Gators Men’s Basketball Takes on Gamecocks Looking for Sixth Straight Win

Gators men’s basketball goes after its sixth consecutive win Tuesday when it plays South Carolina at home.

Florida (19-6, 10-2 SEC) is coming off a 92-83 win against then-No. 25 Kentucky. Guard Xaivian Lee led the team by scoring 22 points. Forward Alex Condon finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Urban Klavzar added 19 points off the bench and was 5-of-11 from deep.

Center Rueben Chinyelu finished the game with another double-double, 10 points and 11 rebounds. The Gators are 15-0 when Chinyelu records a double-double.  UF coach Todd Golden complimented the Wildcats.

“They’re talented. Obviously, a $22 million roster. They’re physical, they’re big, and I expect them to do well the rest of the year,” he said. “They’re a really good team.”

The Gators, first in the SEC standings, played the last-place Gamecocks (11-14, 2-10) on Jan. 28, when they thrashed South Carolina, 95-48, in Columbia. The game was never close. Florida was up by 28 points at halftime and continued its dominance in the second half. 

Five Gators scored more than 10 points, with forward Thomas Haugh leading the team with 18. The Gators shot 62% from the field and 43% from beyond the arc. Defensively, the team limited the Gamecocks to 26% from the field and 15% from 3. The Gators also outrebounded the Gamecocks 45-24.

Meechie Johnson leads the Gamecocks by averaging 16.7 points and 4.2 assists per game. He scored 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting and missed all his 3-point attempts against UF last month. The Gamecocks leading rebounder was EJ Walker, who grabbed six rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench.

Both teams are heading in opposite directions. The Gators are 9-1 in their last 10 and are allowing 71.3 points per game in the same span. 

The Gators have sole possession of first place in the SEC after their five-game winning streak. They are projected to be a three seed in March Madness, but could end up being a two seed if they continue their winning ways.

“We’re trending,” Golden said. “We just want to get better, and we’ve definitely done that over the course of conference play.”

The Gamecocks are 1-9 over their last 10 and have allowed 86 points per game during that same stretch. 

The Gators have been the better team all season, and they have played their best basketball late in the season. Coverage Tuesday begins at 6:30 p.m. on 103.7-FM and tipoff will be at 7 p.m. on the SEC Network.

Category: Feature Sports News, Gators Men's Basketball