GAINESVILLE, Fla. — They were starting to feel pretty good about themselves. 

Big mistake. 

"I don't think we came with the same edge we had the past five games," fifth-year senior Jalen Hudson said in hush tones late Saturday night.

The Florida Gators were riding a five-game winning streak in Southeastern Conference play and had rallied themselves into an enviable position as far as their postseason possibilities. Enter the Georgia Bulldogs, losers of nine straight and planted next-to-last in the Southeastern Conference standings, for a home game and chance to build on that NCAA Tournament profile. Exit the Dogs with a 61-55 victory that not only sapped the energy from Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center, but wiped out all the positive vibes that radiated from the UF program the last few weeks.

Sophomore forward Nicolas Claxton scored a career-high 25 points by hitting nine of his 12 field-goal attempts, both 3-point tries and all five of his free throws, plus added a trio of blocked shots and a couple steals over 35 minutes. The Bulldogs (11-18, 2-14), ranked in the bottom third of the SEC in scoring offense (67.9 points per game) and field-goal percentage (.417), shot 56 percent for the game — their best in league play this season — and went 5-for-5 from the floor over the last five minutes when the Gators (17-12, 9-7) desperately needed a defensive stop. 

"That's definitely out of character for us," UF senior center Kevarrius Hayes said. "Especially with how we'd played the last five games. We had fight. We had fire. It kind of died down a little bit." 

They'll spend the next couple days wondering why. 

With a win, Florida would have clinched a winning record in SEC play, moved into sole possession of fourth place in the league standings and entered the final week of the regular season — with big games against No. 13 LSU at home Wednesday night, then next weekend at No. 4 Kentucky — with a solid case to put before the NCAA Tournament selection committee. It wasn't going to be easy, though. 

UF coach Mike White and his staff hammered home the last few days how Georgia, despite its record, had lost its last four games — all against likely NCAA Tournament teams (LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Auburn) — by a combined nine points, with each game coming down to the final possession. 

"If they were going to continue playing that way, they were bound to break through," White said. "Unfortunately, it was against us." 

The Bulldogs hit five of their first six shots, with three of them dunks, and led 18-8 nine minutes in. The Gators chipped away, though, and scored the last four points before halftime to go up 28-27, then the first six points of the second half to take a seven-point advantage.

Claxton's dunk stopped that 10-0 home-team run. The Dogs were down 39-33 when they scored eight straight, with a 3s by Claxton and Tyree Crump, to go ahead 41-39. UF freshman forward Keyontae Johnson's two free throws tied the score with 11:19 left, but a driving layup by E'Torrion Wilridge and two free throws by Claxton moved Georgia in front by four, 45-41, at the 10:20 mark. 

The Bulldogs never trailed again. 

The Gators went nine second-half minutes without a field goal, but stuck around by attacking the defense and getting free-throw opportunities. It was a one-point game, 49-48, when backup guard Christian Harrison sliced through the UF defense for another layup — Georgia scored 34 points in the paint — and was the first of five straight field-goal attempts the Dogs would hit over the final five minutes of the game. 

"Five of five? I didn't know that," UGA coach Tom Crean said. "That's really hard." 

Florida, meanwhile, shot a woeful 37.5 percent for the game, including five of 21 from the 3-point line (23.8 percent), against a team that came in ranked last in the league in scoring and defensive field-goal percentage. Hudson, with 13 points, was the lone Gator to reach double figures, and he was just 4-for-13 on the night.

UF lost for the fifth time at home this season, falling to 4-4 against SEC opponents at the O'Dome. 

"Certain teams can get casual at home," White said. "We're certainly one of them."

The score was 57-55 when Georgia called a timeout with 38.2 seconds left and 11 on the shot clock. Guard Jordan Harris got into the paint and rolled in another layup with 28 seconds left and after UF senior guard KeVaughn Allen (6 points) missed for the ninth time in 10 shots, UGA guard William "Turtle" Jackson II hit two free throws with 13 seconds left to put the upset in the books.

Not a great way for White to celebrate his 42nd birthday. 

"I thought Georgia was more deserving … and what a shame," White said. "It's human nature. How do you handle success?" 

Answer (as far as this game goes): Poorly. 

Question (as far as the next game goes): How do you handle adversity?