Nov. 27, 2004

Box Score

MAIMI, Fla. - MIAMI (AP) -- Matt Walsh scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half, helping No. 23 Florida defeat Providence -- the alma mater of Gators coach Billy Donovan -- 84-66 Saturday in the Orange Bowl Classic.

Anthony Roberson had 17 points, David Lee added 16 and Taurean Green 13 for the Gators (3-0), who never trailed.

Ryan Gomes had 17 points for Providence (4-2), which was playing its third game in four days.

Tuukka Kotti had a career-high 17 -- 16 in the first half -- for the Friars, who lost to No. 1 Wake Forest in Wednesday's Preseason NIT semifinals, beat Michigan in Friday's consolation game at Madison Square Garden, then boarded a charter flight to Miami and faced the Gators 17 hours after landing.

And until the final minutes, Providence hung tough against a team that hadn't played since Tuesday.

Dwight Brewington's two free throws with 8:25 left brought Providence within 62-55, but the Friars didn't score again for over three minutes -- and Florida pulled away with a quick 8-0 run.

Lee hit two free throws and Walsh then connected on back-to-back 3-pointers for a 70-55 lead with 6:02 left. Another Walsh basket with 3:45 left pushed Florida's margin to 74-57, then its largest of the night.

Gomes hit a pair of 3-pointers within a 22-second span, cutting the margin to 74-63, but the Friars didn't seriously threaten the Gators again.

It was the first time Donovan coached against Providence, the school he led to the 1987 Final Four as a player. Donovan, a 1999 inductee to the Friars' Hall of Fame, averaged 20.6 points that season for Rick Pitino's club, won the team's MVP award twice and still ranks among Providence's top 15 in career scoring.

The weary Friars could have used some of his spark down the stretch Saturday. Providence managed only two field goals in the final 8:55.

Consecutive 3-pointers from Roberson and Green gave Florida a 20-13 lead with 9:27 left in the half.

Providence got within three points on three occasions later in the half, largely because of Kotti, whose previous career high was 15. He had two straight baskets that drew Providence within 20-17, and a strong move inside cut Florida's lead to 30-27 with 2:39 left before halftime.

But Roberson scored the next five points, helping Florida push its margin to 37-29 at intermission.

Donnie McGrath had 12 points and Brewington added 11 for the Friars -- with both getting all their points after halftime.