COL BKB: Florida 87, Providence 77

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Taurean Green scored 18 points Tuesday to lead the 10th-ranked Florida Gators to an 87-77 victory over the Providence Friars.

Corey Brewer and Al Horford each added 14 points for Florida (8-0). The Gators matched the best start in 54 years, improving to 8-0 for only the second time in school history. The 1951-52 team is the only squad to ever start better than 8-0, as they came out of the gates with a 10-0 mark.

The game marked a homecoming for Gator head coach Billy Donovan, who played at Providence from 1984-87 and led the Friars to the 1987 Final Four.

Sharaud Curry scored 20 points for the Friars (3-3), who have lost three straight. Fellow guard Donnie McGrath scored 17 points.