GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — The Florida Gators used a dominant performance in the paint and a balanced scoring attack to pull away from the South Carolina Gamecocks for a 76-62 victory in a Southeastern Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at a sold-out O’Connell Center.

A crowd of 10,622 watched the Gators improve to 20-6 overall and solidify their position in the upper tier of the conference standings. South Carolina, still seeking consistency in league play, fell to 11-15.

The most important part of the game was Florida’s immediate and sustained response to South Carolina’s strong start. The Gamecocks opened the contest with energy, as Meechie Johnson scored the game’s first three points on an offensive rebound and free throw. However, Florida quickly established its interior presence. The Gators answered with a 10-2 run, fueled by big men Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu, who combined for 35 points and controlled the glass throughout the night. This early surge set the tone, allowing Florida to build a 39-29 halftime lead it would never relinquish.

Florida’s frontcourt duo was the story. Condon, a 6-foot-11 sophomore from Perth, Australia, was efficient and active, finishing with 20 points and four assists in 32 minutes. His partner, the 6-foot-11, 265-pound Chinyelu from Enugu, Nigeria, was a force on both ends, adding 15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, seven of which came on the offensive glass. Their work inside opened opportunities elsewhere, as Florida consistently found high-percentage shots.

South Carolina relied heavily on the scoring of Johnson, a guard from Cleveland, Ohio. He led all scorers with 22 points, but his efforts were often met by immediate answers from the Gators. Whenever the Gamecocks threatened to cut into the deficit in the second half, Florida had a counter. A key sequence came with just over seven minutes remaining when, leading by six, the Gators got a three-pointer from Thomas Haugh and a traditional three-point play from Condon to push the lead to 69-58, effectively sealing the outcome.

Haugh, from New Oxford, Pennsylvania, provided valuable support with 10 points. Guard Xaivian Lee of Toronto, Canada, directed the offense with five assists and added nine points. For South Carolina, Elijah Strong of Charlotte, North Carolina, provided a spark off the bench with 10 points, while Kobe Knox of Tampa, Florida, contributed nine points.

The game was a stark contrast to the teams’ previous meeting just three weeks prior, a 95-48 Florida rout in Columbia. While the final margin was again decisive, the Gamecocks showed more competitive fight on the road, though they were ultimately overwhelmed by Florida’s size and depth.

Florida entered the game as a heavy favorite, projected with a 98.4% win probability by analytics systems and installed as a 21.5-point favorite by oddsmakers. The total score of 138 points fell well under the pregame over/under line of 149.5.

The victory keeps Florida in the hunt for a high seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament as it prepares for a challenging road test at Mississippi on Saturday. South Carolina, mired in a three-game losing streak, returns home to host Mississippi State on Saturday, looking to halt its slide and improve its conference record.