WATCH: Phlan Fleming drains game-winning three, Florida mounts unlikely comeback
Florida’s postseason hopes will live to see another day, thanks to Phlandrous Fleming‘s late-game heroics, coupled with Vanderbilt’s epic collapse in the second half of Tuesday night’s contest.
Vanderbilt led by as much as eight in the second half of Tuesday’s contest, thanks to some immaculate second-half three-point shooting from the Commodores. Vanderbilt as a team shot an incredible 51.7 percent from three-point range alone; sophomore guard Trey Thomas, a 5-foot-11 guard from Ontario, Canada, was one of the main beneficiaries, converting on 5-of-7 three-point attempts and finishing with 17 points off the bench. But as has been the case with Vanderbilt all season, the Commodores relied heavily on their star, Scotty Pippen Jr., who had a 29-point outing, thanks to a 5-of-7 performance from the three-point line and 11-of-18 shooting from the field. But still, despite a late-game eight-point lead, Florida managed to climb back — with 31 seconds left.
Florida slowly chipped away at Vanderbilt’s lead, but the Commodores still led 78-73 with 31 seconds left, which appeared to put the game away. But then, Florida went on a 9-0 run — with all nine points scored in the last 31 seconds of the game — to beat Vanderbilt.
After Colin Castleton made two free throws, Tuongthach Gatkek made a layup to bring Florida within one of Vanderbilt. The Commodores quickly turned it over, and Castleton found Fleming, who drained the eventual game-winning three-point shot with six seconds left on the clock.
Following Fleming’s three, however, Vanderbilt came storming back with six seconds left on the clock. The Commodores inbounded the ball on the far side of the court, and Pippen quickly booked it down the court in an attempt to get one more shot off. Pippen ended up drawing a foul, and since Florida had just entered the bonus, he was awarded a free throw — make one and he’d tie the game, while also being awarded a second shot. Miss it, though, and there would be no second free-throw attempt.
Pippen couldn’t get it to fall for Vanderbilt when it mattered most, and Vanderbilt dropped the home contest to Florida.