Richmond rallies from 13-point deficit to upset No. 13 Florida 56-53

Richmond rallies past No. 13 Florida 56-53

SUNRISE, Fla. — Richmond rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit, and Kevin Anderson made four free throws in the final 5.4 seconds to upset No. 13 Florida 56-53 Saturday night in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic.

The Gators shot 7 for 27 in the second half (26 percent), including 1 for 9 from 3-point range. They led for the last time at 49-48.

Richmond missed 12 consecutive shots over a 9-minute span before Gonzalvez’s 23-footer with 1:33 left put them ahead 52-49. Anderson sank both ends of a one-and-one with 5.4 seconds to go for a 54-53 lead, and after Erving Walker made a 3-pointer, Anderson hit two more free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining.

The Gators (8-2) lost their second game in a row, after falling to No. 5 Syracuse last week.

Gonzalvez scored 16 points for the Spiders (8-3), who beat a Southeastern Conference team for the second time this season. They defeated Mississippi State on Nov. 27.

Richmond defeated a ranked opponent for the third season in a row.

Alex Tyus scored 15 points to lead Florida. Starting guards Walker and Kenny Boynton shot a combined 5 for 23, including 2 for 11 from 3-point range.

The Gators led 32-19 after 18 minutes but were outscored 20-5 to start the second half.

Trailing 52-50 with less than 15 seconds left, Florida tried two shots with a chance to erase the deficit. Walker missed a 3-pointer, and Vernon Macklin grabbed the rebound but missed the follow. When Florida’s Dan Werner snatched the rebound he was stripped, and Anderson drew a foul.

Tyus’ dunk 10 minutes into the game put the Gators up 16-14, and they led the rest of the half, running off 10 points in a row en route to their biggest lead.

The Spiders shot 5 for 12 from 3-point range in the second half. They made four consecutive shots to score the first nine points of the half for a 33-32 lead, and 3-pointers by Gonzalvez and Ryan Butler on back-to-back possessions helped them build a 46-37 lead.

Miami beat Florida Atlantic 87-69 in the first game of the doubleheader at the NHL Florida Panthers’ arena.