The Florida Gators and Alabama Crimson Tide faced off on Wednesday, and while the Gators (18-8, 8-5 SEC) fought hard on the road, their efforts were ultimately in vain, as the home Crimson Tide (19-7, 11-2 SEC) won 98-93 in overtime. The Gators controlled much of this game, holding a lead for the majority of the action. A second-half surge by the Crimson Tide brought them back into the game, and when it appeared that Florida was tiring, Alabama kept their foot on the gas, which was the difference. Given how fantastic this game was, you may anticipate fireworks again soon as the Crimson Tide travels to face the Gators later in the season, and if both teams continue to play as they are, an SEC Tournament rematch appears to be a real possibility.
Crunch Time
Let’s take a look at the game’s most important minutes: the final stages of regular and overtime. Tyrese Samuel made a beautiful hook shot with 1:43 left in the second half to give the Gators an 83-80 lead. Rylan Griffen sprinted out in transition and missed an early three-pointer, but North Dakota State transfer Grant Nelson (who had 22 points) was there to grab the rebound, face up, and finish with a foul on Tyrese Samuel to make it a three-point play (83-83). Zyon Pullin, who was quarterbacking much of Florida’s late-game offence, made another big play by coming off a screen, getting a paint touch, and finishing to make it 85-83. Alabama’s leader, Mark Sears, then took the ball up the court and attempted to attack, with Will Richard attempting an aggressive steal from behind. While it appeared to be clean, the ref ruled a foul, and with the Crimson Tide in bonus, Sears went to the line and hit both, tying the game at 85-85 with less than a minute remaining. The Gators elected not to call a timeout and received a decent look from Walter Clayton, which was missed, but Micah Handlogten retrieved the offensive board and Zyon Pullin had a second chance, which he also missed, and Alabama had the ball with the game tied at 85 with 16 seconds left. Mark Sears received the ball and aggressively attacked downhill, getting a stride on his defender. It appeared like he was about to make a game-winning layup when Micah Handlogten wheeled around and swatted the ball away, his second massive block in crunch time of the second half, and the game went into OT.
In the extra frame, the Gators appeared weary and did not score for the first half of the period, as Alabama took a 92-85 lead. The Gators did not give up, as Walter Clayton scored the Gators’ next six points, pulling the game to 94-91, followed by Alex Condon’s short jumper to make it 94-93 with 37 seconds left. With that time on the clock, it appeared like the Gators needed to make a stop and get the ball back, which began with slowing down Mark Sears. The Gators forced the ball out of his hands with a double team, and it fell into the hands of forward Rylan Griffen, who loaded up, rose, fired, and missed. Unfortunately for the Gators, Will Richard turned up the floor searching for a transition opportunity, leaving his check, Aaron Estrada, entirely out of the box. Estrada grabbed the uncontested rebound before quietly dropping it in, giving Alabama a three-point lead with 9 seconds left. Florida hurried the ball up the court, but Walter Clayton’s heave came up empty, and the Gators fell short.
Blowing Leads
With 8:41 remaining in the second half, the Gators appeared to have control of the game, leading 72-62. That means Florida wasted a double-digit lead in the second half, which is not surprising given their track record this season. While effort and focus do not appear to be a concern for this bunch, execution in critical situations has been a challenge, as evidenced by a few of lapses during lead melting, regulation, and overtime. Blowing solid leads in the second half of games can haunt basketball teams because it stays with them when leads are gained in future games, and you have to question if this is becoming a bad pattern that needs to be addressed. It is worth mentioning that the Gators have already won three overtime games this season, defeating Michigan, Kentucky, and Georgia, so they should be confident if games go to OT in the future.
Elite Guards on Display.
Florida’s matchup with Alabama promised to be a duel of the greatest backcourts in the country, and they delivered. Walter Clayton had 27 rebounds, 5 assists, and 8 rebounds, while Zyon Pullin had 17 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds, leading the Gators for most of the game. Mark Sears, a current All-American and SEC Player of the Year candidate, finished with 17 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds, the most of which came late in the game, as the Gators did an excellent job slowing him down early. Aaron Estrada had 20 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds, carrying much of the offensive load when the ball was forced out of Sears’ hands, and he made a crucial play with an offensive rebound and layup in overtime. Elite guards are typically the difference in March, and both clubs should be pleased with their backcourts.
Final Thoughts
Alabama’s resume isn’t very impressive, but the analytics all point to them being a top-10 club in college basketball. Florida performed an outstanding game to remain competitive on the road in a difficult atmosphere, and they deserve credit for slowing down Mark Sears and pushing Alabama’s secondary options to defeat them. However, the Gators wasted a second-half lead again, and their execution down the stretch and in overtime left much to be desired, which were the same concerns that plagued them earlier in the season when they were battling to beat good teams and build a resume. Fortunately for the Gators, a close loss on the road will not hinder them in the metrics, and playing the game so close will most likely benefit them despite the loss. Certainly, they would have preferred the win for their resume, but this is not a bad loss by any means.
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