ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Tre Mann scored a career-high 24 points, leading five into double-digit scoring and Florida broke away from Georgia 92-84 on Saturday.
Noah Locke added 16 points, making four 3-pointers, Colin Castleton scored 14, Tyree Appleby 14 and Omar Payne 10 for the Gators (8-4, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) who have now won two in a row after upending No. 6 Tennessee earlier in the week.
Florida has won five of six in Georgia under coach Mike White and Saturday scored the most points in regulation at Georgia since 1994. The hot-shooting Gators finished at 57% from the floor (37 of 65) with seven 3-pointers and making 11 of 17 at the line.
Andrew Garcia scored 17 points on 8-for-9 shooting and K.D. Johnson added 16 to pace Georgia (9-5, 2-5), which saw a modest two-game win streak end. Justin Kier scored 14 points, Toumani Camara 11 and Sahvir Wheeler 10 for the Bulldogs.
Mann scored 17 points after halftime as Florida broke open a 42-39 lead. The Gators opened the second on a 13-3 burst while Georgia missed six of its first seven shots and had four turnovers. Florida extended its lead to 58-42 after an Appleby 3-pointer. Appleby scored 12 of his 14 after halftime.
Wheeler, with his 10 points and 10 assists for the Bulldogs, earned his fifth points-assists double-double of the season. He has the second-most by any SEC player in the 2000s behind Kentucky's Tyler Ulis (2015-16).
Florida not only stunned the sixth-ranked Vols 75-49 on Tuesday, but did it short-handed. On Saturday, Castleton returned after missing the Tennessee game (ankle) but Scottie Lewis missed his fourth straight game (health and safety protocols).
Georgia entered the game ranked 18th nationally in steals, at nine per game, with three players — Kier, Wheeler and Camrara — ranked in the SEC's top 10. Saturday, Florida doubled Georgia in the steals category, 10-5. Kier had three, Camara one and Wheeler none.
Appleby led with four steals.
The Gators are at Vanderbilt on Wednesday. Georgia visits South Carolina on Wednesday.
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