Gators Grapple but Rebels Seize Overtime Victory at Exactech Arena
In a closely contested battle at the Exactech Arena, the Florida Gators faced a challenging opponent in the Ole Miss Rebels. The Gators, who fought valiantly throughout the game, ultimately fell short with a final score of 77-67. This outcome leaves both teams without ranks and their records now stand at 0-0.
The game was marked by intense competition from start to finish. The Gators opened strong with 19 points in the first quarter but were outpaced by the Rebels' relentless attack as they scored 9 points. As play continued, Florida maintained their effort but were unable to keep up with Ole Miss's scoring momentum which tallied 17 and 19 points in subsequent quarters before pushing into overtime where they secured an additional 13 points.
Despite a hard-fought game, key statistics highlighted areas where the Gators struggled. They managed to convert only 37 percent of their two-point attempts and finished with a field goal percentage of just 39 percent. Their three-point shooting was more effective at an impressive rate of approximately 43 percent; however, it wasn't enough to overcome other challenges on court.
Florida's defense managed to steal possession from Ole Miss on numerous occasions totaling fourteen steals for the game and also provided ten assists to teammates for scoring opportunities. However, they could not capitalize on these turnovers as effectively as hoped.
On offense, Florida saw contributions across the board but lacked dominance in rebounding with only twenty-seven total rebounds compared to fifty-five by Ole Miss – including twenty-five offensive boards that allowed for second-chance opportunities resulting in eighteen second-chance points for the Rebels.
The Rebels capitalized on turnovers converting them into twenty-five points while maintaining solid free throw shooting at approximately seventy-two percent accuracy which contributed significantly to their overall point tally.
Looking ahead after this tough loss, fans can look forward to seeing if Florida can bounce back when they visit Lexington for their next matchup against Kentucky Wildcats at Memorial Coliseum. Scheduled on February 18th at noon Eastern Time (ET), supporters can catch all action live from Lexington where both teams will be eager to secure victory.