NCAA Tournament: Florida Holds Off Purdue to Advance to Sweet 16

The Gators (31-5) advanced to play fifth-seeded Butler in the Midwest Regional semifinals Friday in St. Louis.

Junior center Al Horford was one of two Gators with 17 points against Purdue on Sunday. Photo courtesy: gatorzone.com

NEW ORLEANS - Junior center Al Horford and junior forward Corey Brewer each scored 17 points and the University of Florida men’s basketball team defeated Purdue, 74-67, on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The ninth-seeded Boilermakers kept the game close most of the way, but the top-seeded Gators made several clutch shots down the stretch to advance to the round of 16.

Horford had three buckets in the final minutes, and Brewer hit a spinning jumper and then made six-consecutive free throws to seal Florida's 14th-consecutive postseason win.

The Gators (31-5) advanced to play fifth-seeded Butler in the Midwest Regional semifinals Friday in St. Louis.

Carl Landry led Purdue (22-12) with 18 points and 10 rebounds. David Teague and Chris Kramer added 14 each.

With the teams engaged in a tight contest, junior guard Taurean Green hit consecutive 3s to put the team ahead 43-38 with 12:35 remaining.

Senior guard Lee Humphrey had another 3-pointer with about 6 minutes to play that put the Gators up by five.

Horford had three low-post baskets in the final 3 minutes and finished 7-of-9 from the floor.

He added nine rebounds.

Brewer was 8-for-8 from the free throw line and had eight rebounds, while junior forward Joakim Noah (New York, N.Y.) had nine points and nine boards.

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