Florida Survives Scare Against East Carolina

Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. #1 dribbles upcourt during the first half as the Florida Gators mens basketball team hosts the Loyola Greyhounds at Exactech Arena in Gainesville, Florida. November 6th, 2023. Gator Country Photo by David Bowie.Florida was never able to build a comfortable lead against a scrappy East Carolina team but ultimately they were able to get key stops late in the second half to hold on to a 70-65 win over the pirates. There were stressful moments for the Gators as they struggled to generate points but ultimately their defense held strong in key moments, particularly with their length around the rim keeping East Carolina from finishing layups. Brandon Johnson and Ezra Ausar, the East Carolina frontcourt, were particularly effective against the Gators in one on one matchups but in the final minutes of the game they were held scoreless as they struggled to see daylight when they got the ball in the paint. The Gators will not be particularly happy with how they played, but they will be incredibly satisfied to have gritted out the win.

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