The last time Florida Basketball took on South Carolina was a nail-biting affair that required a last-second Will Richard basketball to escape Columbia with a victory. On Saturday, Florida was once again shorthanded as Alex Condon and Alijah Martin came off the bench.
But there was minimal drama this time around as the Gators cruised to an easy victory to maintain their potential bid for a #1 seed come March.
Florida Basketball: Keep marching
Earlier in the day Florida found out that if the NCAA Tournament started today, they would be considered a #1 seed. Part of what has gotten the Gators in the position is their depth across the board.
Exhibit A of the depth has been the emergence of Denzel Aberdeen. An afterthought last season, Aberdeen has been thrust into huge minutes as injuries have piled up for Florida's guards.
However, as Saturday night showcased, Aberdeen could be a starter for almost any program in the country as he scored a career-high 22 points to follow up the 20 points he scored against Mississippi State earlier in the week.
Thomas Haugh also had a career-high on Saturday. Filling in for the injured Condon, Haugh had 20 points to go with six rebounds and three assists.
South Carolina tried to hang around and it was a five point game at halftime, but the Gamecocks had zero answers to slow down Florida in the 2nd half. Two minutes into the half, the lead was ten for the Gators. Eight minutes into the half, the lead was 21.
From a pure metrics standpoint, the win does little to boost Florida's resume as the Gamecocks are winless in SEC play. But the win is a reminder of the depth the Gators have in 2025 and keeps Florida marching forward as they try to defend their #1 seed.