The last five games played out about the same way for the Florida men’s basketball team.
The Gators got out to hot start in the first half before they allowed their opponent to get right back into it. It’s the reason why they lost three of their first four SEC games.
Saturday’s game against Georgia went down differently. The Bulldogs trailed by 10 at the half, but an 8-0 run to start the second period put them right back in the game. This time, Florida’s defense held strong down the stretch en route to a 62-52 victory over its conference rival in Athens, Georgia.
The Gators (10-7, 2-3 SEC) dominated early in the matchup. They jumped out to an 8-0 lead and led by as many as 13 in the first half. UGA shot only 25 percent in the first 20 minutes. The Bulldogs (9-8, 1-4 SEC) stole back momentum before the break, as they scored six unanswered to end the half.
Georgia came out of the locker room with purpose. It scored eight quick points, ultimately going on a 17-7 run to take the lead.
The Bulldogs didn’t miss a field goal attempt until over six minutes into the second half.
UGA shot nearly 58 percent in the second half, but on only 19 shots. Florida turned to a press defense late in the game and Georgia had trouble getting shots off.
Turnovers didn’t do the Bulldogs any favors, either. They turned it over 20 times and allowed Florida to score 28 points off giveaways. That made the difference in what proved to be a low-scoring affair. UF won by double digits despite shooting just 35 percent in the second half.
Guard KeVaughn Allen led the Gators in scoring with 13 points, and freshman Noah Locke was behind him with 10.
Freshman forward Keyontae Johnson made his first career start, replacing Jalen Hudson, who has now been benched twice this season. Johnson made an impact in his first chance in the starting lineup, scoring eight points and coming down with seven rebounds.
Senior center Kevarrius Hayes scored seven points and led the team with nine rebounds.
With the Gators’ season very much in jeopardy, Saturday’s game was likely a must-win for coach Mike White’s squad.
It wasn’t pretty, but beating the Bulldogs on the road should provide Florida with something to build off of.
Follow Tyler Nettuno on Twitter @TylerNettuno and contact him at tnettuno@alligator.org.
Senior guard KeVaughn Allen led the Gators in scoring with 13 points in their 62-52 win over Georgia on Saturday.
