.

Florida saw its double-digit lead cut to three points early in the second half as multiple poor 3-point attempts assisted Miami to a 7-0 run. The Gators, however, answered with an extended 18-5 scoring stretch to take a commanding 17-point lead with 8 minutes to play. It sailed from there.

First half focus: Junior forward Thomas Haugh drained a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to give Florida a 10-point lead at the break. The opening 20 minutes were back and forth until UF went on a 10-2 run to take a half-high 11-point lead with 75 seconds remaining. Condon scored a half-high 15 points, while junior center Rueben Chinyelu dominated on both ends of the court. The Gators remained sloppy with the ball, though, committing 10 turnovers that resulted in 11 points for the Canes.

Exceptional efforts: Junior forward/center Alex Condon had his first complete performance of the campaign despite earning plenty of preseason accolades. Condon dominated on both ends of the court, posting a game-high 19 points on 8 of 12 shooting (2 of 4 from downtown) with a game-high 7 rebounds and only 2 turnovers. (He had committed 12 giveaways in the last two games.)

It was actually the entire frontcourt that led the way for the Gators. Chinyelu finished with a double-double of 16 points and 12 boards, going 7 of 10 from the field, though he did foul out. Haugh followed suit, posting 17 points on 3 of 6 shooting from long range with 8 rebounds.

Klavžar played his best game in a Florida uniform, hitting 4 of 7 triples and all three of his free throws for a career-high 15 points. (He was 3 of 16 from deep entering the game.)

So … what’s up, guys? The lacking production from the Gators’ transfer guards remains a sore spot for this team nearly a month into the season. Sophomore Boogie Fland and senior Xaivian Lee combined to go 2 of 15 from the field and 0 of 10 from downtown with 6 assists to 5 turnovers. Lee, a 37% 3-point shooter at Princeton, is 6 of 35 from beyond the arc (.171) through four games. It’s getting to the point that it’s tough to justify playing him as many minutes, but Golden appears to believe the backcourt players on his bench are not suited for extended court time. Fland is less of a worry as he attacks the basket and sticks defensively, but the situation remains a massive concern at this juncture.

Odds & ends: Florida improved to 48-24 all-time against Miami with a 4-1 mark in neutral sites … the Gators have won three straight over the Canes with their prior meeting coming in 2019 … Golden has won six straight games against ACC opponents

What it means: UF was an 11-point favorite entering the game, so it basically met expectations with this win. Golden, though, has no choice but to reconsider what he’s doing with the backcourt. Sophomore Isaiah Brown was the only true reserve guard (Klavžar is the sixth man) who saw time; he missed his lone shot and hit two free throws but also committed two fouls and two turnovers in 18 minutes. The Gators may indeed have the best frontcourt in the nation; they nevertheless need some semblance of scoring from their guards to have a chance at regularly defeating fellow top 25 opponents.

What’s next? Florida gets five days of rest before it next tips off in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Friday night against Merrimack. The game will start at 7 p.m. ET and air live exclusively on ESPN+.