Chinyelu, Klavzar Spark Gators to 79-61 Thrashing of LSU, Fifth-Straight Win

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Make that five-straight for the 16th-ranked Florida Gators.

Behind a late run in the first half as well as second-half dominance from Rueben Chinyelu and Urban Klavzar, the Gators dominated LSU for a 79-61 win on Tuesday night for its fifth-straight win since starting SEC play 0-1.

Chinyelu paved the way and made history.

The reigning SEC Player of the Week recorded his fourth-straight double-double and 11th of the season with a 15-point, 21-rebound performance. The four-game double-double streak, as well as the four-game streak of at least 10 rebounds, is the longest of his career and makes him the first Gator to record four-straight double-doubles since David Lee in 2005.

"I think you're seeing a guy that’s continued to grow and get better in real time," head coach Todd Golden said. "And he's impacting the game tremendously. I think he's just playing with such good balance, toughness."

Rueben's smooth with it 😮‍💨😮‍💨

📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/61Fqctgg1B
— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) January 21, 2026

His 21 rebounds tied a career-high and marked his second 20-rebound performance of the season. Florida is 11-0 when Chinyelu records a double-double this season, and the Gators out-rebounded LSU, 50-30, as a result of his efforts.

His two 20-rebound games this season make him the first Gator since Chip Williams in 1975 to have multiple 20-rebound games in a career and just the sixth all-time in program history to do so.

"Definitely player of the year mentality," guard Boogie Fland said of Chinyelu.

Urban Klavzar shone as well, scoring 18 points off the bench while shooting 5-for-9 from deep. His five makes, four of which came in the second half, also set a career-high and are the most in a single game by a Gator this season.

"He's awesome," Golden said. "Has the respect of his teammates, they know he's going to go to war with them and fight. And when a guy has the ability to step up and hit big shots on the move like that, it's a weapon. And he's been big for us all year.”

YEAH URB! YEAH RUE!

📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/RWepvOjiQy
— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) January 21, 2026

Florida struggled to shoot in the first half, making just 10 of its first 29 shots from the field with a trio slumps where the Gators missed five field goals in a row. With three minutes left, things turned around.

Florida made four of its final six shots in the first half, including a pair of 3-pointers from Klavzar and Isaiah Brown, as well as a buzzer-beater 3-pointer from Thomas Haugh to end the half up 38-26. Another early slump, where the Gators made just three of its first 12 field goals, hurt Florida in the second half, but a scoring surge midway through the half put the game away.

Thomas Haugh buzzer-beater 3-pointer at the half! #Gators lead LSU, 38-26 pic.twitter.com/DA9pc8S032
— Cam Parker (@camparker25) January 21, 2026

Florida made 9 of its next 16 field goal attempts from the 15-minute mark in the half until the seven-minute mark, including 7 of 10 from the 13-minute mark until 8:42, sparked by three Klavzar 3-pointers, to take a 69-46 lead. He hit his fifth of the night with 6:19 left to give the Gators a 72-48 lead.

Klavzar had 14 points in the second half.

"It feels great," he said. "At Vandy, I didn't shoot the ball that well, so I just tried to be aggressive again and just shoot the ball, and it feels great when it goes in, so really happy."

Chinyelu dominated the half, as well, with 13 points and 15 rebounds, before being subbed out with 5:29 left and the Gators up 21. Fland and Alex Condon each added 10 points, while Micah Handlogten recorded eight rebounds off the bench.

Florida remains at home for a Final Four rematch on Saturday against Auburn. Tip-off is at 4 p.m. with television coverage on ESPN.

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