Uf storms back, falls late in Georgia

Athens, GA. – It was a while ago that the fans of an opposing team stormed the square to beat Florida. It was a while since Georgia Florida had hit. And it was longer than both (much longer) since the Bulldogs defeated a team among the top three.

The confluence of these circumstances met on Tuesday evening in the Stegeman Coliseum, where the host Bulldog made to an apparently insurmountable lead, to blow it, and put the pieces to the number 3 Gators 88-83 for the greatest victory of the UGA program annoy. More than two decades.

Georgia Guard Blue Cain scored a 3-point starting place with 48 seconds, and the Bulldogs stood a free throw in the last seconds to secure a victory for the first against an opponent who has been so high in the surveys since the rival and Without reinforcement and without. Program history.

And the biggest comeback in Florida's history.

“We sit down in a hole and in a hole and [made] We have to play perfectly in the route, “UF trainer Todd Golden After his team's six-game winning shop came to an end and his search for a NCAA tournament seed No. 1 had a great success. “We almost did it, but we fell a little short.”

This “hole” was more like a canyon. The Gators (24-4, 11-4), who had lost for the first time since February 1st in Tennessee, were trying to take over a lead of 26 points in the first half with 39-13. Uga, one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the SEC, made seven out of nine in this period, with the second point Guard Silas Demary 14 of his team height scored 21 points before the break, including three 3S.

In the first 20 minutes, Uf now only shot 36.4 percent, but took up enough to force her defense to force 10 UGA sales and to reduce the lead in the break to 16, 51-35.

“It was our start Will RichardThe Fairburn, Ga., Product that entered 30 points and went from afar in his return 5 against 7. “You can't afford to get 26 to a team in the country.”

But somehow Uf not only took over an ax to the lead, but also recovered in the second half behind 45 percent, with six 3s and a flood of points from sales. Georgia still led 15 minutes ago, but the Gators did nine with 11 remaining, then seven with a little more than six over six. The Bulldogs led 78-67 after a Tyrin Lawrence (14 points) within five minutes.

Walter Clayton Jr. (18 points, 5 assists, 5 sales) beat a driving layup on the 3:27 brand. Then forward in the second year Alex Condon (9 points in the 1-by-7 shoot, 3 rebounds over 21 minutes), in the first game after missing four with an ankle injury, two free throws hit. Then Clayton met a 3 in the transition. Then Condon forced the theft, was fouled with a run and beat both free throws to pull the gators within 78-77.

In the next possession, Richard forced a bargain that became a quick break and ended with one Thomas Hagh Layup for Florida's first lead of the game with 1:20 remaining and a flash from a dozen consecutive points in just under two minutes.

In the next possession of the ball, UF received theft with the guard of the fifth year Alijah Martin meet one of two free throws. The leadership of Florida was 80-78 with 1:08.

Then Kain was opened on the wing and his 3 pointer was triggered.

“We still needed a stopover and couldn't get it,” said Golden.

From there, the Gator missed their last three Field Goal tests, while Demary and Freshman striker Asa Newell (15 points, 9 rebounds), the projected NBA lottery this summer, together with 5-to-8 from the line In the last 35.9 seconds to seal the victory and to achieve a run of 12 UF victories in the series, from until 2020.

Florida defeated Georgia at 30 in Gainesville last month.

“Big victory, crazy game,” said Uga coach Mike after his first victory in seven cracks in the program, which he had left for the vacant Bulldog's post in 2022. But of greater importance, a gold star, a resume structure, increase the victory over the victories of St. John's and No. 17 Kentucky No. 10. “Credit to Florida for an incredible comeback. You hit large shots and took the lead, and our answer was phenomenal. Floridas really, really good, but it was a big victory for us.”

Uga ended 22-against-27 on the free sausage line (81.5 percent) compared to the 18 of 29 (62.1 percent) of UF, with some of these mistakes in one night that they had to make so much soil.

And almost.

“We played the last eight minutes with the burning sensation with our hair and took a few chances here and there,” said Golden about the comeback. “Georgia tried to protect the lead. It is usually a reverse situation for us in which we try to reach the finish line.”

The reversal of the roles with the final horn indicated how a sea of ​​red and black icing added on the square, the first opponent, the UF since Vanderbilt treated with the backhand compliment in 2007. was epic.

Instead, you will carry out a certain processing and pass to the next challenge. One of many of each will come in the Rapid Fire episode and on the first day of the basketball month known as March on Saturday evening against the Texas A&M in Texas.

“We will react really well,” said Richard. “It was a wake -up call. Will not happen again.”

E -mail senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.rufl.edu