"Here's Appleby, for a game-winner. A three-ball. YES! IT'S GOOD!" Mick Hubert shouted exuberantly into his microphone on Wednesday night.
The No. 23 Florida Gators fended off the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Beach Division Championship round of the Fort Myers Tip-Off, and they couldn't have asked for a more heroic effort from senior guard Tyree Appleby .
Catching a pass near midcourt from senior guard Myreon Jones , who caught a deflection from senior big-man Colin Castleton , Appleby carried the basketball for less than a second and a half down the court and pulled up from the left edge of the logo and nailed a three-point buzzer-beater to pull off a 71-68 victory.
The Buckeyes owned a lead in the game for all but roughly four minutes in the first half and the majority of the second until the Gators managed to tie the game and flip the scoreboard twice in the final three minutes of regulation.
Prior to his sweet shot, Appleby connected with forward Anthony Duruji to assist a game-tying alley-oop. Duruji and guard Phlandrous Fleming Jr. followed the dunk with stingy defense and a big-time shot contest that allowed Castleton, Jones and Appleby to collaborate on the victory-clinching three-pointer.
The Gators now stand at 5-0 on the season and will return home to face Troy at 12 P.M. on Sunday, November 28.
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