GAINESVILLE, Fla. — DeAndre Hersey tipped in a missed shot with 1.8 seconds remaining Tuesday night, giving South Alabama a 67-66 men’s basketball victory over No. 18 Florida.
The South Alabama upset of Florida came on the Gators’ home floor. Tim Williams led all scorers with 21 points, and the Jaguars made 7 of 11 3-point attempts while holding Florida to 3-of-22 shooting from beyond the arc.
A Tight First Half
South Alabama led for most of the first half but never built a large margin, and the teams went to halftime tied 43-43.
Florida gained the upper hand early in the second half before the Jaguars rallied to retake the lead. South Alabama pushed its advantage to 61-54 with 7:42 remaining.
Gators Rally, Hersey Answers
Florida responded with a 7-0 run, tying the score on a pair of free throws. Two more free throws gave the Gators the lead with 2:04 left, and they held it until the final seconds.
After getting the ball back, South Alabama inbounded and advanced it to around the time line before calling its final timeout with 12.7 seconds left. The play was designed for Williams to drive the lane. His shot missed, but Hersey was in position for the follow, tipping it in with 1.8 seconds to go.
Florida’s desperation 3-point try from beyond half court bounced off the rim, and the Jaguars celebrated on the court.
By the Numbers
- Final: South Alabama 67, Florida 66
- Halftime: 43-43
- Second-half shooting: South Alabama 28.1 percent, Florida 23.1 percent
- 3-point shooting: South Alabama 7 of 11, Florida 3 of 22
Williams scored his 21 points on 8-of-19 shooting, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range. Martino Brock added nine points and Sherrer scored eight. Five other Jaguars also scored.
Arrow: ‘A Great Game’
South Alabama head coach Ronnie Arrow said he challenged his team to play a full 40 minutes.
“That was a great game,” Arrow said. “The people here got to see two really good teams go at it. I told our guys to play for 40 minutes which would allow us to get a really nice Christmas present. I thought that both teams played hard. We had different people make big plays and that’s what a good team does.”
The game was streamed on ESPN360, and the finish was featured at the top of ESPN’s SportsCenter and on ESPNews.
