Please Read: Welcome to the new-look Inside the Gators
No. 5 Florida Gators (17-2, 4-2 SEC) defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks (12-7, 0-6 SEC) 70-69 in a super tight and thrilling SEC matchup. This would’ve been South Carolina’s first SEC win since March 2, 2024, but the Gators’ robbed’ stole one in Columbia.
Inside the Gators’ Instant Analysis takes a quick look at how the game unfolded.
IT WAS OVER WHEN: Florida was down one point with 17 seconds left on the clock. After Zachary Davis missed a crucial free throw, Will Richard punished the Gamecocks with a tough finish at the rim.
THEY STOLE THE SHOW: For 38:32 seconds, South Carolina’s Zachary Davis stole the show with his above-average performance. He made tough shots inside the arc, crucial assists, and defended Alijah Martin better than most.
Averaging 8.9 PPG prior to today’s game, Davis contributed the most damage to Florida as he finished with 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.
But, Will Richard stole the show, literally. Finishing with 22 points, 4 rebounds, and sealing the game-winning bucket for the Gators.
THESE STATS DON’T LIE: The Gators shot 0% from the free throw line in the first half and turned the ball over six times. This allowed South Carolina to go on a 9-0 run for four minutes in the middle of the first half. South Carolina ended up with more turnovers than Florida as the Gamecocks turned the ball over 15 times compared to Florida’s 9.
Florida had a flawless statline in fastbreak points as they shut out the Gamecocks in this category while scoring 22 points from it.
Florida only led for the last 5 seconds of the game.
THIS MATCHUP PROVED KEY: The two frontcourts provided for great matchups. Both teams have forwards who like to be physical at the rim and aggressive in the paint.
Although the rebounding was close between the two teams, the biggest difference came from the points scored. The South Carolina bigs outscored Florida’s big 26-7. This helped control the pace of the paint and contributed to South Carolina’s victory.
WHAT A PLAY: Guard Will Richard made the game-winning basket to put Florida up 70-69 with 4.8 seconds left in the game. A very composed finish at the basket from the guard
UP NEXT: The Gators (17-2, 4-2 SEC) take on the Georgia Bulldogs (14-4, 2-3 SEC) on Saturday, Jan 25. Tip-off is at 3:30 P.M. at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville.
(Turn your Smart Phone horizontally or, on a computer, right-click on the image to open in a new browser to see a larger version – Or click on the Box Score link at the top)
1 comment