Sophomore guard Nick Calathes (Casselberry, Fla.) scored 22 points, sophomore forward Alex Tyus (St. Louis, Mo.) added 16 and Florida snapped a two-game losing streak with a 83-74 victory over Alabama on Wednesday night at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
Freshman guard Erving Walker (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was the only other Florida player in double-figures with 13 points. Freshman forward Kenny Kadji (Douala, Cameroon) had eight points and eight rebounds for the Gators. Calathes added six assists and a season-high five steals, while Tyus chipped in seven rebounds.
Florida (20-6, 7-4 Southeastern Conference) beat Alabama for the eighth time in the last 10 meetings. The Gators also extended their streak of 20-win seasons to 11, the second-longest streak in league history. Tubby Smith holds the record with 12, 10 at Kentucky and two at Georgia.
Alonzo Gee led the Crimson Tide (13-12, 3-8) with 17 points.
The Gators’ home stand continues with a 3 p.m. tip off against Vanderbilt on Saturday. Next Tuesday night, Florida will travel to Baton Rouge for a nationally-televised game against the LSU Tigers (9 p.m., ESPN).
