The team that has faced so much diversity this season faced some more on Wednesday.
But they found a way to win a game they could not afford to lose.
Florida pulled out the victory thanks to a pair of free throws by Tyree Appleby with 7.9 seconds to play and a huge blocked shot by Tuon Gatkek with 1.2 seconds to play.
The Gators are now 14-8 and 4-5 in the SEC. A loss to Missouri, now 8-13 and 2-6, would have been another major blow to Florida’s NCAA chances.
“We found a way to steal one,” Mike White said. “We had some ugly possessions.”
Florida trailed by nine at the under-eight minute mark and by three with under a minute to play. But Appleby twice drove the ball to the basket and drew fouls to get to the line and win the game.
“Tyree showed a ton of swagger,” White said.
Florida led 33-31 at the half in front of a sparse crowd in Columbia, Missouri. The game was moved up six hours because of impending weather issues.
Myreon Jones made five of his first six shots from beyond the arc to lead the Gators in the first half with 15 points (he finished with 18). Florida led despite a scoring drought that lasted more than five minutes.
It turns out that scoring drought was nothing.
Florida went 7:06 in the second half without a single point. The Gators did have five turnovers, two missed free throws and saw Jarron Coleman hit a 28-footer at the shot clock buzzer.
Missouri was able to get the lead out to nine before Florida rallied behind seven straight made free throws to cut the lead to one and set up a dramatic final stretch of the game.
Down 63-60, the Gators had two big stops at the end of the game and a missed free throw by Coleman.