The bad Gators return in loss to South Carolina

by mlmintampa on Jan 15, 2011 6:13 PM EST in Florida Basketball

Allowing a huge first half deficit? Check

Crappy free throw shooting? Check

Furiously closing that huge deficit, only to not have enough in the end? Check

Yes, the Gators earned their first loss of the SEC season Saturday against South Carolina, losing 72-69, because they played the exact same way they have done numerous times in the last few years and in their losses to UCF and Jacksonville. The Gators (13-4, 2-1) were 12-22 at the line, missing six free throws in the second half, including an Erving Walker 1-and-1s late in the game that could have tied the score at 63-63 or taken the lead. South Carolina (11-5, 2-1) then went back up the floor, knocked down a three pointer and UF never got close enough again.

Walker finished with 17 points, going 50 percent at the line, arc and field. Kenny Boynton and Chandler Parsons had rough games, each scoring nine points. Boynton was 3-10 from the field and Parsons was 2-5 at the line, as he continues to attend the Lee Humphrey School of Shot Making. (Parsons is shooting 51 percent from the field and 54 percent at the line.) Vernon Macklin and Patric Young scored 12 points each, with Young doing it in only 19 minutes. Alex Tyus added 10.

The Gators looked to be in trouble in the first half when they stated flat and couldn't score. South Carolina scored 35 in the first period, but UF scored 25. UF was still down 10 points with 4:39 left in the game, when they rolled off a 10-0 run to tie it at 59-59.

Florida's next game is Thursday night at Auburn.

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Rough loss

We were horrible at the free throw line, can’t win games missing 10 free throws.

by Gokyle45 on Jan 15, 2011 8:45 PM EST reply actions

we just have pathetic half court offense in general

if maclin is defensed even reasonably well, that’s it

everyone else is a spot up shooter who cannot make their own shot; usc was much the quicker team, we couldn’t guard them
couldn’t move quick enough on offense

when billy plays the all frosh front line, we sink even more
first time he did it in the first half, we dropped 6 points in a hurry and never got those points back

I may be in a rut, but at least I know where I'm going
...to DFA TLR

by sportsman on Jan 15, 2011 9:51 PM EST reply actions

unfortunately

Every game is going to be like this all season.

by skigator93 on Jan 15, 2011 10:49 PM EST reply actions

I'd just like to say your fans are way classier than ours.

I did hear a couple yell at one of our guys to shut up when he was talking to an official early in the game, but when Carolina shot their two airs balls they didn’t keep on with the air ball chant very long. If it were our stadium, dang near all of our fans would’ve kept on for a whole half just from one. I hate that garbage.

stuff 'bout stuff.

by silver82blade on Jan 16, 2011 8:51 AM EST reply actions

first things first...

improve the free throw shooting. they went 12-22.
no one is guarding you, that’s why it’s “free”.
if you do the fundamentals well.. defense, reduce turnovers and make free throws
you can beat most teams, like south carolina.

to beat elite teams you need to shoot well too.

by gatorchuck on Jan 16, 2011 3:50 PM EST reply actions

We did nothing to get open looks on offense. Our offense was all in the low post. So they just fouled us and let us miss free throws. And Parsons and Walker have to make their free throws. You expect Maclin to suck from the line, but there is no excuse for those two.

by Andrew Nordine on Jan 16, 2011 5:21 PM EST reply actions