GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Thomas Haugh scored 22 factors, Rueben Chinyelu had his seventeenth double-double of the season and No. 7 Florida earned a minimum of a share of the Southeastern Conference title with a 111-77 romp over Twentieth-ranked Arkansas on Saturday night time.
It tied the worst loss of Arkansas coach John Calipari’s profession, a 34-pointer in opposition to Duke in 2018. Calipari was with Kentucky on the time.
The Gators (23-6, 14-2 SEC) closed an unbeaten February with their ninth consecutive win and locked up their first regular-season championship since 2014. They stay two video games forward of No. 17 Alabama with two to play and might wrap up the outright title Tuesday night time at residence.
But they did not wait to rejoice.
With a sold-out crowd and ESPN’s College GameDay readily available, Florida turned Billy Donovan Court into a celebration spot. Coach Todd Golden was entrance and middle because the staff doled out hats and T-shirts and lower down nets. It wasn’t Golden’s first time within the highlight Saturday night time, both.
Golden and Calipari acquired double technicals early within the second half after screaming at one another close to midcourt. Calipari’s assistants pulled him away. Golden turned and riled up the 11,000-plus in attendance.
It was one of the few highlights in a recreation that was just about over early.
The Gators dominated on each ends, making performs inside and out, and constructed a 30-point lead with 13 minutes to play. The largest surprises have been bench gamers Urban Klavzar and Isaiah Brown. Klavzar hit his first 4 3-pointers and completed with 14 factors, and Brown scored 11 thanks partly to 2 treys.
But it was Florida’s large males who managed the tempo most of the way in which. Haugh, Chinyelu and Alex Condon had their manner inside, serving to the Gators outrebound Arkansas 49-30 and win the battle within the paint.
Billy Richmond III led the Razorbacks (21-8, 11-5) with 22 factors, together with 14 within the first quarter-hour. Darius Acuff Jr., who leads the SEC in scoring and assists, completed with 17 factors and 6 assists.
Florida guard Boogie Fland, dealing with his former staff, was one of seven Gators in double figures and helped finish Calipari’s six-game profitable streak in Gainesville.
Florida has received six in a row in opposition to ranked groups and scored a minimum of 90 factors in every of these. It’s the second-longest such streak in faculty basketball historical past. The longest mark is shared by UNLV and Loyola-Marymount, each within the 1989-90 season.
