ATHENS, Ga. - The No. 23/24 University of Florida men’s basketball team won its third consecutive Southeastern Conference game by grinding out a 104-91 double-overtime victory at Georgia Tuesday evening at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Ga. After a two-game stretch of historic defensive effort, Florida scored its most points in an SEC game under head coach Billy Donovan, improving to a perfect 5-0 record on the road this season (7-1 away from Gainesville).
Florida was led in scoring by junior guard Erving Walker (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and sophomore guard Kenny Boynton (Pompano Beach, Fla.), who each poured in a season-high 24 points. Senior center Vernon Macklin (Portsmouth, Va.) added a career-high 23 points to go along with nine rebounds, while senior forward Chandler Parsons (Casselberry, Fla.) chipped in with 18 points and 12 rebounds, his team-leading third double-double of the season (10th career).
The Gators started the second overtime on a 9-0 run and never looked back, outscoring the Bulldogs 17-6 in final period of the game. Parsons scored half of his 18 points in the period, with the UF scoring seven points off UGA turnovers.
The Orange and Blue almost never had a chance at a second overtime, trailing 85-82 with six seconds left in the first overtime. With time running out on the Gators’ win streak, Walker ran down the court, hoisted up a toughly contested shot, and calmly drained a three to tie the game at 85 with one second left on the clock. Georgia’s last possession in the first overtime ended with the ball going out of bounds as time expired, sending the game deeper into the night.
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Before Walker’s clutch shot, the New York native had a chance with 21 seconds left in regulation to ice the game with a trip to the free-throw line for two shots. Clinging to a 72-71 lead, Walker swished the first shot, before missing the second to give Georgia a final chance at playing longer. The Bulldog’s Dustin Ware put up a shot with one second left, only to have teammate Trey Thompkins put it back in at the buzzer to tie the game at 73.
The Bulldogs were led by Thompkins, who had 20 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Forward Travis Leslie contributed a team-high 21 points.
The longest game in the history of the 87-year old rivalry was nearly identical statistically. Florida shot 46.1 percent (35-of-76 FG) to Georgia’s 45.3 (34-of-75 FG), with UGA outshooting UF from three-point range (41.2 percent to 40.0 percent). Both teams equaled each other’s output on the boards (47 each), while Georgia had two more points in the paint (44-42).
Florida has now won 11 of its last 13 games, bettering its mark to 7-1 in the SEC over the last two seasons with three-or-fewer days’ rest (3-0 this year).
The SEC first-place Gators return to the road Saturday, when they battle Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss. The game will be televised nationally on CBS at 1 p.m. ET.
