Tyrese Samuel powers Florida past Mizzou with career-high 28

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Powered by a career-best performance from Tyrese Samuel, the Gators outlasted Missouri down the stretch Wednesday for an 83-74 win, their seventh straight at home and ninth victory in the last 11 games.

The Tigers trailed by one point three different times during the second half, including 66-65 with 3:33 remaining, but couldn’t get over the hump. Samuel scored 14 of Florida’s last 22 points and produced his fourth 20-point game this season.

He finished with a career-high 28 points and 10 rebounds, marking his 10th double-double as a Gator. Samuel was one of four UF players in double figures and two 20-point scorers, along with Zyon Pullin. He had nine of his 21 points in the final 7:33.

“We didn’t lose confidence even though we had trouble attacking the zone for a little bit. I think we made 11 out of our last 13 field goals attacking the zone really well,” Florida coach Todd Golden said. “Obviously, Tyrese was a grown man tonight. He did an incredible job, 28 points, 10 rebounds. ZP was great as well. Two seniors really stepped up tonight and we found a way.”

Florida center Micah Handlogten recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds, including four offensive boards and three putbacks. Walter Clayton Jr. added 13 points but fouled out with 14:08 left to play.

Down 37-28 at the break, the Tigers opened the second period 5-for-6 and cut the deficit to one three minutes into the half. Florida responded with a 12-2 run to take its first double-digit lead of the game, 51-40, but Mizzou would threaten again.

Nick Honor scored eight straight points, including three free throws on a phantom shooting foul that Golden wanted reviewed to make it a one-point game again, 55-54, with 9:36 left. The Gators went 4:18 without a field goal during that stretch.

Florida led from start to finish, building a nine-point lead halfway through the first period and again at halftime after a 3-pointer by Clayton. That shot ended a drought from downtown for the Gators, who had missed their previous seven attempts.

Florida made just three of 15 treys in the first half but held Missouri to 2-for-11 from behind the arc. UF also won the battle inside, going into the locker room with a 25-19 rebounding edge and outscoring the Tigers in the paint 20-16.

The Gators shot the 3-ball much better in the second half (5-for-8) and Mizzou was just 4-for-18 from downtown after a 3-for-16 effort in Columbia. UF also finished with a plus-11 advantage on the glass (38-27) and a 42-38 edge in the paint.

“I just think when you look around their team, you look at their rebound margin, they’ve been able to exploit teams and give themselves second chance points because of their size and their ability to be those high lows around the basket,” Missouri coach Dennis Bates said of the Gators. “Second half was a little bit different of a game, but they still manufactured what they had to do in a different way.”

No. 24 Florida (20-8, 10-5) is back on the road Saturday for a top-25 matchup at No. 18 South Carolina. Tip is at 12 p.m. on ESPN. The Gamecocks (22-5, 10-4) have the third-best record in the conference.