FINAL: Texas A&M 54, Florida 52

WHAT HAPPENED: Texas A&M ahead Julius Marble scored a game-high 19 factors and the visiting Florida Gators couldn’t overcome an traditionally dangerous first half of capturing, because the Aggies closed out a 54-52 victory of their Southeastern Conference sport Wednesday evening at Reed Arena. UF had an opportunity with 2.5 seconds to go, however fifth-year guard (*52*)Myreon Jones’ the try to get off a hard-contested 3-pointer had no likelihood, falling 10 ft in need of the objective, ending the Gators’ possibilities at a livid comeback in addition to their three-game profitable. Florida want solely look within the mirror as to the troublesome predicament the Gators put themselves in, thanks to creating simply two first-half discipline objectives, a completely mind-numbing quantity but additionally alongside the traces of the way in which they’ve began each SEC sport this season; as in enjoying from behind in each first half. Still, Florida lower an 11-point result in make it a one- or two-possession sport over the ultimate eight minutes. Guard Wade Taylor IV, a Gator killer the final two years, hit two free throws with 1:01 to go after UF pressured an A&M miss, however the Aggies secured the offensive rebound, Taylor was fouled and transformed each. At the Florida finish, the Gators missed a pair of 3s, however not the third, as a freshman guard (*52*)Riley Kugel swished a third-chance possession with 29.6 seconds to go to attract UF inside a degree for the primary time for the reason that sport’s first 5 minutes. Out of a timeout, the Gators went to full-court stress, however fouled an attacking Taylor with 23.3 seconds to go. Again, he sank each, however this time just for a three-point lead. A missed driving layup by Lofton and block of a Castleton putback try become a run-out layup and slam dunk by Tyrece Radford for the five-point lead (and the constructing going nuts), however Jones nailed an open-floor 3-ball with 4 seconds left to make it a two-point sport once more. This time, the Aggies did not deal with the Gators’ stress, with the ball going out of bounds in entrance of the UF sidelines, establishing Jones’ last-ditch try. Florida was led by fifth-year ahead (*52*)Colin Castleton’s 14 factors, 13 rebounds and 6 blocks. Jones had 10 factors. The sport couldn’t have began worse for the Gators, a minimum of offensively. Jones threw in a 3-pointer for UF’s first bucket on the 16:54 mark, then went the following 12 minutes, 41 seconds and not using a discipline objective. When level guard (*52*)Kyle Lofton put in a teammate’s miss, the Gators had been 2-for-22 from the ground, however solely trailed by six due to their protection. When intermission arrived, the Aggies led 23-12 and the Gators had gone 2-for-26 from the ground (7.7 %) and missed 10 of their 11 3-point makes an attempt. The second half was a unique story. UF hit 5 of its first 9 whereas A&M was lacking 9 of its 11. When Castleton transformed an old-fashion 3-point play with 8:35 left the Aggies’ lead was simply two, 37-35, however a minute later the house workforce scored 5 straight. Yet, a minute later after that, the Aggies’ lead was two once more and it bounced backwards and forwards between two and 4 till the primary free-throw sequence for Taylor. The Gators managed to work their field-goal share again to 26.2 for the sport at 16 of 61, together with 6-for-26 from the arc. Texas A&M shot 35.5 % and went simply three of 16 from deep. Aggies ahead Dexter Dennis had 11 factors and 16 rebounds, whereas Taylor completed with eight factors (simply 2 of 15 from the ground and 0-for-5 from distance), 4 rebounds and 5 assists. The win was A&M’s seventh straight and stored them as one in every of two unbeaten groups (together with No. 4 Alabama) in league play.

WHAT IT MEANS: Another Quadrant 1 alternative goes by the wayside, because the Gators fall to 0-7 in such video games, as outlined by the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) that can seed the NCAA Tournament. UF had hoped to repair the turnovers and straight-live defensive lapses that plagued the workforce of their loss to the Aggies precisely two weeks earlier and principally managed to try this. The Gators couldn’t repair the slow-start situation, nevertheless, which has grow to be maddening. This one, nevertheless, was subsequent stage.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Marble beat up the Gators of their first assembly, scoring 17 factors, and just about had his manner on this one, too. Of his six first-half discipline objectives, 5 of them had been leap hooks inside 10 ft and over Castleton. He completed 9 for 18 from the ground.

STAGGERING STATISTICS: Two discipline objectives within the first half. Pretty staggering, proper?

UP NEXT: Florida (10-8, 3-3) is again on the SEC street Saturday evening in opposition to Mississippi State (12-6,1-4). The Bulldogs began the season with 11 straight wins in opposition to a light-weight schedule, however have dropped six of the final seven, with their lone league win coming in opposition to rival Ole Miss and their most up-to-date outing Tuesday evening’s 70-59 residence loss in opposition to No. 9 Tennessee. UF has not gained in Starkville since 2017.