Nearly midway through the second half and with Florida holding onto a thinning lead, the ball started with Canyon Barry in the left corner.
After brief stops with several other players, the ball zipped from one side of the court to the other, finally ending up in the hands of Devin Robinson, who launched a three-pointer from the right corner as the Gamecocks’ defenders struggled to close out.
He buried it, halting South Carolina’s 5-0 run.
Robinson, who struggled with his shooting the last few games, finally regained his touch.
The junior nailed a trio of three-pointers — all in the second half — and had 14 points and six rebounds in No. 13 Florida’s 81-66 win against the Gamecocks (20-8, 10-5 SEC) on Tuesday night in the O’Connell Center. It was UF’s first win against South Carolina since the 2014-15 season.
“I was gonna knock down a shot eventually,” Robinson said. “I was excited to actually see the ball go through the hoop this time.”
KeVaughn Allen led all scorers with 26 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field and seven rebounds while going 13-for-14 from the free-throw line.
Allen made his presence felt the moment the ball touched his hands. The sophomore guard scored nine of the Gators’ first 17 points, including a no-hesitation three-pointer from well beyond the arc to open the game.
UF coach Mike White said Allen’s start was a relief after the two teams’ last matchup. Florida went 0-for-17 from three-point range when it played South Carolina in January.
“I know I felt better,” White said, “so I’m sure the team did.”
With the SEC’s second-best scorer, USC's Sindarius Thornwell, plagued with foul trouble, Florida (23-5, 13-2 SEC) led by as many as 12 points during the opening frame.
However, the Gamecocks went on a 12-0 run to tie the game, and a Justin McKie corner three-pointer a few possessions later gave South Carolina its first lead of the night at 33-30 late in the first half.
And despite four fouls, Thornwell kept the Gamecocks within striking distance as UF tried to pull away during the second period.
The senior guard scored 23 points on 6-for-12 shooting. He also grabbed 10 rebounds and forced three steals.
White said South Carolina’s zone press defense was a difficult hurdle in the first half but said his team did a better job attacking once the second half started.
To the dismay of Gamecocks coach Frank Martin, the Gators overcame periods of sloppy play to shoot 49 percent from the field, including nine three-pointers, shredding one of the nation’s top-ranked defenses.
“Florida came out ready to go,” Martin said. “As an opponent, it’s fun to watch. It’s not fun to play against."
Contact Ray Boone at rboone@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @rboone1994.
UF forward Devin Robinson looks to pass during Florida's 81-66 win against South Carolina on Feb. 21, 2017, in the O'Connell Center.
