No. 24 Florida squanders double-digit, 2nd-half lead in loss to No. 18 South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Meechie Johnson scored 25 points, including a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 43.4 seconds to play, as No. 18 South Carolina rallied for an 82-76 victory against No. 24 Florida on Saturday.
The Gamecocks (24-5, 12-4 SEC) trailed 56-46 with 12 minutes to play, but behind Johnson and Collin Murray-Boyles turned things around with a 26-12 surge in front of a cheering crowd. They kept themselves in the chase for an SEC title, a game behind co-leaders No. 4 Tennessee and No. 14 Alabama when the day started.
The Gators (20-9, 10-6) had relied on strong defense to build their second-half lead, but could not contain Johnson, the team’s top scorer. His driving layup with five minutes to play gave South Carolina its first lead since early in the game, 65-63, and he followed with a pair of tie-breaking shots including his 3.
Florida tied the score at 74 with 1:12 left on Walter Clayton Jr.’s sixth 3 before Johnson struck for the game-winner.
Murray-Boyles, a freshman, finished with his first career double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Jacobi Wright had 16 points, 12 in the first half, to keep South Carolina close enough to rally down the stretch.
Clayton had 20 points and Zyon Pullin scored 18 for the Gators.
The Gators, tied for fourth in the SEC coming in, had won nine of their past 11 and looked on the way to another victory. Their late fade may have cost them a shot at a top-four seed and a little extra rest before the SEC Tournament in two weeks.
The Gamecocks, third in the league, have a legit shot at coming away with an SEC title if they can beat No. 4 Tennessee in the season’s last home game.