Coming off a frustrating, down-to-the-wire loss to Auburn, the Florida Gators didn’t just bounce back on Wednesday night - they erupted. What started as a competitive early stretch quickly turned into a full-blown showcase of dominance, as Florida dismantled South Carolina 95-48 on the road in Columbia. This wasn’t just a win - it was a statement.
Let’s start with the run that broke the game wide open. Up 12-8 with just over 11 minutes to go in the first half, sophomore guard Urban Klavžar lit the spark with back-to-back threes - the first of the night - and from there, Florida never looked back.
That stretch ballooned into a 36-12 run to close the half, and by the time the teams hit the locker room, the Gators had built a 57-20 lead. Yes, 57 points in a half - and on the road, no less.
The defensive effort was just as impressive. Florida turned the paint into a no-fly zone, swatting seven shots in the first half alone.
Klavžar, Rueben Chinyelu, Alex Condon, Micah Handlogten, and Thomas Haugh all got in on the block party. South Carolina couldn’t find any rhythm, and the Gators made sure of it - holding the Gamecocks to a season-low 20 points in the opening frame.
Offensively, this looked like a completely different team than the one that shot just 37% overall and 26% from deep against Auburn. Florida was locked in from the jump, finishing the first half shooting 57% from the field and 45% from three. Haugh led the way with 15 first-half points and continued his strong play into the second half, finishing with 18 - the game’s high scorer for the second straight outing after dropping 27 against Auburn.
But this wasn’t just about one player. The Gators were clicking on every level.
Chinyelu, who’s been a force in second halves all season, wasted no time in this one. He opened the scoring for Florida and ended the night with 14 points on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting, plus 11 rebounds - good for his 12th double-double of the season.
He anchored the paint and helped Florida dominate the glass, outrebounding South Carolina 45-24. That’s what the No. 1 rebounding team in the country is supposed to do.
The ball movement? Crisp.
Efficient. Relentless.
Florida finished with 28 assists - a massive number that speaks to the unselfishness and flow of their offense. Compare that to South Carolina’s four, and the disparity is as glaring as the final score.
Xaivian Lee led the way with nine assists, while Condon and Boogie Fland added eight and six, respectively. For Condon, those eight dimes marked a new career-high, and he nearly notched a triple-double with 10 points and nine rebounds to go with them.
Florida shot a blistering 62% from the field overall, going 38-for-61. And while the Gators hit just nine threes, they did it on 43% shooting - a big step up from their cold night against Auburn. Even the young guns got in on the action, with freshmen Alex Lloyd and CJ Ingram II knocking down second-half triples.
Defensively, Florida locked down the perimeter, holding South Carolina to just 3-of-20 shooting from deep. That opened the door for transition opportunities, and the Gators ran wild - piling up 32 fastbreak points. When you’re defending like that and turning stops into quick buckets, it’s hard to lose.
Klavžar and Fland both reached double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Lee added 10 as well, though he struggled from deep, going 0-for-4 from three. Still, his playmaking more than made up for the cold shooting.
And in a feel-good moment late in the blowout, sophomore Olivier Rioux made his fifth appearance of the season - his first in SEC play. He didn’t record any stats, but he did dish a nice pass to Viktor Micić, who drew a foul on the play.
This win wasn’t just Florida’s biggest of the season - it was historic. The 47-point margin marked the largest road win in SEC play in program history.
And it comes at a critical time, with momentum swinging back in the Gators’ favor as they prepare to host No. 23 Alabama on Sunday.
That matchup promises to be a clash between two of the SEC’s top-tier teams, and if Florida brings anything close to this level of energy and execution, they’ll be tough to beat in Gainesville.