Florida Gators Dominate South Carolina Gamecocks
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — In a decisive victory on Wednesday night, the No. 19-ranked Florida Gators triumphed over the South Carolina Gamecocks with a staggering score of 95-48. This win marks a significant rebound for Florida (15-6, 6-2 in the SEC), who were previously stung by a loss to Auburn at home just four days earlier.
Game Highlights
The matchup kicked off slowly, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm. Florida started by missing five of their initial seven attempts, while South Carolina found themselves shooting just 1 for 6 in the early going, resulting in a tight score of 12-8. However, the Gators quickly shifted gears, igniting a dominant 36-12 scoring surge that effectively sealed the game.
Urban Klavzar ignited the offensive fire with back-to-back three-pointers, followed by Thomas Haugh, who contributed by nailing four consecutive shots—part of Florida’s impressive sequence of ten straight successful field goals.
Haugh capped his performance by completing a three-point play and hitting another three-pointer, pushing the Gators ahead to a 46-18 advantage just before halftime, prompting many Gamecock fans to leave the arena early.
Player Performances
Florida’s strong showing saw Rueben Chinyelu contributing significantly with 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, securing his 12th double-double of the season, while also maintaining a perfect shooting record of 7 out of 7 from the field. Alex Condon also made his mark with a near double-double, posting 10 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. Freshman Olivier Rioux, the tallest teen in the world at 7-foot-9, entered in the final minutes, although he did not manage to score.
Leading the score for South Carolina (11-10, 2-6 in SEC) was Eli Ellis, who finished with 13 points. The Gamecocks, enduring their third consecutive defeat to Florida, are now on a troubling trajectory, with five losses in their last six contests.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Florida will face No. 23 Alabama on Sunday, while South Carolina will host LSU on Saturday night.
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