Florida's Hauck Dominates as Gators Defeat Rival Miami 77-67 in Season Opener

Thomas Hauck delivered a commanding performance on Monday night, scoring 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to guide No. 1 Florida to a 77-67 victory over No. 14 Miami. The contest marked the season opener for both programs and took place at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa.

The 6-foot-9 senior, who earned preseason Southeastern Conference Player of the Year honors, controlled the game from the opening tip. Hauck recorded five offensive rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block while committing zero turnovers. He also converted four of his eight attempts from beyond the three-point line.

Miami mounted an early challenge in the second half, scoring the first eight points of the period. The Hurricanes narrowed the gap to 53-51 when Somto Cyril dunked a missed free throw. However, Florida responded with aggressive defense, holding Miami without a field goal for a five-minute stretch before Urban Klavzar hit a three-pointer to extend the lead to 66-55.

Rueben Chinyelu contributed six points and 14 rebounds for the Gators. The team had previously suffered a loss at this venue against Iowa in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 22. Acaden Lewis, a transfer from Villanova, scored 24 points in his debut for the Hurricanes.

Florida took control of the game after a 9-0 run in the opening minutes. The Gators led 44-32 at halftime after Isaiah Brown put back a rebound following a missed shot by Hauck. The physical nature of the rivalry was evident, with officials issuing two technical fouls and upgrading three fouls to flagrant ones.

The Gators will host Jacksonville on Thursday night to continue their season. Miami is scheduled to host Wagner on Friday night. Both teams will look to build on their opening night results as they move through their early schedules.