What Happened
Florida junior guard Walter Clayton Jr. scored 21 points and freshman forward Thomas Haugh came off the bench to post a career-high 17 points and seven rebounds, as the Gators came back from a double-digit first-half deficit Saturday afternoon to defeat Georgia at Stegeman Coliseum. The win was UF’s seventh over the previous eight games, a 10th straight in the series against UGA and fourth in as many tries for UF coach Todd Golden against his predecessor Mike White. Clayton, the team’s scoring leader, was high-point man among five teammates who finished in double-figure scoring, but Haugh was especially sensational in reserve. The 6-foot-9 forward from Oxford, Pa., went six of nine from the floor, three of four from the 3-point line and had four offensive rebounds over his career-best 26 minutes. Haugh made a driving, high bank shot with 1:41 to go to keep the Gators up by six. After a 3-pointer by Bulldogs guard Noah Thomasson (game-high 26 points) made it a one-possession game, 83-80, Haugh grabbed an offensive board, was fouled and sank one of two free throws with 52.9 seconds left to keep his team ahead by four with 52.9 to go. From there, fifth-year guard Zyon Pullin (16 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 0 turnovers over 38 minutes) hit four free throws to close out the game. UF junior guard Will Richard had 10 points and four rebounds, while backup freshman forward Alex Condon had 10 points and three boards. Georgia, which was coming off a mid-week bye, came out red-hot, hitting its first seven shots, nine of the first 10 and built an 11-point lead, 22-11, barely six minutes into the game. The Bulldogs, behind 60 percent first-half shooting, took a 46-40 lead to the locker room after liming the Gators to just 40 percent from the floor. It took UF less than 90 seconds, thanks to 3s from Clayon and Richard, to tie the game for the first time early second half. UF managed to inch the margin out to seven while UGA was going through a 10-minute stretch without a field goal. The Bulldogs, with six straight points, made it a one-point game with eight minutes to go. The Florida lead was just two inside five minutes when the Gators tallied a rare 5-point play; a 3-pointer by Condon from the top of the key while Clayton was getting mugged underneath the basket. Clayton made both free throws for a seven-point cushion that gave his team some breathing room during Georgia’s late game push. The Gators held the Bulldogs to just 37.5 percent in the second half after that loose defensive display in the first half. They also forced 10 second-half turnovers that led to 14 points.
What it Means
Stack another win on Florida’s postseason resume; a Quadrant 2 win, at that. Though just 2-7 in Quad 1 games, the Gators are now 16-0 in Quad 2, 3 and 4 opportunities (in other words, no bad losses, which is significant). Since starting the SEC slate with two defeats, the Gators have won eight of 10 in league play, including three wins on the road. Should Auburn hold serve at home later Saturday against Kentucky, UF will be alone in fifth place in the league standings and very much in contention for a top-four seed (and double-bye) in the SEC Tournament.
In the Spotlight
How good is Haugh going to be for this program?
Staggering Statistic
Georgia, which lost a sixth straight, has led in the second half of all 14 of its home games this season. The Bulldogs fell to 10-4 on their court.
Up Next
Florida (18-7, 8-4) is back on the road, this time at 15th-ranked Alabama, for what figures to be the most difficult challenge of the 2023-24 season. The Crimson Tide (18-7, 10-2), who earlier Saturday pounded Texas A&M 100-75 at home to remain alone atop the SEC standings, have won three straight in the series against the Gators, including last year’s 97-69 bludgeoning at Tuscaloosa that marked UF’s most lopsided conference defeat in 26 years.
