Richmond rallies to beat No. 13 Florida
December 19, 2009
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP)—Richmond rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit, andKevin Anderson made four free throws in the final 5.4 seconds to upset No. 13Florida 56-53 Saturday night in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic.
The Gators shot 7 for 27 in the second half (26 percent), including 1 for 9from 3-point range. They led for the last time at 49-48.
Richmond missed 12 consecutive shots over a 9-minute span before Gonzalvez’s23-footer with 1:33 left put them ahead 52-49. Anderson sank both ends of aone-and-one with 5.4 seconds to go for a 54-53 lead, and after Erving Walkermade a 3-pointer, Anderson hit two more free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining.
The Gators (8-2) lost their second game in a row, after falling to No. 5Syracuse last week.
Gonzalvez scored 16 points for the Spiders (8-3), who beat a SoutheasternConference team for the second time this season. They defeated Mississippi Stateon Nov. 27.
Richmond defeated a ranked opponent for the third season in a row.
Alex Tyus scored 15 points to lead Florida. Starting guards Walker and KennyBoynton shot a combined 5 for 23, including 2 for 11 from 3-point range.
The Gators led 32-19 after 18 minutes but were outscored 20-5 to start thesecond half.
Trailing 52-50 with less than 15 seconds left, Florida tried two shots witha chance to erase the deficit. Walker missed a 3-pointer, and Vernon Macklingrabbed the rebound but missed the follow. When Florida’s Dan Werner snatchedthe rebound he was stripped, and Anderson drew a foul.
Tyus’ dunk 10 minutes into the game put the Gators up 16-14, and they ledthe rest of the half, running off 10 points in a row en route to their biggestlead.
The Spiders shot 5 for 12 from 3-point range in the second half. They madefour consecutive shots to score the first nine points of the half for a 33-32lead, and 3-pointers by Gonzalvez and Ryan Butler on back-to-back possessionshelped them build a 46-37 lead.
Miami beat Florida Atlantic 87-69 in the first game of the doubleheader atthe NHL Florida Panthers’ arena.
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