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Gators Have No Answers

The Associated Press

Georgia's Trey Tompkins scores the go-ahead basket over Florida's Alex Tyus and Chandler Parsons.

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By MIKE DiFERDINANDO

Tribune correspondent

Published: February 14, 2009

Updated: 02/15/2009 11:20 am

ATHENS, Ga. - Georgia forward Terrance Woodbury hugged the ball with both arms as he jumped up and down in the Bulldogs' student section, reveling in one of the biggest upsets of the Southeastern Conference season.

Woodbury scored a game-high 32 points as Georgia knocked off Florida 88-86 on Saturday.

The Gators (19-6, 6-4 SEC) have lost three of their past four games and have lost back-to-back contests for the first time this season.

Point guard Nick Calathes' head fell to his hands while Georgia cheerleaders waved flags at center court.

"Our backs are against the wall," Calathes said. "It's back to last year."

After playing their way into the national rankings early last season, the Gators unraveled down the stretch, losing eight of their last 11 games.

Going into the game without a win in league play, the Bulldogs (10-15, 1-9 SEC) were the worst team in the conference.

Calathes scored 16 points, had 13 assists and came within one rebound of a triple-double.

"That doesn't mean anything to me right now," he said. "We've got a loss against a team we should have beaten."

On a day when UF could hardly afford a misstep, Georgia simply couldn't miss.

The Bulldogs opened the game with seven straight made baskets and shot 69 percent in the first half. They finished the night going 57 percent from the field.

"You can't win when the other team is shooting that percentage," said UF guard Walter Hodge, who scored a team-high 22 points.

"We have to play better defense."

The Gators took their first lead with 8:06 to play following two Ray Shipman foul shots.

But Florida would score only two points in the final five minutes and convert on only one of its final six possessions.

With the Gators down two and the clock inside of 16 seconds, Erving Walker grabbed a rebound and raced down court. The freshman frantically dribbled looking for an open man, but settled for a leaning jump shot with four seconds left.

The ball flew off the rim, and the game fell out of reach.

"They're hungry and they wanted the win," Calathes said of the Bulldogs. "They played better than us tonight."

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