SECgamecock453
01-21-2009, 09:14 PM
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Zam Fredrick's layup as time expired lifted South Carolina to 70-69 victory over No. 24 Florida.
The Gamecocks (13-4, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) trailed 67-60 with less than three minutes left. Devan Downey began the comeback with four straight foul shots and his 3-pointer with 26.5 seconds left cut the lead to 69-67.
After Nick Calathes missed a foul shot, Fredrick had the chance to tie the game as he went to the line with 4.7 seconds to go but missed his second attempt.
Chandler Parsons had the chance to ice it at the line for Florida with 3.3 seconds remaining. He, too, missed the foul shot.
Mike Holmes rebounded the miss, and threw a long pass to the streaking Fredrick who laid the ball in as time expired.
The loss ended the 10-game win streak of Florida (16-3, 3-1).
Calathes led Florida with 20 points. However, only two of those came in the final 11 minutes as the Gators watched their lead shrink.
Downey finished with 20 points and Fredrick 15 for South Carolina, which defeated the Gators for the first time since the 2006 regular season.
Florida got back in the national rankings this week -- the SEC's only representative in the top 25 -- due in part to its long win streak.
And it looked as if the Gators did just enough down the stretch to hold off South Carolina and first-year coach Darrin Horn.
Evaldus Baniulis' fourth and final 3 got the Gamecocks within 62-60. But then Chandler Parsons answered with a 3 of his own and Walter Hodge extended the margin with an inside basket.
Calathes looked like he had saved the day with his reverse from beneath the basket with 35.4 seconds to go to make it 69-64.
Then Downey, the SEC's second-leading scorer at 19.6 points a game, shook off a poor shooting night with a floating 3 to set up the crazy final moments.
Fredrick's momentum after the winning bucket carried him into the crowd and his teammates followed.
Baniulis had 12 points, all on 3-pointers.
Parsons had 14 points and nine rebounds for the Gators, who'll head to Vanderbilt on Sunday.
Florida turned the ball over four times in the first five minutes -- most from lazy passes headed right to opposing hands -- as South Carolina opened a 5-point lead.
That was still the Gamecocks' edge after Sam Muldrow's foul shot made it 27-22 with 5:24 remaining.
The Gators ended with 18 turnovers, nearly double the Gamecocks' 10. South Carolina caused many of them, finishing with 11 steals, three each by Downey and Holmes.
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The student section absolutely ERUPTED. Me and my friends were just tackled by everyone around us and we knocked all of the seats over. Everyone tried to rush the court but they roped it off. It was just a great win as usually we are on the side that Florida was on tonight, losing heartbreakers. I don't know how we pulled that off, luck, but hey it's a W!
Horn and the players came over to the student section and all sang "We Hail Thee Carolina", it was my first experience like that at a basketball game for USC. Even though Florida wasn't the best they have been in the recent past, it was just awesome. Congrats on a good game Gators. :cheers:
The Gamecocks (13-4, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) trailed 67-60 with less than three minutes left. Devan Downey began the comeback with four straight foul shots and his 3-pointer with 26.5 seconds left cut the lead to 69-67.
After Nick Calathes missed a foul shot, Fredrick had the chance to tie the game as he went to the line with 4.7 seconds to go but missed his second attempt.
Chandler Parsons had the chance to ice it at the line for Florida with 3.3 seconds remaining. He, too, missed the foul shot.
Mike Holmes rebounded the miss, and threw a long pass to the streaking Fredrick who laid the ball in as time expired.
The loss ended the 10-game win streak of Florida (16-3, 3-1).
Calathes led Florida with 20 points. However, only two of those came in the final 11 minutes as the Gators watched their lead shrink.
Downey finished with 20 points and Fredrick 15 for South Carolina, which defeated the Gators for the first time since the 2006 regular season.
Florida got back in the national rankings this week -- the SEC's only representative in the top 25 -- due in part to its long win streak.
And it looked as if the Gators did just enough down the stretch to hold off South Carolina and first-year coach Darrin Horn.
Evaldus Baniulis' fourth and final 3 got the Gamecocks within 62-60. But then Chandler Parsons answered with a 3 of his own and Walter Hodge extended the margin with an inside basket.
Calathes looked like he had saved the day with his reverse from beneath the basket with 35.4 seconds to go to make it 69-64.
Then Downey, the SEC's second-leading scorer at 19.6 points a game, shook off a poor shooting night with a floating 3 to set up the crazy final moments.
Fredrick's momentum after the winning bucket carried him into the crowd and his teammates followed.
Baniulis had 12 points, all on 3-pointers.
Parsons had 14 points and nine rebounds for the Gators, who'll head to Vanderbilt on Sunday.
Florida turned the ball over four times in the first five minutes -- most from lazy passes headed right to opposing hands -- as South Carolina opened a 5-point lead.
That was still the Gamecocks' edge after Sam Muldrow's foul shot made it 27-22 with 5:24 remaining.
The Gators ended with 18 turnovers, nearly double the Gamecocks' 10. South Carolina caused many of them, finishing with 11 steals, three each by Downey and Holmes.
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The student section absolutely ERUPTED. Me and my friends were just tackled by everyone around us and we knocked all of the seats over. Everyone tried to rush the court but they roped it off. It was just a great win as usually we are on the side that Florida was on tonight, losing heartbreakers. I don't know how we pulled that off, luck, but hey it's a W!
Horn and the players came over to the student section and all sang "We Hail Thee Carolina", it was my first experience like that at a basketball game for USC. Even though Florida wasn't the best they have been in the recent past, it was just awesome. Congrats on a good game Gators. :cheers: