South Carolina’s 95‑48 loss to No. 19 Florida was defined by pronounced differences in shooting efficiency, ball movement and rebounding that allowed the Gators to control both tempo and scoring throughout the contest. The 47-point margin is the largest defeat of the Lamont Paris era for South Carolina.
Florida shot 38-61 (62.3%) from the field and 9-21 (42.9%) from the 3-point line, while South Carolina finished at 15-58 (15.9%) overall and 3-20 (15%) from beyond the arc. The Gamecocks only made three field goals outside the paint.
South Carolina recorded just four assists, compared to Florida’s 28, showing the disparity in offensive execution between the teams.Head coach Lamont Paris discussed the dominance that the ranked Gators enforced throughout the game.
“There was a level of aggression in this game on their behalf that made us relent,” Paris said.
Florida established a significant presence on the glass and in the interior, out rebounding the Gamecocks 45–24. Junior center Rueben Chinyelu snagged 11 boards in addition to his 14 points on a perfect 7‑for‑7 from the field.
Florida’s efficient passing and finishing translated into sustained offensive runs, and the Gators led by 28 points at halftime before extending the margin in the second half. Freshman guard Eli Ellis summarized the mistakes that led to the disparities in the box score.
"You don't lose by 40 off one mistake ... it was a lot of things in general,"Ellis said.
Forced turnovers also played role in Florida’s offensive efficiency with the Gators capitalizing on transition chances that resulted from South Carolina’s miscues and missed shots. Florida converted several live‑ball opportunities into points throughout the game, helping sustain separation once the scoring gap widened.
South Carolina’s struggles were also evident on the defensive end, where Florida consistently found open looks through drive-and-kick action and interior touches that collapsed the Gamecock defense. The Gators also had the upper hand in transition, outscoring the Gamecocks 32-3 in points in transition, which allowed Florida to maintain its lead throughout the night.
The Gators posted an effective field-goal percentage of 62.3% in the second half, compared to South Carolina’s sub-19% mark, reflecting Florida’s efficiency from both inside and outside the paint. Florida finished with more assists than South Carolina had total field goals.
Individually, junior forward Thomas Haugh led Florida with 18 points, and Florida’s balanced scoring included double‑figure contributions from junior guard Urban Klavzar, junior forward Alex Condon and sophomore guard Boogie Fland.
Meanwhile for South Carolina, limited scoring opportunities and lack of assists hindered its ability to mount extended offensive sequences. Offensive production was sparse as Ellis and senior guard Meechie Johnson led the way with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
“There’s nothing to be proud of in that effort, in terms of fight,” Paris said.
South Carolina's offensive shortcomings were compounded by its inability to convert second-chance opportunities. While the Gamecocks had seven offensive rebounds compared to Florida's eight, they failed to capitalize on those chances. The Gators held a 13-0 advantage in second-chance points, allowing them to limit South Carolina's second-chance scoring to keep a commanding lead through both halves.
The Gamecocks look to regroup this Saturday against the LSU Tigers, a familiar opponent that South Carolina has already faced this season. South Carolina earned the victory in its first meeting, giving the Gamecocks a potential reset to build momentum moving forward.