*Florida Finds Its Mark: Gators Shoot Past Texas A&M, 25 Points from Richard*
College Station, TX – The No. 3 Florida Gators found their shooting stroke on Saturday, knocking off the No. 12 Texas A&M Aggies 83-74 behind a career-high 25 points from guard Will Richard.
Richard, a sophomore from Tampa, Florida, was on fire from beyond the arc, connecting on 6-of-10 three-point attempts to lead the Gators to their fifth consecutive victory. His 25 points were a season-high, and his six three-pointers tied a career-best.
“Will was incredible tonight,” said Florida head coach Todd Golden. “He’s been working hard on his shot, and it paid off in a big way. He’s a talented player, and we’re lucky to have him on our team.”
The Gators, who came into the game ranked second in the nation in three-point shooting, were hot from the start, connecting on 10-of-20 three-point attempts in the first half to build a 43-36 lead.
Texas A&M, which was led by guard Wade Taylor IV’s 22 points, tried to mount a comeback in the second half, but the Gators’ shooting was too much to overcome. Florida connected on 12-of-25 three-point attempts for the game, including 6-of-10 in the second half.
“We knew Texas A&M was a tough team, but our guys came out and played with a lot of confidence,” Golden said. “We shot the ball well, and our defense was solid. It was a great team effort.”
The victory was a big one for the Gators, who are now 22-3 on the season and 10-2 in Southeastern Conference play. Florida’s win, combined with Tennessee’s loss to Vanderbilt, moved the Gators into a tie for first place in the SEC standings.
Texas A&M, which fell to 17-8 overall and 6-6 in the SEC, was led by Taylor’s 22 points. The Aggies also got 18 points from guard Tyrece Radford and 12 points from forward Julius Marble.
The Gators will look to keep their winning streak alive on Wednesday when they host Vanderbilt. Texas A&M, meanwhile, will try to bounce back on Tuesday when it hosts Arkansas.
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