Georgia fends off past due comeback try to stun No. 3 Florida, stay NCAA match hopes alive

The Bulldogs held a 26-point lead at one level on Tuesday evening. (Todd Kirkland/Getty Pictures)After a coarse run within the SEC, Georgia picked up its greatest win of the season on Tuesday evening.The Bulldogs, after build up a large lead within the first part, hung on down the stretch to stun No. 3 Florida 88-83. That spark off an enormous birthday celebration at Stegeman Coliseum. It marked Georgia’s first win over a top-3 opponent since 2004, and their 3rd Quad 1 win of the season.Georgia led just about all the manner on Tuesday evening, and opened the sport on a large 39-13 tear. That 26-point lead dwindled down rather via halftime, regardless that the Bulldogs nonetheless entered the locker room with a 16-point merit.Florida chipped away at that lead slowly in the second one part, after which went on a 13-0 run of its personal within the ultimate mins to in spite of everything take their first lead of the sport off a layup from Tomas Haugh with simply lower than 90 seconds left. Georgia, then again, temporarily fended off that comeback, and retook the lead virtually right away after Blue Cain drilled a great 3-pointer from the win, to seal the five-point win.Silas Demary led the Bulldogs with 21 issues within the win. Asa Newell added 15 issues and 8 rebounds, and Cain completed with 12 issues and 6 rebounds. His ultimate 3-pointer was once his best strive from at the back of the arc at the evening.Will Richard led Florida with 30 issues and 5 rebounds. Walter Clayton Jr. added 18 issues, and was once the one different participant to hit double figures. The Gators shot simply 18-of-29 from the loose throw line.The loss marked the primary for Florida because it fell at then-No. 8 Tennessee remaining month. The Gators now take a seat at 24-4 at the season. The loss strikes them again to 3rd within the convention standings, at the back of top-ranked Auburn and No. 6 Alabama.Whilst Florida is not out of achieve simply but, the loss would possibly put the SEC common season identify out of achieve. The Gators will host No. 12 Texas A&M subsequent on Saturday earlier than ultimate the common season with Alabama and Ole Leave out subsequent week.Georgia, which entered the evening at simply 4-10 in convention play, now hang a 17-11 document this season. The win snapped a four-game shedding skid, and indubitably stored the Bulldogs in competition to earn probably the most ultimate spots within the NCAA match. They have been indexed within the “Subsequent 4 Out” phase of ESPN analyst Joe Lunardi’s mock bracket as of Tuesday morning.It is going to take a powerful end, together with a large victory or two on the SEC match in Nashville, to get them there, however the Bulldogs in spite of everything have their signature win. Their first NCAA match bid in a decade is now in sight.