FINAL: LSU 64, Florida 58

Saturday, January 8

Auburn, AL

8 PM

Florida Gators

9-5,0-2SEC

Auburn

14-1,3-0SEC

Florida

Auburn

Wednesday, January 12, 2022 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer

AT THE BUZZER
No. 12 LSU 64, FLORIDA 58

WHAT HAPPENED: Forward Darius Mays scored 20 points and point guard Eric Gaines scored 15 in just his second start of the season, including a big driving layup with just over a minute to go, as the 12th-ranked Tigers overcame injuries and foul trouble to leave Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center with a victory Wednesday night while leaving the Gators winless through three game in Southeastern Conference play. UF trailed by 14 points in both the first and second halves, but forged a comeback while LSU was dealing with foul issues with its two bigs: 6-foot-8 forward and scoring leader Tari Eason (6 points) and 7-1 freshman Efton Reid (2 points). Nine times in the second half, the Gators cut the Tigers' lead to just one possession, only to fail to come up with the big defensive stop to flip the scoreboard. With 4:06 to go and LSU up by three, senior guard Myreon Jones was fouled shooting a 3-pointer. With a chance to tie, Jones missed two of three free throws. Twice more the Gators got within two points, but guard Brandon Murray drove the paint for a roller to answer the first, then Gaines, starting for injured Xavier Pinson (knee) with 1:11 left and his team up 60-58, drove baseline for a reverse layup. Florida, which was led by 19 points and nine rebounds from senior forward Colin Castleton, shot just 36 percent for the game (missed its last eight 3-point attempts, also), but forced 16 LSU turnovers and played even on the glass. And while the Tigers made just three 3-pointers for the game (on only nine attempts), they scored 42 of their 64 points in the paint, minus their two top low-post players. For the game, they shot 50 percent, which was the same as Florida shot from the free-throw line. The Gators' 11-for-22 performance at the line, including just 4-for-11 in the second half after expending so much energy to get back in the game, proved costly. The Gators have now lost their first three SEC games of the season (albeit against three ranked teams in Alabama, Auburn and LSU) for the first time since 1980-81.

LSU forward **Darius Mays** lets a 3-pointer fly over UF's **CJ Felder** during Wednesday night's game at the O'Dome.

WHAT IT MEANS: Three games against three ranked opponents to open the SEC season was a tough draw for the Gators to draw, obviously, but that was the hand the Gators drew and now they're in an 0-3 conference hole that (again, obviously) will require some digging. Yet another golden NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) opportunity slip away, as LSU came into the game ranked No. 3 in the NET (behind only Baylor and Arizona)., Florida, which began the day at No. 49, is now 1-4 in Q-1 games and 8-2 in all the others, including an ugly Q-4 loss that, if the Gators want to be playing March, needs some Q-1 cover. In this league, there will be plenty more chances, but that's two Q-1 losses at home in a week.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Mays played his prep ball at Gainesville The Rock, about six miles west of the O'Dome, before transferring to Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy and blossoming into a four-star prospect. He scored four seconds into the game (the Tigers never trailed) and nine of his team's first 12 points on the way to making nine of 14 from the floor and one of three from distance. Mays had a nice gathering of hometown folks in the house.

STAGGERING STATISTIC: After missing those 11 free throws, the Gators are now 48-for-78 from the line in SEC play. That's 61.5 percent. That's brutal, given how much they work on pressure free throws at practice.

UP NEXT: Florida (9-6, 0-3) get back on the SEC road Saturday for an early afternoon game at South Carolina. The Gamecocks (10-5, 1-2) opened league play with a home loss to Auburn last week, won at Vanderbilt last weekend and lost Tuesday at No. 22 Tennessee 66-46. UF has had its problems with USC and matching the physicality of Coach Frank Martin's teams. The Gators are 3-6 against the Gamecocks over the last six seasons, including 2-2 on the road, but with the wins that last two trips to Columbia.