Florida Gators

WHAT HAPPENED: After blowing a double-digit halftime lead, the Gators rallied from five down midway through the second half by hitting shots and taking advantage of a flurry of Georgia turnovers to win a big Southeastern Conference road game at sold-out Stegeman Coliseum. Senior guard KeVaughn Allen scored 13 points, including two back-to-back buckets (the first a 3, and the second a driving, left-handed runner) after the host Bulldogs had cut UF's lead to four inside four minutes remaining. Freshman guard Noah Locke was the only other UF player in double figures, scoring 10 points, while freshman Keyontae Johnson, making his first career start, had eight points and seven rebounds, and senior center Kevarrius Hayes went for seven points, nine boards and three blocked shots. The Gators scored the first eight points of the game, led by as many as 13 in the first half, and were up 10 at halftime. Georgia, though, came out of the break on fire, hitting its first six shots, including four 3s, to tie the game for the first time at 40-all, and eventually take a five-point lead, 48-43, with 9:36 to play. From there, UF scored 12 straight points to retake control and, unlike earlier SEC games this season, finished off the win by outscoring UGA 19-4 to the horn. It wasn't all smiles, however, as the Gators lost fourth-year junior forward Keith Stone (8 points) early in the second half to what was diagnosed as a right knee sprain. He'll undergo an MRI Sunday. 
 
WHAT IT MEANS: The Gators, with the win, avoided equaling the program's worst SEC start in 37 years. It was in 1981-82 that UF opened league play by losing four of the first five (on the way to going 2-16 in the conference), but instead the Gators moved up a rung into the middle of the conference pack and did so with a second SEC road victory (all of which should be savored) and put a momentary halt to the negativity surrounding the program. Coming from behind on the road, after blowing a lead, and finishing the job should be a big boost to the UF collective confidence. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Got to feel for Stone. He came into the game 0-for-10 from the floor in SEC play, with his minutes and roll on a definite downtick. He'd been challenged of late and responded Saturday, with no moment illustrating as much then when he got the ball at the top of the key, attacked the paint down hill and threw down a left-handed flush over a UGA defender. His first 3-pointer against SEC opponents this season came with 24 seconds left in the half after the Bulldogs had scored six straight points to cut a 13-point lead to seven, and sent the Gators to the locker room with a double-digit lead and momentum. Barely two minutes into the second half, off a UF turnover, he chased down a UGA break and leaped to block a shot. When Stone came to the floor, he stayed there, writhing in pain and grabbing his left knee. He was carried into the locker room and did not return.



STAGGERING STATISTIC: Georgia scored 23 points in the first half to fall behind by 10 at the break. The Bulldogs scored 23 points in the first seven minutes of the second half -- on that unconscious 4-for-4 shooting display from the arc to open the period -- take their lead. UGA hit its first six shots of the half and nine of their first 10, then attempted only nine field goals the rest of the game, thanks to 12 second-half turnovers. 

UP NEXT: Florida (10-7, 2-3) is home for the first time in three SEC road games Tuesday night to take on Texas A&M. The Aggies (7-8, 1-3), who began the day locked with the Gators, Bulldogs and Arkansas in a four-way tie for ninth place in the SEC standings, play host to Missouri, still winless in league play, Saturday afternoon.