Florida Looks to Bounce Back Against South Carolina: Four Keys for the Gators
After a gritty but ultimately frustrating 76-67 loss to Auburn - their first home defeat of the season - No. 19 Florida is back on the road, aiming to right the ship against South Carolina.
Despite clawing back from a 15-point deficit, the Gators couldn’t close the gap late, falling short in the O’Connell Center. Now sitting at 14-6 (5-2 SEC), Florida heads to Columbia for a Wednesday night matchup with the Gamecocks (11-9, 2-5 SEC), looking to notch its third straight SEC road win and fifth victory in the last six meetings between the two programs.
Head coach Todd Golden isn’t underestimating the challenge.
“They’re dangerous is the way I think about them,” Golden said. “They have multiple guys that can really shoot it. They have some really good, talented players.”
Here’s what Florida needs to do to get back in the win column.
1. Own the Glass
If there’s one area where Florida has consistently imposed its will this season, it’s on the boards. The Gators are pulling down a nation-leading 46.2 rebounds per game, including a staggering 17.2 on the offensive end - numbers that speak to their physicality and relentless effort. Their +15.4 rebounding margin isn’t just good - it’s dominant.
South Carolina, on the other hand, ranks last in the SEC with just 34.3 rebounds per game. That’s a gap Florida has to exploit.
Junior center Rueben Chinyelu has been the anchor in the paint, averaging 11 boards a game - fifth-most in the country. He’s on pace to become the first Gator since Bob Smyth in 1975-76 to average double-digit rebounds over a season. That said, Chinyelu was held in check against Auburn, finishing with 10 points and just seven rebounds - his lowest total on the glass since January 6 against Georgia.
Alongside him, Alex Condon is looking for a bounce-back performance. The Aussie big man managed just one point against Auburn but still pulled down nine rebounds and added three blocks.
Condon is averaging 8.1 rebounds per game and was named an AP Preseason All-American for a reason. This matchup gives him a chance to remind everyone why.
For comparison, South Carolina’s leading rebounder, Mike Sharavjamts, averages 5.6 boards per game - fewer than all four of Florida’s key frontcourt contributors. Thomas Haugh (6.7) and Micah Handlogten (6.2) round out a front line that should have a clear edge.
Golden knows his team’s identity starts inside.
“For us to be our best, we need those guys to generally outplay our opponents,” he said. “We need it to show up again tomorrow night, both with interior scoring and rebounding.”
2. Attack the Rim, Don’t Settle
While Florida has been elite on the glass, their perimeter shooting has been another story. The Gators are hitting just 28.5% from beyond the arc - the lowest mark in the SEC. And while they’re generating open looks, too often they’re settling for threes instead of pressing the issue inside.
Take Condon, for example. He’s made just one three-pointer in his last six games. Defenders are sagging off him at the top of the key, daring him to shoot - and that hesitation can disrupt the offense.
Golden knows it’s on him to help his players adjust.
“When somebody's not guarding you, I think it can kind of mess you a little bit,” he said. “Where I need to do a better job is giving him the right plan when that happens. I thought we did a better job in the second half, but I got to figure that out sooner.”
The good news? South Carolina isn’t exactly a shot-blocking force.
The Gamecocks rank last in the SEC with just 2.6 blocks per game. That’s an open invitation for Florida to get downhill and finish at the rim.
Boogie Fland has been a prime example of what happens when you don’t settle. Despite shooting just 19.5% from three, he’s averaging 11.3 points per game because he’s aggressive inside the arc. Against Oklahoma, he scored 15 points while going just 1-for-5 from deep - but 6-of-11 on twos.
This is the kind of game where Florida needs to lean into its physicality, get into the paint, and make South Carolina defend without help from the three-point line.
3. Get Xaivian Lee Going
Xaivian Lee has shown flashes - none brighter than his 20-point outing against Vanderbilt, capped by a clutch game-winning three in the final minute. But consistency has been elusive.
In four of Florida’s last six games, Lee has failed to reach double digits. Against LSU and Auburn, he scored just seven points in each - and attempted only three shots from the field against the Tigers.
Golden didn’t mince words.
“He didn’t play well enough on Saturday,” he said. “When he’s in there with the starting group, we need him more aggressive, trying to score, being a good connector that way.”
Lee has taken double-digit shots in just one of the Gators’ last six games - that Vanderbilt win. When he’s assertive, Florida’s offense flows better. When he fades into the background, the Gators can get stagnant.
The matchup with South Carolina presents an opportunity. The Gamecocks are allowing opponents to shoot 43.8% from the field - the second-worst mark in the SEC. If there’s a night for Lee to reassert himself as a scoring threat, this is it.
4. Cash In at the Line
Free throws aren’t glamorous, but they win (and lose) games. Just ask Florida after Saturday.
The Gators went 16-of-27 (59%) from the stripe against Auburn. The Tigers?
A near-perfect 19-of-21 (90%). In a nine-point game, that kind of disparity is a backbreaker.
Chinyelu didn’t hold back postgame:
“I think it's just unacceptable, just to be missing free throws,” he said. “It's called free for a reason.”
Florida is shooting 70.1% from the line on the season - fourth-worst in the SEC. And with their size advantage likely to generate fouls inside, they’re going to get to the line. The question is whether they’ll make those trips count.
On the road, in a hostile environment like Colonial Life Arena, those free points become even more valuable. The crowd will be loud, the pressure will be real - and the Gators have to keep their composure.
The Bottom Line
Florida has the tools to take care of business in Columbia. They’re bigger, deeper, and more physical than South Carolina.
But as we saw against Auburn, talent alone isn’t enough. The Gators need to assert themselves on the glass, attack the rim with purpose, get their key scorers involved, and - perhaps most importantly - convert at the line.
If they do those things, they’ll be in good shape to bounce back and keep pace in a competitive SEC race.