Condon, Chinyelu Reach Career Milestones as Gators Down South Carolina

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Rueben Chinyelu only need one half of play to record his record-tying 16th double-double of the season as the 12th-ranked Florida Gators on Tuesday defeated South Carolina, 76-62, in Exactech Arena.

The 6-foot-10 junior had five of Florida's first seven points and five rebounds within the first four minutes of play, scoring 11 points with 13 rebounds by the time the Gators took a 39-29 lead into the half. He finished with 15 points and 17 rebounds.

Chinyelu's rebound total, which gave him 312 on the year, moved him to 10th all-time in program history in single-season rebounds, and his 16 double-doubles on the year ties Al Horford for most in a single-season this century.

"He's raised my expectations for himself quite high," head coach Todd Golden said after the win. "I'm not saying that I expect (Chinyelu) to do 15 (points) and 17 (rebounds) every night, but I mean, listen, we know what this guy's been doing this year. He's turned himself into one of the best centers in America."

that big ➡️ big connection

📺 SECN pic.twitter.com/iX8lb9R7Mo
— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) February 18, 2026

Junior forward Alex Condon, fresh off his own double-double against Kentucky on Saturday, continued his recent string of strong performances with a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double, his seventh of the year. A bucket with 17:27 left in the game clinched his 1,000th-career point.

"It was definitely cool," he said. "I think during the timeout, when it happened, they put it up on the screen, I saw it. It was cool to get that recognition a little bit, but I think it’s really important we just stay focused on the main goal this year, running it back, and that's all I can think about right now.”

The two's efforts headlined the Gators' sixth-straight win, which includes a 47-point drubbing of the Gamecocks that began the win streak on Jan. 28.

"Everyone's a great win," Golden said. "It's the SEC. No nights off and every time, we're not playing a team after the new year that is any worse than, like, the 75th, 80th-best team in America. So, anytime you're going to win, or you can win, that's a huge step in the right direction."

Florida only trailed for 53 seconds as South Carolina took a 3-0 lead to begin the game, but a 10-0 run gave the Gators a lead it wouldn't relinquish. Chinyelu had five points in the run, while 3-pointers from Thomas Haugh and Xaivian Lee and five quick points off the bench from Isaiah Brown gave the Gators a 20-10 lead with 10:45 left in the half.

South Carolina was able to cut the lead to six late in the first half, thanks to a 12-4 run with 4:53 left until there was 49 seconds left in the half, and a 6-0 run early in the second half had the Gamecocks trailing by single digits with 15:52 left, but the Gators simply dominated in the second half.

Florida used runs of 7-0, 5-0 and 8-0 across the final half of play, paving the way for its fourth 20-point win of the current winning streak. Condon scored 12 of his 20 points in the second half, while Haugh added seven points with a pair of 3-pointers.

Haugh finished the game with 10 points on 3 of 6 shooting from the field and only one rebound as Chineylu and Condon combined for 27 boards.

and the crowd goes WILD

📺 SECN pic.twitter.com/kMQOtUprAK
— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) February 18, 2026

Florida (20-6, 11-2 SEC) next hits the road for a game on Saturday at Ole Miss (11-14, 3-9 SEC). Tip-off is set for noon ET with television coverage on ESPN.

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