No. 5 Gators Fall at Home to Missouri in a Stunning Upset

Gainesville: Wow, what a game! The Gators were riding high after a big win last week, but they totally dropped the ball against Missouri. Coach Todd Golden was shocked. He didn’t expect his team to struggle like this, especially at home where they hadn’t lost in ages.

The Gators were ranked No. 5 and had a solid record, but the Tigers came in and outplayed them. Missouri set the pace early, and Florida just couldn’t keep up. It was like they were caught off guard. Golden said they seemed surprised by Missouri’s intensity.

Walter Clayton Jr. had a great night, scoring 28 points, but it wasn’t enough. The Gators missed a bunch of free throws and couldn’t grab rebounds. Missouri’s Caleb Grill was on fire, hitting six threes and sealing the game with free throws at the end.

The Gators fell behind by 19 points at one point, which is a tough pill to swallow. They tried to rally in the second half, but it just didn’t happen. Senior guard Will Richard said they can’t afford to have a first half like that again.

Now, they’ve got to regroup and get ready for Texas this Saturday. Golden believes they can bounce back if they play with the grit they’re known for. Let’s hope they find that fire again!