It seems hard to believe that you can type that headline on Jan. 15, but that’s the way the schedule has crumbled for this team.
It wasn’t so much that Florida played like a different team than it did during its losing streak, but the level of opposition was a lot different. And Florida hit some early shots that helped breed confidence that had evaporated after the fast start to the season.
“I get asked all the time about the older guys, but people have to learn how to win,” Mike White said. “And they have to learn how to win at this level.”
Not that it matters. Just getting an SEC win should take some of the pressure off a team that had been dealing with a lot.
“We were 6-0, but after Oklahoma, after we experienced failure, you could see the change in body language. People were hoping the ball would go in.”
Florida had a run midway through the first half that allowed the Gators to take a 13-point lead at one point. Part of the problem in Florida’s three SEC losses was that the Gators started poorly and had to dig themselves out of holes.
The opposite was true in this one as South Carolina, now 10-6 and 1-3 in the SEC, clawed its way back to within four in the second half.
But the Gators (10-6, 1-3) made key baskets and free throws down the stretch and Colin Castleton blocked everything in sight as Florida was able to pull away.
Castleton finished eight blocks and Florida had 11 total for the game.