Samuel's offensive rebound and dunk in the closing seconds help Florida beat East Carolina 70-65
AP
Dec 15, 2023
LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) Walter Clayton Jr. scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half, Tyrese Samuel had a key rebound and dunk in the closing seconds and Florida Gators beat East Carolina Pirates 70-65 on Thursday night in the Florida Tip-Off.
Florida had its lead trimmed to 67-65 with 1:06 remaining. The Gators missed their next three 3-pointers, but Samuel hustled for an offensive rebound and dunked it with 19.9 seconds left for a four-point lead. East Carolina didn't hit the rim on a 3-point attempt and Alex Condon made 1 of 2 free throws to seal it.
Florida outrebounded East Carolina 51-32, including 21-10 on the offensive end. Samuel, coming off his third double-double of the season, had seven rebounds to go with 11 points.
Zyon Pullin also scored 11 points for Florida (7-3). Will Richard added 10 points and Condon grabbed 12 rebounds.
Ezra Ausar and RJ Felton each scored 14 points for East Carolina (6-5). Brandon Johnson had 12 points and 10 rebounds and Bobby Pettiford Jr. added 11 points before being helped off the floor with 45.8 seconds left.
Clayton’s 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting helped Florida take a 37-30 lead into the break.
East Carolina got as close as 62-61 in the second half on a jumper from the free-throw line by Cam Hayes - his first make of the game.
It marked the first meeting between the Florida and East Carolina men’s basketball programs.
Florida travels to Charlotte, North Carolina to face Michigan on Tuesday in the Jumpman Invitational.
East Carolina returns home for a matchup with Delaware State on Wednesday.
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1st Half
ECU
Pirates
30
FLA
Gators
37
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
(Gators gains possession)
19:39
Riley Kugel misses two point jump shot
19:37
Micah Handlogten offensive rebound
19:35
Micah Handlogten turnover (lost ball)
19:07
RJ Felton turnover (traveling)
18:48
+2
Tyrese Samuel makes two point layup (Will Richard assists)
0-2
18:29
+2
Bobby Pettiford Jr. makes two point jump shot
2-2
18:21
+2
Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point layup
2-4
17:56
Tyrese Samuel personal foul
17:46
Will Richard shooting foul (Brandon Johnson draws the foul)
17:46
+1
Brandon Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
3-4
17:46
Brandon Johnson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
17:46
Riley Kugel defensive rebound
17:34
+2
Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point jump shot
3-6
17:05
+2
Ezra Ausar makes two point jump shot
5-6
16:53
Walter Clayton Jr. misses two point jump shot
16:51
Tyrese Samuel offensive rebound
16:48
+3
Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot (Tyrese Samuel assists)
5-9
16:24
+3
RJ Felton makes three point jump shot
8-9
16:12
+2
Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point layup
8-11
16:12
Bobby Pettiford Jr. shooting foul (Walter Clayton Jr. draws the foul)
16:12
+1
Walter Clayton Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1
8-12
15:59
RJ Felton misses three point jump shot
15:57
Tyrese Samuel defensive rebound
15:39
+2
Micah Handlogten makes two point layup (Will Richard assists)
8-14
15:16
Ezra Ausar turnover (traveling)
15:16
TV timeout
15:15
Jaden Walker personal foul
14:44
Walter Clayton Jr. misses two point jump shot
14:42
Brandon Johnson defensive rebound
14:24
Cam Hayes misses three point jump shot
14:22
Walter Clayton Jr. defensive rebound
14:16
+2
Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point layup
8-16
13:45
Jaden Walker misses two point layup
13:43
Alex Condon defensive rebound
13:26
Callum Richard personal foul (Riley Kugel draws the foul)
13:22
Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
13:20
Quentin Diboundje defensive rebound
12:53
Quentin Diboundje misses two point jump shot
12:51
RJ Felton offensive rebound
12:46
+2
RJ Felton makes two point layup
10-16
12:37
Alex Condon misses two point jump shot
12:35
Jaden Walker defensive rebound
12:16
RJ Felton misses three point jump shot
12:14
Riley Kugel defensive rebound
12:10
RJ Felton shooting foul (Alex Condon draws the foul)
12:10
Alex Condon misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:10
Alex Condon misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:10
Brandon Johnson defensive rebound
11:47
Quentin Diboundje misses three point jump shot
11:45
Riley Kugel defensive rebound
11:39
Quentin Diboundje blocks Alex Condon's two point layup
11:37
Kalib LaCount defensive rebound
11:32
+2
Ezra Ausar makes two point layup (Kalib LaCount assists)
12-16
11:23
Zyon Pullin misses two point layup
11:21
Alex Condon offensive rebound
11:18
Brandon Johnson shooting foul (Alex Condon draws the foul)
11:18
TV timeout
11:18
+1
Alex Condon makes regular free throw 1 of 2
12-17
11:18
+1
Alex Condon makes regular free throw 2 of 2
12-18
10:58
Thomas Haugh personal foul (Brandon Johnson draws the foul)
10:50
Cam Hayes misses three point jump shot
10:48
Pirates offensive rebound
10:38
Ezra Ausar misses two point layup
10:36
Alex Condon defensive rebound
10:30
+3
Will Richard makes three point jump shot (Alex Condon assists)
12-21
10:11
Riley Kugel shooting foul (RJ Felton draws the foul)
10:11
RJ Felton misses regular free throw 1 of 2
10:11
+1
RJ Felton makes regular free throw 2 of 2
13-21
9:52
+2
Alex Condon makes two point layup (Zyon Pullin assists)
13-23
9:36
Alex Condon personal foul (Ezra Ausar draws the foul)
9:31
Cam Hayes misses three point jump shot
9:29
Brandon Johnson offensive rebound
9:14
Ezra Ausar misses three point jump shot
9:12
Walter Clayton Jr. defensive rebound
9:08
Walter Clayton Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Bobby Pettiford Jr. steals)
9:06
+2
Bobby Pettiford Jr. makes two point dunk
15-23
9:00
Zyon Pullin turnover (lost ball)
8:41
Valentino Pinedo turnover (lost ball)
8:17
+2
Will Richard makes two point jump shot
15-25
7:43
Brandon Johnson turnover (bad pass)
7:43
TV timeout
7:19
Zyon Pullin misses three point jump shot
7:17
Brandon Johnson defensive rebound
7:06
+3
Brandon Johnson makes three point jump shot (Bobby Pettiford Jr. assists)
18-25
6:51
Zyon Pullin misses three point jump shot
6:49
Brandon Johnson defensive rebound
6:35
+3
Jaden Walker makes three point jump shot (Bobby Pettiford Jr. assists)
21-25
6:10
+3
Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot (Zyon Pullin assists)
21-28
5:52
Quentin Diboundje turnover (lost ball) (Tyrese Samuel steals)
5:42
+3
Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot (Zyon Pullin assists)
21-31
5:40
Pirates 30 second timeout
5:34
Tyrese Samuel blocks Jaden Walker's two point layup
5:32
Pirates offensive rebound
5:16
+3
RJ Felton makes three point jump shot (Jaden Walker assists)
24-31
5:08
Ezra Ausar personal foul
5:06
Tyrese Samuel turnover (lost ball) (Bobby Pettiford Jr. steals)
4:53
Bobby Pettiford Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Walter Clayton Jr. steals)
