Barry lifts Gators past Bulldogs in OT
GAINESVILLE — Canyon Barry was bumped, but the shot had already left his hands.
As he fell to the court and as the referee blew the whistle, Barry’s 3-pointer fell through the net to tie the game and send Florida's bench into a frenzy.
On a day when No. 23 UF saw little offensive production from most of its roster, it needed an offensive burst from Barry, who collected a season-high 27 points. He helped the Gators earn an 80-76 overtime win against Georgia in front of an announced home crowd of 10,376 on Saturday afternoon.
“[He] was huge for us,” senior point guard Kasey Hill said. “[Barry] can get it going anytime.”
The Gators (14-3, 5-0 SEC) allowed Georgia (11-6, 3-2) to shoot 48.3 percent from the field and trailed for most of the game. But after Barry’s running floater gave UF a one-point lead with 2:18 left in the second half and Georgia’s Jordan Harris made a jumpshot to take back the lead, Hill made two of four free throws to send the game into overtime.
The Gators eventually pulled away after Georgia forward Yante Maten fouled out in the extra period, earning their seventh consecutive win, the longest active streak in the SEC.
Florida earned the victory despite a sluggish start.
UF struggled to find any semblance of an offensive rhythm in the first half, attempting mostly guarded jumpshots, awkward layups and committing 12 personal fouls.
“Obviously it was a tough game. We didn't really come out the first half the way we wanted to,” Barry said. “Defensively, we gave them a lot of easy looks.”
The Gators shot 30 percent from the field midway through the half and had yet to take a lead.
And then Barry entered the game.
After being fouled and making two free throws, the graduate transfer hit two 3-pointers before being fouled on his last 3-point attempt of the half, earning a trip to the free-throw line and securing a four-point play.
The 6-foot-6 guard made five of his eight 3-pointers on Saturday and strung together two four-point plays.
“He's playing with a different level of confidence,” UF coach Mike White said. “I think we all can see that.”
Barry’s scoring was complimented by redshirt freshman Keith Stone, one of only three Florida players to finish with doubledigit scoring.
Stone had a career high 17 points, including a late second-half 3-pointer with a hand in his face to cut the deficit to three.
“That was crazy, Keith’s a great player man,” Hill said. “He’s communicating. He’s switching … and he’s playing great defense for us.”
The 6-foot-8 Stone played in the paint and on the perimeter against Georgia, even connecting on three of his four 3-point attempts.
“Keith is very consistent … he never, ever gets rattled,” White said. “He's very comfortable out there.”
Meanwhile, UF center John Egbunu struggled on the offensive end while fighting back from a hamstring injury. Egbunu went 1-for-4 from the field but made his presence felt in the paint, finishing with 11 rebounds, including five in overtime.
“A couple times, the game could've gone either way, and [Egbunu] got in there and got a big offensive rebound,” Barry said.
But Barry’s play was the difference.
After missing 19 of his 26 3-pointers during the season’s first five games, the graduate transfer finally believes he has found his rhythm.
“I've always had confidence in my shot, even through that stretch where it wasn't really going in much,” Barry said. “But shooter's shoot, so you just gotta keep shooting."