Gator Country

Florida sophomore forward Chandler Parsons shoots a layup during the second half of the Gators' 68-66 win against the Wolfpack in on Saturday / Gator Country photo by Casey Brooke Lawson

Photos by Casey Brooke Lawson

Sophomore guard Nick Calathes hit the game-winning shot with 11 seconds left in regulation to rally Florida to a 68-66 win over North Carolina State on Saturday at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

Calathes scored 24 points in the second half as the Gators overcame a 10-point halftime deficit. His shot with 11 seconds left in the game put Florida up 67-66 and he hit a free throw with three seconds remaining to clinch the win.

The win was the sixth in a row for Florida (12-2), while the Wolfpack dropped to 9-3.

The Wolfpack tied the game at 15 when junior forward Brandon Costner hit a 3-pointer with 8:20 remaining in the half. North Carolina State scored the next seven points on their way to a 33-23 halftime lead.

Calathes totaled a career-high 32 points in the game to go along with five rebounds and five assists. It was the highest scoring output by a Gator since Joakim Noah scored 37 against Georgia on March 1, 2006.

Junior forward Dan Werner added 10 points and junior forward Chandler Parsons chipped in eight points and five rebounds. Freshman guard Erving Walker added eight points and two key steals during the second half comeback.

Costner led North Carolina State with 24 points, senior forward Ben McCauley had 11 and junior guard Farnold Degand added 10.

The Gators have one non-conference game remaining against Longwood, who travels to Gainesville for a 7:00 p.m. tip on Tuesday (Jan. 6). UF will open conference play at home against Ole Miss next Saturday (Jan. 10) at 6:00 p.m.

Photos by Casey Brooke Lawson

Photo Gallery: Men’s Basketball vs. North Carolina State, 01/03/09

DIRECTORY OF GATOR COUNTRY PHOTO GALLERIES

About the author

Casey Brooke Lawson

Casey Brooke Lawson earned a B.S. in journalism from the University of Florida in December 2008. Lawson was born in Sarasota, Fla., but now still resides in Gainesville, Fla. Lawson picked up her first camera before she could walk, and now, 24 years later, she has made a career of her first love. She has been working as a photojournalist for eight years. She began at her high school, Sarasota High School, interned with the Gainesville Sun, Sarasota Herald Tribune, The Independent Florida Alligator and Sports Illustrated. Now, Lawson is a regularly contributing photojournalist for Gator Country. Trained in sports photography by Gator Country's own Tim Casey, sports photojournalism has become one of Lawson's favorite parts of her job.

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