GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Rueben Chinyelu scored 15 points and tied his career high with 21 rebounds, becoming the first Florida player in two decades with four consecutive double-doubles, and the 16th-ranked Gators handled LSU 79-61 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight victory.
Chinyelu matched David Lee's double-double streak from 2005 as Florida (14-5, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) extended its home winning streak to 16.
It was Chinyelu's second 20-plus-board game of the season, making him the third player in school history to accomplish the feat.
Urban Klavzar hit a career-high five 3-pointers and scored 18 points for Florida. Alex Condon and Boogie Fland added 10 points apiece.
LSU leading scorer Dedan Thomas Jr. returned from a five-game absence and looked rusty. He missed his first six shots after missing nearly three weeks with a leg injury. He finished with two points, two rebounds and three assists.
Michael Nwoko led the Tigers (13-6, 1-5) with 17 points before fouling out with seven minutes to play.
Florida closed the first half with a flurry, hitting three 3s in three minutes to build a 12-point lead. Thomas Haugh delivered the team's final six points in the spurt.
The Gators turned to Chinyelu after the break, and he delivered.
