GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Kenny Boynton scored 18 points, half of them coming on 3 consecutive three-pointers that changed the game, and No. 13 Florida beat Georgia 71-62 Thursday night.
Chandler Parsons had 16 points in his return from a thigh injury and Erving Walker added 15.
The Gators clinched at least a share of the SEC Eastern Division title for the first time since 2007 and could secure a No. 1 seed in the league’s postseason tournament.
Florida (22-5, 11-2 SEC) has won 14 of its past 16 games, including six in a row. The Gators swept Georgia (18-9, 7-6) for the first time since 2008 and extended their home winning streak against the Bulldogs to nine.
Boynton had a lot to do with the latest victory.
The junior guard scored12 consecutive points for Florida in the second half. He converted a three-point play on a fast break, then got hot from long range. He hit 3 consecutive three-pointers, essentially shooting Georgia out of its zone defense, and then followed with an assist that put the Gators up 63-53 with 5:09 left.
Georgia answered, turning to Trey Thompkins inside, and cut the lead to 63-59with 3:38 left. But Parsons had a clutch putback and the Gators made enough free throws down the stretch to avoid any uneasy moments.
Travis Leslie led the Bulldogs with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Thompkins finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.
NO. 4 PITTSBURGH 71, WEST VIRGINIA 58
PITTSBURGH - Lamar Patterson scored the first five points of the second half in sparking a decisive run that led fourth-ranked Pittsburgh (25-3, 13-2 Big East) over West Virginia (17-9, 8-7).
Nasir Robinson scored 15 for Pittsburgh and Patterson added a careerbest 11 points. Brad Wanamaker had 11 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds.
Casey Mitchell scored 22 points for the Mountaineers.
MARQUETTE 74, NO. 14 CONNECTICUT 67, OT
HARTFORD, Conn. - Darius Johnson-Odom scored nine of his 17 points in overtime to lead Marquette (17-11, 8-7 Big East) over No. 14 Connecticut (20-7, 8-7), which played without Coach Jim Calhoun.
Jimmy Butler added 16 points for the Golden Eagles, who tied the game at 59-59 with 5.3 seconds left on a driveby Johnson-Odom.
Kemba Walker led the Huskies with 27 points.
Calhoun attended a memorial service Thursday in Nashua, N.H., for his sisterin-law, Eileen McDevitt Fucile, who died on Monday.
SEC/TOP 25 WOMEN NO. 4 TENNESSEE 66, MISSISSIPPI 39
OXFORD, Miss. - No. 4 Tennessee was awarded a 66-39 victory at Mississippi when a leak in the Tad Smith Coliseum roof sent water onto the floor with 5:24 left in the game.
Thunderstorms swept through north Mississippi on Thursday night, and the leak started soon after. The delay lasted about 20 minutes before the game was officially ended.
AUBURN 63, NO. 22 GEORGIA 58
ATHENS, Ga. - Alli Smalley scored 22 points, including a tiebreaking threepoint play, and Auburn (15-13, 8-7 SEC) beat No. 22 Georgia (20-8, 10-5).
Smalley, who had 16 points in the second half, matched her season high as Auburn snapped a two-game losing streak and stopped Georgia from clinching a first-round bye in the SEC Tournament.
Freshman Khaalidah Miller made six three-pointers and finished with 20 points for Georgia.
Sports, Pages 22 on 02/25/2011