Florida vs Miami Final Score: No. 1 Gators Beat No. 14 Hurricanes 77-67 in Tampa, and Jacksonville Is Next
Top-ranked Florida opened its season with a 77-67 win over No. 14 Miami in Tampa on Monday night, behind Thomas Haugh's 19 points and 10 rebounds. The Gators' next game is Thursday in Gainesville - against Jacksonville University.
The search term is “florida vs miami final score,” and the answer is a statement win for the nation's top-ranked team. No. 1 Florida beat No. 14 Miami 77-67 on Monday night at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, in the Orion180 Tipoff Classic, in the season opener for both teams, Deadspin, WRUF and the Gainesville Sun reported in files read by the Sports Desk this run. Florida led 46-36 at halftime.
Thomas Haugh was named game MVP after producing 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block, On3 and Deadspin reported. Boogie Fland added 12 points, four assists and a game-high four steals for Florida, and center Rueben Chinyelu grabbed 14 rebounds. Villanova transfer Acaden Lewis scored a game-high 24 points to lead Miami. The Hurricanes closed to 48-46 with a zone defense early in the second half and never got closer; Florida scored 21 points off Miami turnovers against Miami's 7 the other way, made 11 of 26 three-pointers to Miami's 4 of 17, and won the rebounding battle 44-38, the reports said. The game was heated: a technical foul on each coaching staff and three flagrant fouls, all involving Miami center Somto Cyril, Deadspin reported.
It is Florida's fourth straight win over its in-state rival - the Gators also won last year's meeting, 82-68, the Miami Hurricane reported - and it came on the same Tampa court where Florida's championship run ended last March, On3 noted.
Jacksonville enters this story on Thursday, not as a footnote but as the next opponent: Florida returns home to host Jacksonville University on Thursday, November 5, at 8 p.m. Eastern at the O'Connell Center, GatorBait and WRUF reported, three nights after the Dolphins' own opener at Swisher Gymnasium (filed at SQ-20261102-074). The No. 1 team in the country is the Dolphins' second game of the season.
