NEW YORK — It’s over.
Florida’s fairy-tale run through the NCAA Tournament ended Sunday as the Gators bumbled their way through a rough second half and watched South Carolina pull away for a 77-70 victory in the East Region final.
The Gators, who went into halftime riding a wave of momentum, left it in the locker room for the final 20 minutes and South Carolina took advantage. The Gamecocks clinched the school’s first trip to the Final Four, where they will face West Region winner Gonzaga.
Florida missed all 14 of its second-half 3-point attempts and was a frigid 11 of 35 (31 percent) from the field in the final 20 minutes.