Florida @ South Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 5, 2019 ) South Carolina 71, Florida 69

Florida worked overtime in its SEC opener to earn an inspiring victory and hopes to ride that momentum into the first league road game of the season Tuesday night against rival South Carolina. The Gators trailed by as many as 21 in the first half at home against Alabama on Saturday before rallying with 51 points in the second half and grinding out a 104-98 victory in double overtime.

“We have to feel good about it, but we can’t celebrate very long,” Florida coach Mike White told reporters after his team scored 100 points for the second straight game. “I do think we can gain confidence in the fact that we won a really hard one where we were just about dead in the water a couple different times. We found a way. Hopefully we can build upon that.” Virginia Tech transfer Kerry Blackshear Jr. leads the way for the Gators with 14.9 points and nine rebounds per game after recording 24 and 16, respectively, Saturday for his seventh double-double of the season. South Carolina is hoping to be jolted by a totally different result last time out as the Gamecocks followed up a huge victory over reigning national champion Virginia with a baffling 63-56 loss to Stetson at home on Dec. 30. South Carolina shot 55.1 percent from the field to win at Virginia on Dec. 22, but made only 37 percent of its attempts eight days later to lose to Stetson (7-10) of the Atlantic Sun as it prepares for its SEC opener.

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: ESPNU

ABOUT FLORIDA (9-4, 1-0 SEC): Sophomore guard Keyontae Johnson is second on the team in scoring (13.0) and rebounding (6.8) after posting his third double-double with 10 points and 12 boards in the win over Alabama. Sophomore guard Andrew Nembhard (10.6 points, team-high 5.8 assists) scored a career-high 25 in Saturday’s win while connecting on 8-of-19 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. Sophomore guard Noah Locke (10.2 points) has scored in double figures in six of the last seven games after pouring in a season-high 18 on Saturday, making 6-of-9 shots from the floor.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (8-5, 0-0): Sophomore A.J. Lawson is the only Gamecock averaging in double figures (15.5 points), but the 6-6 guard must rebound after scoring eight and recording four turnovers in just 13 minutes against Stetson. Senior forward Maik Kotsar led the way with 11 points before fouling out versus the Hatters and is second on the team in scoring (9.7) while topping the Gamecocks in rebounding (5.8). Junior guard Jair Bolden scored a season-high 22 points against Virginia, making 4-of-6 from behind the arc, but was blanked in 15 minutes against Stetson - missing all four shots.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. South Carolina freshman G Jermaine Couisnard had nine points against Stetson and leads the team in assists (2.6).

2. Florida freshman G Scottie Lewis registered his first career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds Saturday.

3. The Gamecocks have won five of the last seven meetings, including a 71-69 triumph at Florida last season.

PREDICTION: Florida 74, South Carolina 66