[Westside]

WHAT HAPPENED: Junior guard KeVaughn Allen, mired in a scoring slump, erupted for 24 points, including a 75-footer to end the first half and two free throws with 5.6 seconds remaining to push the Gators to a pulsating victory over the nation's 10th-ranked team in a win they desperately needed to bolster -- if not secure -- their NCAA Tournament hopes. UF once again relinquished a double-digit lead in the second half, this one a 14-point margin with 17 minutes to go, as the Tigers three times went ahead in the final three minutes, the last time after forward Mustapha Heron (22 points, 6 rebounds) sank two free throws with 1:58 left to push Auburn in front 64-63. A 3-point play by Allen was answered by two free throws from Jared Harper with 41.9 seconds to go, but point guard Chris Chiozza, with one of his 12 assists, found a cutting Jalen Hudson (19 points) for a layup that drew a foul and sent the sold-out Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center into a tizzy. Hudson's free throw gave the Gators a 3-point lead and the Tigers clanged 3s their next three times down the floor. Allen, who went scoreless at Wednesday night's loss at Tennessee, hit eight of his 15 shots, including six of 10 from the 3-point line. Redshirt freshman center Dontay Bassett, in his first career start, tallied 12 points and six rebounds in 24 minutes. The Gators shot just 44 percent for the game, but went 13-for-28 from the 3-point line (46.4 percent) and hit the most shots from distance in their last 13 league games.

WHAT IT MEANS: By halting their three-game slide in league play, the Gators broke free of the jumbled SEC standings that started Saturday with six teams tied for third place. That spot is now occupied by teams -- Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Arkansas -- and each still has a shot at one of the four byes into the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament. Perhaps even more important, Auburn came into the game ranked No. 6 in the Ratings Percentage Index, meaning the Gators registered another "Quadrant 1" victory for their resume that will go to the NCAA Tournament selection committee.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Bassett, the 6-foot-9, 240-pounder who red-shirted last year for a developmental season, started in place of junior Kevarrius Hayes, who along with Allen and forward Keith Stone were benched from the starting unit after being late for a Friday night film session. In his first career start Bassett was really, really good. He's still foul-prone, but he produced and some big plays and crucial times. It was an encouraging sign for a team crying for more production from its post players.

STAGGERING STATISTIC: Chiozza went 1-for-5 at the free-throw line, including two misses with 51.8 seconds remaining that could have pushed a two-point UF lead to three or four. He missed his only two in Wednesday night's loss at Tennessee and his two before that in overtime in the home loss to Georgia. So that's one for his last nine. Truly unbelievable, considering he was one of the SEC's top three free-throw shooters just two weeks ago.


http://floridagators.com/news/2018/2/24/...eb-24.aspx

[E's Army]

Half court shot at half stymied Auburn's momentum.

[pjdoug]

good win.