Florida Gators

WHAT HAPPENED: Sophomore forward Keyontae Johnson scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while sophomore shooting guard Noah Locke dropped in 17 points with five 3-pointers, as the Gators jumped to a big second-half lead on the host Commodores and held on down the stretch to snap a three-game losing streak in their Southeastern Conference game Saturday night at Memorial Gymnasium. Johnson put down seven of his 11 field-goal attempts, with a pair of 3s. Locke hit four of his five 3s after halftime, as UF shot 48 percent out of the locker, including 6-for-9 from deep, after coming out cold on the road through the first 20 minutes. Florida led by just five, 26-21, at halftime, after shooting 34.5 percent, including 3-for-14 from the distance line, in the first half. Vandy, obviously, was worse (29.2 percent, 1-for-9). The Gators opened some breathing room in the second half by opening the period with an 11-2 run, highlighted by 3s from Andrew Nembhard and Locke to go up 14. The Commodores chipped the margin down to eight with just over 13 minutes left, but the Gators answered loudly with a late-clock 3 by freshman guard Tre Mann followed by two straight 3s by Locke to help take the lead to 18 inside 10 minutes to go. Vanderbilt, though, did not go away, The Commodores hit four 3s over a six-minute stretch, the last two by junior guard Maxwell Evans, to trail by just six, 55-49, with 2:36 left, as UF called a timeout. Out of the stoppage, Florida ran a play that posted forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. (6 points, 7 rebounds), who zipped a kick-out pass to Locke for an open 3 that took the lead back to nine. Twice Vandy got within five in the final minute, but Locke and Johnson combined to go 3-for-4 from the free-throw line to keep the end relatively drama free. The Commodores, who shot nearly 48 percent in the second half, were led by freshman guard Scotty Pippin Jr.'s 15 points and five rebounds.  WHAT IT MEANS: The end of a three-game losing streak for the Gators, who also managed to avoid being the team on the wrong side to the end of the SEC's longest losing streak. A game shy of the mid-point to the conference season, UF sits in a three-way tie for fourth place with a couple surging teams in Mississippi State and South Carolina. Not ideal, but still in the mix. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Little scary to think where the Gators would have been this game without Johnson? He had 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting from the floor during a half his teammates scored just 26 points. 

STAGGERING STATISTIC: Vandy's record streak for consecutive losses in SEC play reached 27. The Commodores have been ravaged by injuries, and not just to great players, but NBA first-round pick players the last two seasons. Eventually, that elusive win and end to the dubious streak will come, but it wasn't against the Gators on this night. Vandy plays three more games before coming to Gainesville on Feb. 15.  

UP NEXT: Florida (13-8, 5-3) will be back home Wednesday night to face Georgia (12-9, 2-6). The Bulldogs picked up their second SEC win Saturday by smashing Texas A&M, 63-48, at home behind 29 points and 15 rebounds by superstar freshman Anthony Edwards, the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.