GAINESVILLE - Walter Hodge opened the night with a deep three just 13 seconds into the game and the Gators never looked back.
UF (25-10) went on a 20-2 run to start the game and cruised to a 74-60 win against Miami (19-13) in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament.
The Hurricanes finally got on the board with 14:33 left in the first half.
"It was just the energy," Nick Calathes said. "We wanted to come out and play. I think we made the step-up plays tonight- the little plays to win the game."
Nick Calathes seems to have recaptured the form he showed earlier this season. The point guard scored a game-high 21 points and dished out seven assists.
He broke his own single-season school assist record with 224 on the year. Calathes racked up 221 last season.
"I love him," Miami Coach Frank Haith said. "I think he's as good a point guard as there is in the country. If there's a guy out there that can pass the ball better than him, I want to see him."
Alex Tyus registered his fifth double-double with 13 points and 12 boards. The center has finished in double figures in 11 of the Gators last 13 games.
Despite feeling under the whether, forward Dan Werner managed to score 13 points and grab six rebounds.
"Dan was sick," Calathes said. "He didn't even warm up today."
The Gators managed to hold Hurricanes star Jack McClinton to just 13 points on 5-12 shooting.
"We dug ourselves a hole and just couldn't get back into the game," McClinton said.
Florida will now host Penn State (24-11) Tuesday night at 9 in the NIT quarterfinals.
Chaney suspended
Freshman Allan Chaney was not on the bench for the Gators Friday night.
And according to UF coach Billy Donovan he won't be for the rest of the season.
"He's suspended for the rest of the year," Donovan said. "It had nothing to do with the team or anything else. It was really more my decision. I'm not going to detail about any of it.
Chaney had been out for more than a month with a sprained right arch in his left heel.
Donovan said that as for now, the forward is still a member of the team.
"Right now he is," Donovan said.
Chaney averaged 3 points and two rebounds per game this season before going down with the injury.
