Florida is getting hot at the right time and will take a four-game winning streak into College Station, Texas, for a Southeastern Conference matchup with Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon.
The Gators (15-6, 5-3 SEC) are coming off an overtime win at Kentucky and have put themselves in the talk for NCAA Tournament consideration since getting drubbed 85-66 at Tennessee on Jan. 16.
“We’re making strides, heading in the right direction, and have the right guys in the program,” Florida coach Todd Golden said. “We’re just really excited to see where the rest of the year goes.”
The Gators got their first Quadrant 1 win with a gritty comeback at Kentucky. Taking advantage of a missed free throw by Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham with 13.5 seconds left in regulation, Walter Clayton Jr. buried a 3-pointer with three seconds left in regulation to force overtime and then hit another in the extra period to spark Florida’s 94-91 win.
Clayton ended up with 23 points and made a career-best seven 3-pointers (in 13 attempts). The win avenged Florida’s earlier 87-85 loss to Kentucky in Gainesville.