The focus has been clear for the Florida men’s basketball team over the last few weeks: Just beat the teams you’re supposed to.
UF defeated both Vanderbilt and Missouri in its previous two games, but against Georgia on Saturday night, the Gators’ new-and-improved offense was nowhere to be found.
The long scoring droughts and general offensive ineptitude that plagued the team during the early part of the season returned in full force in Florida’s 61-55 defeat to Georgia at the O’Connell Center. It snapped the Bulldogs’ 13-game SEC losing streak.
Both teams traded a pair of baskets to open the game, tying it up at four. After that, it was all Georgia.
The Bulldogs (11-18, 2-14 SEC) jumped out to a 10-point lead, reaping the benefits of shooting 8 of 10 to start the game. UGA forward Nicolas Claxton used his imposing height to beat Florida center Kevarrius Hayes on the inside. Claxton, a 6-foot-11 sophomore, managed 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting in the first half.
However, Georgia’s shots weren’t falling at as high a clip later in the period, as they finished the half shooting 55 percent. The Bulldogs’ mistakes allowed the Gators to get back in the game.
UGA committed 11 turnovers and 11 team fouls — giving UF (17-12, 9-7 SEC) seven points behind the charity stripe in the half. That brought the Gators within one point with under a minute to play.
Despite his team shooting 2 of 10 from three to start the game, UF guard Mike Okauru drilled a corner three with 51 seconds left to give Florida its first lead of the game, 28-27. The Gators took that lead into the locker room.
Florida’s momentum continued into the second half, as it opened scoring six unanswered points. That run was interrupted by a dunk from Claxton, who finished with 25 points (9-of-12 shooting), but the Gators outscored UGA 11-6 to start the period.
UF’s shooting went dry soon after that, and the Bulldogs retook the lead on a 12-2 run of their own. Their resurgence in the second half can be credited to a stretch of nearly nine minutes where Florida failed to convert a field-goal attempt.
A layup from point guard Andrew Nembhard with 4:56 to play cut Georgia’s lead to one, but the Bulldogs never relinquished the lead in the final minutes.
Florida still struggled to find the bottom of the net, and Georgia hit its free throws. Aside from guard Jalen Hudson, who led the team in scoring with 13 points, no UF player scored in double figures. It shot 38 percent as a team.
With the loss to the Bulldogs, the Gators can no longer tout “no bad losses” on their NCAA Tournament resume. It also makes the final two games — challenging matchups against LSU and Kentucky — all the more important.
What appeared to be a likely tournament berth now seems much more murky. Florida’s five game win streak is dead, and now it has to face two of the top teams in the league without momentum on its side.
How the Gators fare in those games will determine their postseason fate.
@TylerNettuno
tnettuno@alligator.org
Florida guard Jalen Hudson scored a team-high 13 points in UF's 61-55 loss to Georgia on Saturday at the O'Connell Center.
