Florida Florida/Tulane Tulane Men's College Basketball recap on ESPN

Behind Dupay's career-high 28 points, Florida beat Tulane 103-85 in the Sugar Bowl Classic. The Gators (9-1) won their sixth straight and never were in jeopardy of losing.


	Florida guard Teddy Dupay, front left, scored a career-high 28 points to lead the Gators on Thursday.

Still, Donovan ripped his team for what he said was a lackluster effort.

"In my opinion, we are the most overrated fifth-ranked team in the nation," said Donovan, whose Gators (No. 7 ESPN/USA Today, No. 5 AP) made it into the AP Top 5 this week for the first time in program history.

"I don't even think we should be in the Top 20. I'm not saying that just based on today's performance. It's based on the entire year."

Surely Tulane (5-5) would beg to differ, and Dupay was a big reason for it.

He hit seven 3-pointers to match his career high from long range. He shot 8-for-14 overall and made more than 50 percent of his shots for the first time in six games.

He was on fire and knew it -- pumping his fists after one of the early 3-pointers, which led Donovan to yell from the bench, "Dupay, stop celebrating and get in the press."

That was the first sign of frustration from the coach, who also slammed a clipboard after calling a timeout when Florida's 23-point lead dropped to 12 midway through the second half.

"A win is a win," Dupay said. "We're satisfied, but we always want to play better."

Florida's press forced 25 turnovers, but that didn't satisfy Donovan, either. He was convinced Florida would have lost had it not hit a season-high 13 3-pointers and shot 57 percent from the field in the first half.

"If we didn't shoot the ball particularly well from the 3-point line, they would have absolutely destroyed us," Donovan said. "They outplayed us, they outhustled us, they outworked us."

Brent Wright scored 20 points for Florida and Udonis Haslem added 15, as the Gators effectively mixed their inside and outside games. Not even the hot shooting Linton Johnson, who went 10-for-13 to lead Tulane with 22 points, could save the Green Wave.

"They're an excellent team," Tulane coach Shawn Finney said. "There are so many 3-point weapons. When you can score inside and out, that's what makes you dangerous. They're definitely one of the best teams in the country."

Dupay surpassed his 27-point effort on opening night against Florida State, in which he seemed to have adjusted to both the offseason surgery on his rotator cuff, and his new, full-time role as Florida's shooting guard.

This was his best game since a 99-83 loss to Michigan State on Dec. 6, in which he came off the bench in his return from a one-game suspension imposed by Donovan.

Since then, he has struggled to find good shots. He went 0-for-9 two weeks ago against Gonzaga.

That wasn't so against Tulane. He hit a 3-pointer 13 seconds into the game, and followed with three more by the 12-minute mark to give Florida a 28-12 lead.

"The first play of the game, they doubled down on Udonis and I hit that shot, and it really got me going," Dupay said. "Obviously, Udonis was at the top of their scouting report."

After the Green Wave pulled within 12 with seven minutes left, Major Parker and Wright hit consecutive 3-pointers to stretch the lead again and ice the game.

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Men's College Basketball Scoreboard

Florida Clubhouse

Tulane Clubhouse