Williams scores 21 points as South Alabama shocks No. 18 Florida 67-66

South Alabama stuns No. 18 Florida 67-66

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Tim Williams scored 21 points, DeAndre Hersey had a putback with 1.8 seconds remaining and South Alabama stunned No. 18 Florida 67-66 on Tuesday night.

Williams drove through the lane in the closing seconds, but his shot clanged off the rim. The Gators failed to block out Hersey, who grabbed the rebound and put it back up for the game winner.

Florida had one final chance, but Erving Walker’s shot from halfcourt hit the back of the rim and the Jaguars (9-4) started to celebrate. Florida (8-3) has lost three straight and could fall from the rankings.

The Gators rallied from a seven-point deficit in the second half and had the lead and the ball with less than a minute to play. But Chandler Parsons, who finished 1 of 8 from the field, misfired on a wild runner in the lane with 18 seconds remaining.

Florida’s real undoing came at the 3-point line.

The Gators finished 3 of 22 from behind the arc, where South Alabama connected on 7 of 11. Florida entered the game leading the Southeastern Conference in 3-point defense, but the Jaguars made five of their first seven from long range.

Alex Tyus led Florida with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Kenny Boynton added 14 points, and Vernon Macklin finished with 13 points and seven rebounds.

But Florida’s backcourt, Boynton and Walker, struggled all game. Boynton was 3 of 10 from the field, and Walker was 3 of 11.

Walker misfired on all six shots from 3-point range, and Parson was 1 of 6.

After a back-and-forth first half ended in a 43-all tie, South Alabama opened up a seven-point lead thanks to Williams’ putback and a 3-pointer from Hersey.

The Gators chipped into the lead with inside play from Tyus and Macklin. Parson made five free throws in the final 3 minutes, with the last two putting Florida ahead 66-63 with 1:17 remaining.

But Williams hit two free throws, Parsons missed and then Hersey hit the biggest basket of his career.

The Gators upset Florida State, Michigan State and Rutgers last month to vault into The Associated Press college basketball poll, but lost last week to Syracuse and Richmond. Defense and rebounding — which plagued coach Billy Donovan’s team the last two seasons — have been problems again.

Injuries have played a part, too.

And now guard Ray Shipman has joined the list.

Center Kenny Kadji (back) and forward Erik Murphy (shoulder) have been slowed the last few weeks. Kadji didn’t play against South Alabama, and Murphy only played after Dan Werner picked up his third foul early in the second half and Tyus got poked in the left eye.

Macklin and Parsons played despite injuries. Macklin has a pulled gluteus muscle, and Parsons has a torn anterior tibialis in his right leg.

Shipman added to the woes when he injured the patella tendon in his right knee late in the first half and headed to the locker room. He returned in the second half.