Florida Gators

WHAT HAPPENED: Sophomore point guard Andrew Nembhard scored 19 of his career-high 25 points in the second half and led his team back from a 22-point deficit to a stunning Southeastern Conference victory over the shellshocked Bulldogs Wednesday night at Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center. Nembhard, who went 10 of 16 from the floor, scored nine points over the final minute seconds to close the game, the biggest play coming on a steal and run-out slam dunk to push UF ahead by six. Sophomore forward Keyontae Johnson scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while grad-transfer forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. was good for 12 points and six rebounds. Their contributions and the Gators' second-half will proved enough to overcome a sterling performance by Georgia freshman guard Anthony Edwards, who scored 35 points, grabbed six rebounds and buried six of nine from the 3-point line. Georgia used runs of 9-0 midway through the first half and 10-0 to close the first half to take a 15-point lead at halftime, with Edwards pouring in 18. The margin swelled to 22, at 52-30, with 16:39 to go when the Florida comeback began. UF went on a scoring spree of 19-2, along the way hitting five straight shots, including a pair of huge 3-pointers by freshman guard Tre Mann. The Gators, on the strength of 60-percent shooting in the second half and 7-for-11 from deep (not to mention a game-altering 3-2 zone defense that helped hold UGA scoreless for nine-plus minutes), took their first lead since early in the game at 59-57 on a 3-pointer by Nembhard with 8:34 to go. The Gators stayed hot and rolled to a 10-point cushion, but the Bulldogs defiantly stuck around on the road. UGA trailed by just two when Rayshaun Hammonds missed a 3-pointer for the lead. At other end, Nembhard drove for a layup to go up four with a minute to go. He scored seven in the final 31 seconds, including a clutch steal and run-out dunk with 23 seconds to go when UGA was threatening to make it a one-possession game. When it was over, UF had held Georgia to just 37.5 percent in the second half (after 55 percent and 6-for-14 on 3s in the first) and equaled its biggest comeback victory in program history, tying the rally from 23 down at South Carolina in 1993.  WHAT IT MEANS: Imagine the narrative had the Gators lost this one (or don't bother imagining, just check Twitter from about 7:30 to 8:30 Wednesday night). Instead, UF has a modest two-game winning streak, but a streak nonetheless, and moved into sole possession of fourth place in the SEC standings just one game behind second-place Kentucky and Auburn. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Hello, Tre Mann. He went 0-for-3 from the 3-point line in the first half, but drained three huge ones in the second on his way to 11 points. He also took two charges on the defensive end. If he could break into a consistent player, especially on the offensive end, it could really change some things with this team. 

STAGGERING STATISTIC: On Jan. 4, the Gators rallied from 21 behind to beat Alabama in double-overtime for the second-largest comeback victory in program history. Thirty-two days later, a 22-point comeback to beat Georgia and equal the biggest comeback in program history. C'mon. 

UP NEXT: Florida (14-8, 6-3) is back on the SEC road this weekend when it goes to Ole Miss (11-11, 2-7) for a Saturday afternoon date. The Rebels won Wednesday night at home against South Carolina, one of the league's hottest teams coming in with four straight victories and six over its previous seven.