NEW ORLEANS – The Gators faced the same situation and the same team as a year ago.
They also faced the same great scorer – BYU’s Jimmer Fredette.
The Gators produced a much different result on Thursday night in a Sweet 16 matchup with the Cougars, winning 83-74 to advance to the Elite Eight on Saturday and face the Butler-Wisconsin winner.
A year after losing to the Cougars in double overtime in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Florida outscored BYU 15-6 in overtime to advance to the Elite Eight for the third time in six seasons.
As for Fredette, the nation’s leading scorer and one of college basketball’s best stories the past couple of years, he did not score in overtime after scoring 10 in the second overtime of last season’s victory.
The Gators scored the first four points of overtime and never trailed, getting a basket from senior forward Alex Tyus to start the overtime period and then a score from Kenny Boynton.
Tyus and Boynton both played starring roles Thursday – Tyus for his 19 points and career-high 17 rebounds, and Boynton for his dogged pursuit of Fredette all night.
Fredette scored a game-high 32 points, but he made just 11 of 29 shots and missed 12 of his 15 three-point attempts.
The Gators had a chance to win in regulation but Chandler Parsons’ drive to the basket missed as the clock expired.
