SUNRISE, Fla. (Interstat) — The Florida Gators used a dominant second-half performance to defeat the George Washington Revolutionaries 80-70 in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at Amerant Bank Arena. Trailing 30-27 at halftime, the Gators erupted for 50 points after the break to secure the victory before a crowd of 11,767. Xaivian Lee led Florida with 24 points, six rebounds and four assists. Thomas Haugh added 19 points and seven rebounds. Tyrone Marshall paced George Washington with 14 points and seven rebounds. The Revolutionaries, who shot poorly from the field, fell to 8-4. Florida improved to 6-4.

SUNRISE, Fla. (Interstat) — Xaivian Lee scored 24 points and Florida used a dominant second-half surge to pull away from George Washington for an 80-70 victory in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at Amerant Bank Arena. The Gators, improving to 6-4, outscored the Revolutionaries 50-43 after halftime, turning a narrow three-point lead into a double-digit advantage by capitalizing on a decisive edge in free throws and second-chance opportunities. George Washington fell to 8-4. The most critical stretch of the game came early in the second half. Leading 30-27 at the break, Florida opened the period on a 15-4 run over the first four minutes and 10 seconds. The burst was fueled by defensive pressure and efficient offense, including a three-point play by Lee, a layup from Boogie Fland and a dunk from Rueben Chinyelu. That pushed the Gators’ lead to 45-31, and George Washington never got closer than eight points the rest of the way. Lee, a guard from Toronto, Canada, led all scorers and added six rebounds and four assists in 35 minutes. His performance was a bounce-back after scoring just four points in Florida’s previous game, a one-point loss at Duke. Thomas Haugh provided crucial support with 19 points and seven rebounds, while Alex Condon filled the stat sheet with five points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Florida struggled from beyond the arc, making just 6 of 27 three-point attempts, but compensated by getting to the free throw line consistently. The Gators attempted 33 free throws, making 20, compared to George Washington’s 7-of-19 performance from the stripe. Florida also held a 108.6 to 90.9 advantage in offensive rating, scoring more efficiently on fewer possessions. George Washington was led by Trey Autry with 15 points and five rebounds. Tyrone Marshall added 14 points and seven rebounds, and Rafael Castro contributed 12 points. The Revolutionaries shot 41.5% from the field but were hampered by their free-throw shooting and 12 turnovers, which Florida converted into key transition baskets. The first half was a tightly contested affair featuring seven lead changes. George Washington built an early 8-6 lead behind baskets from Marshall and Castro, but Florida responded with a 9-0 run, capped by a Thomas Haugh three-pointer, to take a 15-8 advantage. The Revolutionaries chipped away, tying the game at 21-21 on a Christian Jones layup with 6:56 left before halftime. Florida managed to take the slim 30-27 lead into the locker room despite shooting 33.3% from the field in the opening period. Florida’s interior defense, led by Condon and Chinyelu, who combined for three blocks, altered numerous shots. The Gators also recorded nine steals, with Lee and Fland applying constant pressure on the perimeter. A crowd of 11,767 attended the neutral-site game. George Washington next hosts Saint Mary’s on Dec. 22. Florida returns home to face Saint Francis (PA) on Dec. 17.