Gators Dominate Dartmouth in Final Game Before SEC Play

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The 22nd-ranked Florida Gators defeated Dartmouth 94-72 on Monday night at the Exactech Arena O’Connell Center. This was the Gators’ final game before starting their Southeastern Conference play this weekend.

Junior forward Rueben Chinyelu led Florida with 17 points and narrowly missed a double-double with nine rebounds. Junior center Veesaar, who currently leads the league in rebounds, recorded his eighth double-double of the season, scoring 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Guards Tiedan and Sienko each contributed 12 points to the scoring effort, while sophomore point guard Cason added 10 points and five assists.

Florida controlled the game from the start, going on a scoring run after Lee sank a three-pointer that put the Gators ahead. They shot 49.2% for the evening and dominated the boards, out-rebounding Dartmouth 60-24, with a striking 25-3 advantage on the offensive glass. In the first half, Florida shot 47% while the Green only managed 30%. Dartmouth attempted only seven free throws in contrast to Florida’s 26, resulting in a 53-27 score by halftime.

During the second half, Dartmouth improved their game, outscoring Florida 45-41. They made eight three-pointers in the period, finishing with a shooting percentage of 44.4% from beyond the arc. Harvard’s Green came in ranked 33rd nationally for three-point shooting and rose to 37.9% for this match.

Florida, now with a record of 9-4, is set to face Missouri on Saturday in their SEC opener. Last season, the teams split their match-ups, with Missouri handing Florida their only home loss in a close encounter on January 14.

“We learned a lot from our performance tonight, especially as we approach SEC play,” said head coach Todd Golden. “We need to bring this energy into our next games,” he added.