CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Blake Buchanan hit 3 of 4 from the free-throw line in the final 62 seconds to lift Virginia to a 73-70 win over Florida at the Hall of Fame Series in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday night.
Walter Clayton Jr. scored at the basket to tie the game at 69-69 with 1:18 to play, but his free throw with 51 seconds left to pull the Gators to 71-70 was the last point Florida would score. Buchanan hit the first of two from the foul line with 11 seconds left that made it 72-70, and Reece Beekman hit the second of two free throws to set the final margin.
“I thought we did a great job to start. We were ready to play. Our starters did a really good job early,” Gators coach Todd Golden said. “Obviously, we made some substitutions and it went the other way quick. I felt like we didn’t gather ourselves very well after that.”
Buchanan hit 10-of-16 free throws and finished with 18 points to lead Virginia (2-0). Beekman added 13 points, 5 assists and 4 steals and Jacob Groves scored 12 points.
Will Richard led five Gators (1-1) in double-figure scoring with 16 points. Micah Handlogten scored 14 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Riley Kugel also scored 14, and Clayton added 12. Tyrese Samuel added 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Handlogten and Samuel became the first Gators duo to post double-doubles in the same game since Kerry Blackshear Jr. (11 points, 16 rebounds) and Omar Payne (19 points, 11 rebounds) did so against Auburn on Jan. 18, 2020.
UP NEXT: Virginia plays host to North Carolina A&T Tuesday. Florida plays host to Florida A&M Tuesday.
