Riley Kugel named SEC Freshman of the Week
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Riley Kugel has earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors after helping the Gators to wins against Georgia and LSU last week, the league office announced on Monday.
The 6-foot-5, 207-pound guard from Orlando, Fla., averaged 20 points, 4.5 rebounds, and two assists in the wins. Kugel posted 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting at Georgia and led the Gators with 21 points against LSU with a 4-for-7 day from the 3-point line.
It marked his third 20-point performance in the last four games. Kugel scored 17 in the second half Saturday, including a run where he had 11 of UF’s 13 points.
“The first half I was too lackadaisical,” Kugel said. “A couple of coaches came up to me and said pick it up. In the second half I came in and I know how to switch modes. Attack the defensive side and the offense will start flowing for me. That’s really what I did.”
Kugel has scored in double figures for eight straight games, the longest streak in SEC play for a UF freshman since Bradley Beal (10, 2011-12). He’s averaging 18.3 points over that eight-game span and averaged 21.0 points over the last four games of the regular season. Kugel has led the Gators in scoring in four of the five games since Colin Castleton’s injury.
“The thing that Riley has been really good at is being consistent in terms of his effort and his approach. He’s a really quiet young man, but he’s tactical and he’s really thoughtful in what he does,” Florida coach Todd Golden said of Kugel on Saturday. “I didn’t think his energy was where it needed to be early on in the game (vs. LSU), but some of his growth is the fact that we can challenge him now to go get it and be aggressive as he’s taken on more of a role and responsibility. And I thought he answered the bell in the second half.”
Kugel and the Gators open SEC Tournament action in Nashville against Mississippi State on Thursday at 1 p.m. ET.
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