Florida Dominates Second Half as South Carolina’s SEC Struggles Continue
Following South Carolina’s crushing 88-67 defeat at the hands of No. 3-ranked Florida, head coach Lamont Paris didn’t hold back while speaking with 107.5 The Game’s Derek Scott. The Gamecocks hung tough in the first half, but another second-half collapse sealed their fate. Here’s what Paris had to say about the latest setback:
First-Half Positives, But Missed Opportunities
Paris acknowledged that South Carolina played a decent first half, even while turning the ball over nine times. Despite the mistakes, the team still managed to score at a one-point-per-possession rate. But the turnovers were costly. “If we only had three turnovers instead of nine, we would have been leading at halftime,” Paris emphasized, pointing out that a different scoreline could have changed the game’s trajectory entirely.
Second-Half Collapse: Florida Stays Hot, Carolina Falls Apart
When the second half rolled around, Florida found its rhythm—South Carolina lost theirs. That, Paris said, was the difference. The Gators’ ability to hit shots consistently forced the Gamecocks’ offense into difficult situations. “They made some wild shots, but we didn’t do enough to contest the ones we could actually impact,” Paris admitted. Once Florida started hitting, the floodgates opened, and South Carolina had no answer.
No Timeouts Left to Stop the Bleeding
The Gators were relentless from beyond the arc, finishing the game 14-of-28 from three-point range. Paris admitted he “didn’t have enough timeouts” to slow down Florida’s second-half barrage. By the time the Gamecocks could adjust, it was already too late.
Physical Play in the Paint Causes Problems
South Carolina’s big men, Collin Murray-Boyles and Nick Pringle, had their moments but struggled with Florida’s aggressive approach inside. Paris believed the duo could have been more impactful, but Florida’s physicality took them out of their game. “They attacked the paint hard, and that gave us trouble,” Paris noted.
Not Enough Threes—Again
One glaring issue that Paris pointed out? South Carolina isn’t shooting enough threes—and they’re not making the few they do attempt. The Gamecocks finished with just 12 three-point attempts, hitting only four. “We normally shoot 20-plus times from deep. Twelve is just not enough,” Paris stressed. While Murray-Boyles and Pringle found some success inside, the lack of perimeter shooting made it easier for Florida’s defense to clamp down.
Free Throws a Lone Bright Spot
The Gamecocks did one thing well—getting to the free-throw line. South Carolina shot 19-of-23 from the stripe, a key focus for Paris. “That’s something we emphasize, and we did a good job there,” he said. But outside of that, the offense didn’t do enough to keep pace with Florida’s high-powered attack.
SEC Schedule Is a Brutal Gauntlet—But No Excuses
Paris acknowledged how tough the SEC has been this season, calling it the deepest conference he’s ever seen. However, he refused to use that as an excuse. “That doesn’t justify us being winless,” he stated bluntly. South Carolina has had its chances, but a mix of poor execution and costly mistakes has kept them from breaking through.
No More “We Were Close” Excuses
Paris made it clear: he’s tired of hearing about moral victories. “We’ve been in position to win multiple times this year. For some reason, we just can’t get over the hump,” he said. Against Florida, it wasn’t even about staying close—the Gamecocks simply collapsed in the second half.
With no SEC wins to their name and the schedule only getting tougher, Paris and the Gamecocks have to find answers fast—or risk making history for all the wrong reasons.
