Gators & Gamecocks: Don’t Underestimate a Road Foe

Florida basketball is on the road Wednesday night against unranked South Carolina. When you hear “on the road against the Gamecocks,” a certain play might come to mind, like when Will Richard sealed the deal with five seconds left in the game with a layup to put the Gators up 70-69. It was one of the best plays of the season, even with all the late-game antics from the NCAA Tournament.  

Despite the amazing finish, the Gators simply looked horrible the last time they went to Columbia. South Carolina was 10-8 coming in and 0-5 in SEC play. Trailing for most of the second half, the Gators relied on another miracle comeback, just as they did so many times later last year. The Gators shot 33% from 3 and underperformed in a game that they should’ve dominated. 

Three players who didn’t meet the mark were Alex Condon, scoring 5 points in 31 minutes, Thomas Haugh, with 2 points in 25 minutes, and Rueben Chinyelu, with only 2 points in 17 minutes. If you haven’t recognized the trend here, those three players now start for the Gators. 

Looking to Wednesday, the frontcourt has to dominate to win. Auburn showed what happens if you shut down the paint, and it didn’t end well for the Gators. Relying on outside shots has never been the game plan for Florida to win, especially as it’s hitting only 28.5%. 

This version of Florida also struggles when it isn’t in the O’Dome. Losses to Arizona, TCU, Duke, UConn and the SEC opener against Missouri all showed how vulnerable Florida is when it has to travel. 

Now, the Gamecocks aren’t exactly a daunting opponent. They sit at 13th in the SEC, but have played competitively at Auburn and against Georgia. The Gators often fall into the trap of playing down to an opponent, so the front court needs to show up to get a road win in Columbia. 

If they’re down late, Will Richard won’t be there to make another heroic play.

Category: Basketball, College Basketball, Gators Men's Basketball