South Carolina Stumbles on the Road, Falls to Florida in Another SEC Setback
South Carolina entered the O’Connell Center as a heavy underdog against Florida, but for a brief moment, it seemed like they could defy expectations. A strong first half kept Lamont Paris’ squad in the fight, but as has been the case too often this season, the second half told a different story.
When the final buzzer sounded, Florida walked away with an emphatic 88-67 victory, handing South Carolina its 12th consecutive SEC loss—a new program record. The Gamecocks now hold the longest losing streak in the conference since Missouri‘s winless SEC season last year.
Paris Frustrated with Close Calls, But No Results
After yet another frustrating loss, Lamont Paris didn’t mince words.
“I hate the ‘oh, we were close.’ Nah, forget that,” Paris said. “We should have beat Florida the first time we played them…We’ve been in really good situations against really good teams multiple times. We just haven’t been able to get over the hump.”
How It Happened
Both teams came out firing, setting a blistering pace in the opening 10 minutes. Florida grabbed an early lead, but South Carolina countered with a 17-3 run to make it a battle. At one point, both teams were shooting an incredible 70% from the field.
The high-scoring tempo eventually cooled, with both teams struggling from the field late in the half. Despite the back-and-forth, South Carolina kept things competitive, heading into halftime trailing by just four points.
Then, things unraveled.
Gators’ Second-Half Surge Buries Gamecocks
The Gators came out of the break on fire, knocking down two quick three-pointers while South Carolina failed to score for the first four minutes of the second half. Even after getting on the board, the Gamecocks endured another three-minute scoring drought soon after.
The offensive struggles weren’t the only issue. Florida‘s offense torched South Carolina, shooting 50% from beyond the arc (14-for-28). The Gamecocks, meanwhile, started hot from deep—hitting their first three attempts—only to make just one more three-pointer the rest of the game.
“We have to figure out how to sustain what we’re doing defensively,” Paris admitted after the loss. Florida extended its lead to 15 points, and despite a brief South Carolina rally, the Gators responded even stronger, eventually stretching the lead to 21.
Bench players Denzel Aberdeen and Thomas Haugh made the difference for Florida, each setting career-highs with 22 and 20 points, respectively.
Key Stats & Observations
- Perimeter Play Dooms Gamecocks – South Carolina‘s backcourt struggled mightily. Junior wing Zach Davis turned the ball over five times, and the team finished with just seven total assists. Defensively, the Gamecocks allowed Florida to shoot 60% from the field.
- Offensive Droughts Continue – South Carolina played hard in the first half but couldn’t put together a complete game. “We had some critical [misses] when we were at the basket and weren’t able to finish or make a play,” Paris noted. “It’s hard to get anything going when you’re taking the ball out of the net every single time.”
Turning Point
Coming out of halftime, Florida delivered the knockout blow early. A 12-1 run put the Gamecocks on their heels. South Carolina answered with six straight points, but Todd Golden’s squad had an answer of their own—another 12-0 burst that put the game out of reach for good.
What’s Next?
The road doesn’t get any easier. South Carolina heads to Baton Rouge for a showdown with LSU. Tip-off is set for 9:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network. With their season spiraling, the Gamecocks will need to find answers fast to break this historic losing skid.
