Hauck powers Gators past Hurricanes

Thomas Hauck finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds to secure a 77-67 victory for the No. 1 Florida Gators over the No. 14 Miami Hurricanes on Monday night. The win marked the season opener for both in-state rivals, ending a streak where Florida had lost its last visit to Benchmark International Arena to Iowa in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 22.

Hauck, the preseason Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, controlled the pace from the start. The 6-foot-9 senior secured five offensive boards, dished out four assists, and recorded two steals and one block. He did not turn the ball over and connected on four of his eight three-point attempts. Rueben Chinyelu supported the effort with six points and 14 rebounds for the Gators.

Miami’s Acaden Lewis, a transfer from Villanova, led the Hurricanes with 24 points in his first game for the program. The visitors kept the contest tight early, scoring the first eight points of the second half. Somto Cyril reduced Florida’s lead to 53-51 after a dunk following a missed free throw, but the Gators responded with defensive pressure that held Miami without a field goal for five minutes.

Urban Klavzar’s three-pointer extended the margin, pushing Florida’s lead to 66-55. The Gators established control in the first half with a 9-0 run after the first eight minutes remained close. Isaiah Brown added a putback dunk late in the half to widen the gap to 44-32 when Hauck missed his shot.

The physical nature of the matchup resulted in two technical fouls and three upgraded flagrant fouls. Florida relied on its retained roster core to outwork Miami, maintaining its lead for the final stretch of the game. The contest highlighted the defensive intensity both teams brought to the floor in Tampa.

Florida will host Jacksonville on Thursday night. Miami is scheduled to host Wagner on Friday night.