Xaivian Lee, Rueben Chinyelu Power Florida to Historic Road Win Over No. 10 Vanderbilt
The Florida Gators walked into Nashville with history against them and their starting shooting guard missing his jersey. They left with a statement win-and a borrowed No. 99 that might just become a good luck charm.
Xaivian Lee, who had to suit up in a replacement jersey after team staff forgot his usual No. 1, delivered his most complete performance of the season. With 45 seconds left in a game that saw 17 lead changes and 14 ties, Lee drilled a cold-blooded three-pointer to give No.
19 Florida a 95-94 lead over No. 10 Vanderbilt.
It was the final swing in a back-and-forth battle that ended in a 98-94 Gators win-their first road victory over a ranked Commodores team since 1968.
For a Florida squad that’s seen big road opportunities slip away-close losses to Arizona, Duke, and UConn, all top-10 teams in the NCAA’s NET rankings-this one felt different. It was gritty.
It was chaotic. And it was earned.
Lee finished with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting, adding six rebounds and a handful of momentum-shifting plays. But he wasn’t alone in the spotlight. Center Rueben Chinyelu turned in the kind of performance that changes how opponents scout Florida moving forward.
Chinyelu, the 6-foot-11, 265-pound anchor in the paint, posted a career-high 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season. His physicality set the tone all night, none more so than during a wild second-half sequence where he converted four consecutive free throws-yes, four-after a flagrant foul. For a guy who shoots just 62.7% from the line, that stretch was as clutch as it was unexpected.
Florida dominated the glass, out-rebounding Vanderbilt 40-26 and turning that edge into a 22-8 advantage in second-chance points. That kind of interior presence, especially on the road, is the difference between a good team and one that can make real noise in March.
The Gators also got double-digit scoring from three other players: Thomas Haugh dropped 18, Alex Condon added 16-including two ice-cold free throws in the final seconds-and the team as a whole showed the kind of offensive balance that makes them a tough out.
Even after Lee’s go-ahead three, the game wasn’t sealed. Vanderbilt had a chance to steal it back, but a turnover and a missed layup by Tyler Tanner in the final moments opened the door for Condon to close it. He calmly sank two free throws with six seconds remaining, putting the Gators up by four and putting the game out of reach.
Tanner led the Commodores with 20 points, but Vanderbilt-previously 9-0 at home-dropped its second straight after a 16-0 start to the season. Florida, meanwhile, picked up its third win over a ranked opponent in its last four tries.
For head coach Todd Golden, this was more than just another SEC win. It was a breakthrough on the road, a confidence-builder, and a reminder that this Gators team has the pieces to compete with anyone. And for Xaivian Lee, it was proof that even without his jersey, he can still deliver when it matters most.