Florida Falters in OT at South Carolina

Saturday, February 20

Columbia, SC

12:00 PM

Florida Gators

South Carolina

The Gators were held to just two field goals on eight shots in overtime Saturday.

Florida Falters in OT at South Carolina

Saturday, February 20, 2016 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry

Box Score

By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Too much standing around and too many wasted possessions proved too much to overcome.

The Florida Gators, despite falling behind by 17 in the first half, took South Carolina and its rocking sold-out Colonial Arena crowd into overtime Saturday. Finishing the job would have made for quite a finish to the week, what with the road win at Georgia just four nights before. But, ultimately, a lot of the same things that have undermined the Gators in other games -- down-and-up shooting, stagnant movement and turnovers -- did them in as the Gamecocks came away with a 73-69 win in front of a maniacal house of 18,000.

"We're a team that goes through offensive droughts at times," UF coach Mike White said in an understatement. "I wish I could find creative ways to help these guys more, but those empty possessions hurt us down the stretch."

The Gamecocks, meanwhile, made the most of theirs.

"They didn't lose the game," USC coach Frank Martin said of UF. "We had to go earn it."

Senior forward Michael Carerra scored 20 points, including a pair of go-ahead free throws with 1:30 left in overtime, plus a third that pushed the home team's lead to two possessions with 6.8 seconds remaining. Carerra also went 4-for-8 from 3-point range, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked three shots.

The Gators (17-10, 8-6) got a sixth double-double from senior forward Dorian Finney-Smith (18 points, 13 rebounds, plus five assists and two blocks), as well as 17 points and eight boards from sophomore backup forward Devin Robinson. UF, though, went just 2-for-8 from the floor in the extra period and couldn't get to the free throw line, whereas the Gamecocks (22-5, 9-5) made five of six free throws in overtime.

The loss dropped Florida dropped into a tie for fourth-place in the Southeastern Conference standings with Vanderbilt (UF's next opponent, Tuesday night at home), pending the Saturday night outcome between Texas A&M and Kentucky. South Carolina, meanwhile, lurched a game ahead, sitting alone in third place.

"They were the better team today," Finney-Smith said after the game that featured 15 lead-changes and nine ties over the 45 minutes. "We made runs, they made runs. We made another run, they made another run. Great game, but we just have to do a better job of paying attention to details and communicating; the same stuff we've been struggling with we have to find a way to get better with."

Probably should add starting better on the road to that list, also. Just like at Georgia, the Gators came out chucking icebergs. They were at 21 percent and down 30-13 with seven minutes to go in the first half when they scored on eight of the final nine possessions of the period, part of a 20-0 run to end the period and helped the Gators to a seven-point lead early in the second.

"We took a blow early, but we had to make up for it," Robinson said.

"We played with a lot of poise in the second half, a lot of toughness," said White, whose team out-rebounded the No. 1 rebounding team in the SEC 42-39. "Those are all big positives."

Ultimately, they gave way to negatives.

Florida had the ball and led 63-62 with less than a minute to go in regulation, but with the shot clock ticking down. Point guard Chris Chiozza drove the baseline and left his feet beneath the basket -- not good, as his coaches often tell him at practice -- then tried to stick a pass to a teammate in the packed paint area. Instead, the ball was intercepted by Carerra, who airmailed a pass to Sindarius Thornwell (17 points) at halfcourt for an easy run-out slam and one-point lead with 30.5 seconds to go.

Finney-Smith was fouled attacking the basket 10 seconds later. He missed the first free throw, but hit the second to tie the game at 63.

South Carolina had a chance to win it, but Robinson's defense thwarted a baseline shot by Carerra then tied up the Gamecock for the loose ball, with the possession arrow UF's way with 2.5 seconds left. Gators guard KeVaughn Allen inadvertently stepped out of bounds on the pass-in, but the Gamecocks couldn't get a shot off with 1.5 left.

On to overtime they went.

Chiozza (11 points, 3 assists, 4 turnovers) nailed a 3-pointer to give Florida a 69-68 lead with 2:37 left. UF had the ball after Duane Notice bounced a 3 on at USC's end.

The next three exchanges went like this: a missed 3 by Chiozza that Carerra rebounded and answered with two free throws for the lead; a hurried jump hook from center John Egbunu that came as the shot-clock expired, which the Gamecocks again answered with a couple free throws by Thornwell to up the margin to three; and another missed 3 by Chiozza after USC denied a play designed to get Finney-Smith the ball and, instead, left Chiozza with no option but to jack one out of desperation.

It was that kind of game.

"We had it right there in our hands," Robinson said.

Then they didn't.