Wade Taylor IV scored 17 points, including the go-ahead basket with 42 seconds remaining, lifting visiting Texas A&M to a 66-63 win over Florida in Gainesville, Fla.
The Aggies (9-5, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) also got 17 points apiece from Julius Marble and Tyrece Radford to pick up their first-ever win at Florida. Texas A&M entered the game 0-6 all-time at the O’Connell Center.
Taylor put Texas A&M up 65-63 with a running basket in the lane in the final minute. Florida had two chances to tie but Kyle Lofton missed a runner in the lane. Then, off a Texas A&M turnover, Trey Bonham was whistled for an offensive foul with 7.3 seconds left.
Bonham led Florida (7-7, 0-2) with 21 points, but it wasn’t enough for the Gators to avoid their fourth loss in their last five games. Colin Castleton added 14 points and five rebounds, including a steal and breakaway lay-in that tied the score at 63 with 1:06 left.
Texas A&M won the game with defense, scoring 21 points off 20 turnovers while holding Florida to 45.5 percent shooting from the floor.
Behind 10 points from Marble, Texas A&M took a 34-23 lead into halftime. The Aggies smothered Florida defensively with relentless on-ball pressure defensive, limiting the Gators to 37.5 percent shooting in the first half while forcing nine turnovers.
Texas A&M took an early 20-12 lead on a basket in the lane by Taylor, but the Gators responded with a quick 5-0 run, cutting the Aggies’ lead to 20-17 on a Bonham 3-pointer.
But Castleton was whistled on a technical for taunting on Bonham’s trey. Texas A&M made both free throws, starting an 8-0 run that ended with a Taylor 3-pointer which extended Texas A&M’s lead to 28-17.
The Gators started the second half with a 13-2 run, tying the score at 36 on a Castleton free throw.
The start of the game was delayed 10 minutes because Texas A&M forgot to bring its game jerseys from the team hotel. Florida was awarded a technical free throw for the delay-of-game infraction, which Will Richard sank before the opening tip to give the Gators a 1-0 lead.
–Field Level Media
