Gators travel to MSG to take on Memphis in the Jimmy V Classic

The Gators return from an extended break to take on the Memphis Tigers at Madison Square Garden. The game is part of the Jimmy V Classic, named in honor of the famed North Carolina State coach, Jim Valvano, who succumbed to cancer. The Gators received good news on Saturday when 2013 recruit and McDonald's All-American, Chris Walker, became eligible to join the team following his completion of course work.  Walker had to wait until the end of the fall semester in order to seek enrollment. At 6'10", he would give the Gator front line much-needed depth. He will not, however, be eligible to play tonight due to his status with the NCAA. The governing body needs to clear him before he can be eligible for games. While the announcement of Walker is positive, there continues to be negative news surrounding Damontre Harris, who has been suspended from all team activities since the off season. Coach Billy Donovan said Monday that he cannot see Harris ever playing for Florida. The transfer from South Carolina sat out last season per NCAA regulations and did not have any incidents. The former All-SEC Defensive Team selection was supposed to provide a big presence in the paint, with his shot-blocking ability.

Meanwhile, the Gators finish their gauntlet of challenging games, complete with wins over Florida State and Kansas, and a buzzer-beating loss at UCONN. To go 3-1 over that stretch would be more than commedable; 2-2 would be slightly disappointing. The team is getting healthier, with Kasey Hill (ankle) and DeVon Walker(foot) being the biggest concerns in recent weeks. Both suited up for the Kansas game, but Walker did not play and Hill played a limited amount of minutes. It will be interesting to see how much playing time Jacob Kurtz receives tonight, as Donovan said in his post-game remarks that he felt that he should have played the walk-on more against Kansas. Tonight's game will be a special one for Casey Leather, who is from Jackson , Tennessee, and played against many of the Tigers in high school. This game also holds special significance for Donovan, who is from Long Island and played for the New York Knicks, and assistant coach, Rashon Burno, who hails from Jersey City, New Jersey, just across the river from the Big Apple.

The tip is at 9:30 (tentatively) and will be broadcast on ESPN.

Gators have yet to have full squad in practice or games

Game 7: Florida State Seminoles (5-1, 0-0 ACC) at #15/13 University of Florida Gators (5-1, 0-0 SEC)
Stephen C. O'Connell Center (capacity: 11,548), Gainesville, Florida 7:30 p.m.

Preview

The Gators have yet to have a full roster for both games and practices, for a myriad of reasons.  Here is a list of players who have missed practices or games:

Scottie Wilbekin (suspension)
Eli Carter (leg)
Will Yeguete (knee)
Dillon Graham (hips)
DeVon Walker (foot)
Damontre Harris (suspension)
Dorian Finney-Smith (suspension and illness)
Michael Frazier II (mono)
Kasey Hill (ankle)

For tonight's game against in-state rival Florida State, the Gators will, once again, be short-handed.  Hill will not be playing for another 3-4 weeks due to a high ankle sprain suffered during the Southern game on November 18.  Graham, who played in the first game of the season against North Florida, will redshirt this season after developing bone spurs on both hips.  Harris remains suspended due to a violation of team rules.  Essentially, Carter is playing on one leg as he has struggled to get back to full fitness following a broken leg last season while playing for Rutgers.  To make matters worse, Walker suffered a right foot sprain in Monday's game at Jacksonville and that makes him questionable for tonight's contest.  Luckily, Wilbekin had his suspension lifted last game and he gives the team some much-needed depth and experience.

Florida has dominated this series, winning 42 out of the 65 meetings.  The Gators are 20-6 at home versus the Seminoles.  Last season, the Gators won big in Tallahassee, 72-47.  The 'Noles have played a competitive schedule thus far, beating then-ranked #10 Virginia Commonwealth and losing to then-ranked #14 Michigan in overtime, both in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament.  Ian Miller leads the team in scoring at 15.5 ppg off the bench.  Okaro White is their most complete player, averaging 14.3 ppg and 7.5 rpg.  FSU is a tall team, as their projected starting lineup goes 6'3" (Devon Bookert), 6'7" (Montay Brandon), 6'9" (Okaro White), 6'9" (Robert Gilchrist), and 7'3" (Boris Bojanovsky).  Off the bench, 7'0" Kiel Turpin and 7'1" Michael Ojo give the Seminoles add even more height to the frontcourt.    

Beginning with tonight's clash, the Gators will play five straight games against high-quality opponents: at UCONN (December 2), home against Kansas (December 10), Madison Square Garden against Memphis (December 17), and Sunrise, Florida, for Fresno State (December 21).  Coming up very quickly is Florida's first conference game on January 8 against South Carolina.  The SEC is much-improved this season, with Kentucky, Florida, and Tennessee expected to lead the way, with dark-horses LSU, Missouri, and Ole Miss right behind.            

Key Florida statistics

Points per game: 74.7
Opponent's points per game: 59.3
Scoring margin: +15.3
Field goal percentage: 47.7%
3-point percentage: 36% (31/86)- 5.2 per game
Free throw percentage: 70.3%- 18.2 per game
Rebounds: 35.7 per game
Rebound margin: +3.7
Assists: 13 per game
Turnovers: 10.5 per game
Steals: 8.2 per game
Blocks: 3.2 per game

Broadcast Information

TV: ESPN2; Mike Crispino (play-by-play) and Len Elmore (analyst)
Radio: Gator IMG Sports Network; Mick Hubert (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (analyst)
Streaming: ESPN3.com

What you need to know: University of North Florida

Game 1: University of North Florida Ospreys (0-0, 0-0 Atlantic Sun) at #10 University of Florida Gators (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Stephen C. O'Connell Center (capacity: 11,548), Gainesville, Florida 3:00 p.m.

Another college basketball season is upon us.  The Gators played one exhibition game, last Friday against Florida Southern (won 110-88).  Ranked 10th in the AP Poll, Florida opens with the University of North Florida.  The Gators have been highly overranked to begin the season, in my opinion.  There is so much uncertainty surrounding this team that, as fans, we might need to be patient over the first month or so as the the roster gets back to 100%.  Senior point guard Scottie Wilbekin, who was suspended indefinitely in the offseason for a violation of team rules (was suspended for same violation last season), did not play in the exhibition game and there is no timetable for his return.  Two transfers are also suspended indefinitely: redshirt junior center Damontre Harris and redshirt sophomore guard/forward Dorian Finney Smith.  In addition, senior forward Will Yeguete (offseason knee surgery) and junior transfer Eli Carter (broken leg last season at Rutgers) are still not at full strength, but have been practicing.  Freshman point guard Kasey Hill has been dealing with back issues this week, but will play today.  To make matters worse, sophomore guard Michael Frazier has been dealing with mono and he hasn't practiced except for non-contact drills in recent practices.  Fortunately, he will be available to play today but I'm not sure how much action he'll see considering his limited practice time and recovery from the illness.  Assuming Frazier dresses, the Gators will have 10 active players (three suspended players) for this afternoon's contest.

In the news conference yesterday, senior center (and likely team captain) Patric Young said that he's continuing to work on his free throws (55% shooter over his career).  He made seven out of ten in the exhibition game and his form looked more natural and free-flowing.  Young has also slimmed down ten pounds which will hopefully help with his stamina.  Bringing a consistent energy and intensity level has always been a struggle for him, and we've all seen the differences when he's playing at a high level and so-so level.  He can be a complete game-changer depending on which Patric Young shows up.

Sophomore guard/forward DeVon Walker has improved his shooting dramatically during the offseason.  Head coach Billy Donovan sees him contributing as a member of the perimeter rotation.  Donovan actually gave him the option of redshirting, but Walker trusted Donovan that there would be minutes available if he kept playing well.  Due to the injuries/suspensions, Walker will find himself in the starting lineup today.  He only made one out of five 3-pointers in the exhibition game, but don't expect that to be the norm after all the reports from Walker and his teammates regarding his improved shooting.

Projected Florida starting lineup for this afternoon's game:

#0 Kasey Hill (6'1", 181 lbs. FR)
#25 DeVon Walker (6'6", 195 lbs. SO)
#24 Casey Prather (6'6", 212 lbs. SR)
#15 Will Yeguete (6'8", 230 lbs. SR)
#4 Patric Young (6'9", 240 lbs. SR)

Broadcast Information

TV: Sun Sports; Larry Vettel (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (analyst)
Radio: Gator IMG Sports Network; Mick Hubert (play-by-play) and Bill Koss (analyst)
Streaming: ESPN3.com

Eli Carter now eligible but many uncertainties lie ahead before season starts

Former Rutgers guard Eli Carter will be able to play immediately this season after being granted a waiver by the NCAA on Monday.  The Patterson, New Jersey, native averaged 14.3 points per game in his two seasons in the Big East.  The junior played in 56 games (46 starts) and hit 94 3-pointers.  Head coach Billy Donovan said, "We are happy to have Eli available to play this season.”  Carter originally transferred from Rutgers following the firing of former head coach Mike Rice, who was caught on tape physically and verbally abusing players.  Carter chose Florida over Maryland.  At 6'2," 200 pounds, he gives the Gators another weapon on the perimeter.  With senior point guard Scottie Wilbekin still suspended for an unspecified rules violation, Carter's addition to this year's squad is welcomed.  However, the transfer suffered a broken leg in February and has not been cleared for basketball workouts.  

Meanwhile, the Gators will continue to focus on individual workouts until they officially begin practice on October 11.  According to Kevin Brockway, the Gators' beat writer for the Gainesville Sun, Donovan said, “We just felt like it would be a great opportunity to work with our guys individually, help them continue to get better and focus on strength and conditioning.  Also, starting on Oct. 11 gets us more into a flow instead of practicing three days, then taking two days off.  This way we can get a little bit of consistency.  Based on our first game and where we're starting, we really felt like we had plenty of time to get ready.”  Senior forward Will Yeguete is still not cleared to play after undergoing knee surgery in May.  

So that leaves Carter, Wilbekin, and Yeguete as uncertainties heading into the last week before practices start.  In addition, freshman forward Chris Walker is academically ineligible for the fall semester.  Assuming he complies with NCAA regulations, he will enroll and join the team in December.  

Florida plays their only exhibition game on November 1 against Florida Southern.  The first regular season contest is November 8 at home against North Florida.

Gators' offseason has been eventful so far to say the least

Although it's the offseason, the University of Florida men's basketball team has stayed in the spotlight.  First, Rutgers transfer Eli Carter announced that he would be attending the University, giving the Gators a high-scoring shooting guard to replace departed senior Kenny Boynton.  At the moment, Carter will be required to sit out the 2013-14 season, per NCAA rules, but coach Billy Donovan remains optimistic that Carter will be granted a waiver to play immediately due to former Rutgers coach Mike Rice's firing for verbal and physical abuse against his players.  Carter averaged 14.9 points per game last season for the 15-16 Scarlet Knights and famously scored 31 points in Rutgers' upset of #10 Florida on December 29, 2011.

Second, the incoming class of freshmen are both 5-star recruits from the state of Florida.  Point guard Kasey Hill (Bronx, NY/Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida), the #2-ranked point guard in the Class of 2013 according to ESPN.com, is expected to be one of the main offensive contributors next season.  Power forward Chris Walker (Bonifay, FL/Holmes County High School), the #4-ranked player at his position in the Class of 2013, may take some time to develop but the talent is certainly there.  Unfortunately, Walker has been dealing with some academic issues that are awaiting clearance from the NCAA Clearinghouse.  If he fails to qualify, his best option would be to attend a prep school, where he could improve his grades and work on his game.  Hill is 6'0" and 170 pounds and Walker is 6'10" and 195 pounds.

Third, soon-to-be sophomore shooting guard Michael Frazier II was named to the Team USA Under-19 roster, which is coached by Billy Donovan.  The FIBA Under-19 World Championships begin in Prague, Czech Republic, on Thursday.  Frazier, who shot 46.9% (52/111) from 3-point range last season, will be playing his first game for Team USA at any level.

Fourth, recently graduated seniors Erik Murphy, Kenny Boynton, and Mike Rosario have been preparing for the 2013 NBA Draft which will be staged on Thursday in New York City.  Murphy certainly has the best NBA future of the three former Gators.  He's projected to be a mid-to-late second round pick and has worked out for the Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, and Detroit Pistons.  Boynton, who will likely head overseas to continue his playing career, is not expected to be drafted.  He'll most likely get a tryout in the NBA Summer League so hopefully he can impress a team.  Rosario, who's in the same situation as Boynton, will likely have to take his career overseas if he wants to continue playing.  However, he'll also probably get a spot on a Summer League team.  Fans will remember Nick Calathes and Alex Tyus, who have had very productive careers in European basketball leagues and still hope to make their way to the NBA in the future.    

Fifth, Braxton Ogbueze transferred to UNC Charlotte at the end of his freshman season.  The reason was a lack of playing time, as he was playing behind Scottie Wilbekin and Boynton at the point guard position.  He played in 23 games, averaged five minutes per game, 0.8 points per game, and 0.6 rebounds per game.  He will sit out next season per NCAA Division 1 transfer rules.  I'll be wishing him the best as, hopefully, we'll be able to see him fulfill his potential.  

Sixth, former Gator Cody Larson has transferred to South Dakota State.  The campus in Brookings, South Dakota, is about 45 minutes from Larson's hometown of Sioux Falls, S.D.  Larson's UF career was mired by off-the-court issues.  Following his redshirt freshman season, he was arrested outside a St. Augustine, Fl., bar for breaking into a car.  Murphy and a team manager were also arrested.  After averaging 0.8 points per game and 0.5 rebounds per game in the 2011-12 season (his only season on the court for the Gators), Larson left the team after being told by coach Donovan that his scholarship would not be renewed because he did not fulfill his responsibilities on and off the court.  Larson then decided to focus on his academics and left the team.  I certainly hope that he's found a better balance in his life and I wish him success at SDSU.      

Seventh, Patric Young announced that he would return for his senior season.  This did not come as much of a surprise considering his desire to improve his offensive game.  NBA teams would have drafted him for his defensive skills and tireless work ethic, and would have planned on him developing his offense in his first few seasons in the pros.  However, Young plans to finish his Telecommunications degree and play his final collegiate season for Donovan.  Young averaged 10.1 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game last season, to go along with a team-leading 58 blocked shots.  He posted six double-doubles last season.  About two months ago, he had surgery to repair bone spurs in his ankle, which had given him problems since his sophomore year.  The recovery time is normally 6-8 weeks, so he should currently be fully back preparing for next season.

Eighth, Will Yeguete had right knee surgery on May 22nd.  The recovery time is four months, so he should be ready to go prior to the team's first official practice.  Yeguete was hampered by knee issues for the majority of last season and had arthroscopic surgery on February 8th and missed six games.  The senior-to-be averaged 5.8 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game last season.  At 6'7" and 240 pounds, Yeguete will compete for minutes with redshirt junior Damontre Harris (sat out last season after transferring from South Carolina) at the power forward position.    

Lastly, in what has been the most noteworthy development in the offseason, senior-to-be Scottie Wilbekin was suspended for the second time in seven months.  Wilbekin was suspended for a violation of team rules on June 10th.  Last season, Wilbekin was suspended for the same violation and was forced to sit out three games.  Coach Donovan has declined to give the reason for the suspension, but said, "Right now, he needs to prove that he wants to be part of the team and that this is what he wants to do.  He has to take care of responsibilities.  At this point, I don't really want to address any more about his status until the season starts in October.  Hopefully, this is something he can learn from.”  Last season, Wilbekin averaged 9.1 points per game, 5.0 assists per game (second in the SEC), and was named to the All-SEC defensive team in his first season as a starter.  As one of the leaders on what will be a fairly young team next season, Wilbekin's suspension does not help the team's chemistry, but it does create an opportunity for incoming freshman Hill and Rutgers transfer Carter (if he's granted a waiver to play this upcoming season) to capitalize on Wilbekin's absence.

This year's NCAA Tournament did not disappoint

Wow.  This year’s NCAA Tournament was full of upsets, dramatic endings, and emotional stories.  A worthy champion in Louisville was crowned and you couldn’t have asked for a better National Championship game.  In the end the best team won, even though there were some bumps in the road.  Here’s a recap of the entire 2013 Tournament:   

            

The Tournament began with 68 teams, each one dreaming of making it to Atlanta for the Final Four and a chance at a National Championship.  Several teams had their journeys cut short, while others progressed farther than they were expected.  Gonzaga, a #1 seed out of the West Region, lost to eventual Final Four participant Wichita State (#9 seed) in the Round of 32.  Probably the most shocking upset came from #15 seed Florida Gulf Coast, when they shellacked #2 seed Georgetown in one of the most surprising results in recent memory.  FGCU didn’t stop there, as they beat #7 seed San Diego State to advance to the Sweet 16, the first time that a 15-seed or worse had advanced that far.  The school from Fort Myers eventually lost to third-seeded University of Florida, but it was a memorable journey that made them “America’s team.”  The East Region’s #1 seed, the University of Indiana, had their championship dreams cut short when they were outplayed by a stifling Syracuse team, who progressed to the Final Four.  The South Region’s #4 seed University of Michigan, the eventual NCAA runner-up, had to complete a miracle comeback against #1 seed Kansas in the Sweet 16 to keep their season alive.  As the Wolverines had been ranked #1 at mid-season, many fans thought they were a dangerous team and had a chance to make it to Atlanta.  Sure enough, after destroying Florida to advance to Atlanta, they fought off a huge rally from Syracuse which gave them the win and a place in the National Championship game. 

Louisville’s journey was going according to plan as they breezed through the first three rounds, eventually going up against #2 seed Duke University with a spot in the Final Four on the line.  What happened during that game would prove, unfortunately, to be the lasting image from the entire tournament.  Midway through the first half, Louisville reserve guard Kevin Ware jumped to contest a Duke 3-pointer.  He came down awkwardly and immediately collapsed.  Then, his teammates and coaches fell to the ground, some crying and covering their eyes.  What they had just witnessed was what CBS analyst Clark Kellogg called the most gruesome injury that he had ever witnessed and was one of the most visually unappealing sights seen on television in recent memory.  His right tibia was broken and the bone actually came through the skin.  CBS showed the replay of the injury, but decided that they would cease showing it due to its graphic nature.  In total, 10 minutes passed from the time the injury occurred until play resumed.  At the time, Duke was leading and had the momentum.  The Cardinals had two options: they could rally and use Ware’s injury as motivation to win the game for their teammate or they could come back from the stoppage of play still in shock from the injury and not ready to play.  They came out with the inspiration and passion that was unmatched by Duke.  After leading 35-32 at halftime, Louisville outscored Duke 50-31 in the second half to post an emotional win.  On a personal level, Louisville coach Rick Pitino was able to get some revenge on Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, whose team had beaten Pitino’s Kentucky team in the 1992 Elite Eight on the famous Christian Laettner buzzer-beater.  As an added bonus, what made the win special was that Ware went to high school near Atlanta, so the Cardinals wanted to win the game especially for him.

          

The Final Four included #1 overall seed Louisville, who was riding plenty of emotion and confidence; #4 seeds Michigan and Syracuse, who were both extremely confident after posting emphatic wins in the previous round; and #9 seed Wichita State, the champions of the West Region and the surprise of the Final Four, but certainly worthy of being there based on their performance throughout the season.  Louisville and Wichita State opened up on Saturday, with the Cardinals staging an impressive comeback after trailing by double-digits in the second half.  Michigan and Syracuse met in the second game and the Wolverines’ offense proved to be too much for the Orange, despite a valiant comeback by Syracuse. 

 The stage was set: Louisville and Michigan would be competing for a National title on Monday night in front of 70,000+ fans in the Georgia Dome.  Michigan came out firing on all cylinders to begin the game, with backup guard Spike Albrecht scoring 17 points, a career-high, in the first half.  However, Louisville’s Luke Hancock made three consecutive 3-pointers to get the Cardinals back into the game.  At the half, Michigan led 38-37.  It was a see-saw affair for the first 10 minutes of the second half as neither team could separate itself.  Then, with Michigan guard and National Player of the Year Trey Burke sidelined with four fouls, Louisville made its run.  The Cardinals held onto the lead for good, eventually prevailing 82-76.  CBS analyst Greg Anthony called it the best National Championship game that he had ever watched.  Louisville earned its third National Championship in school history (first since 1986) and Coach Pitino became the first coach in NCAA history to win a title at two different schools (he won his first title with Kentucky in 1996).  Hancock was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player, after scoring 20 points against Wichita State and 22 against Michigan, while coming off the bench in both games.  After receiving the trophy, each Cardinal player cut a piece of the net as a memento and even Kevin Ware was able to cut a piece of the net after the basket was lowered for him.  It was a storybook ending after such a tragedy was witnessed only eight days earlier. 

All in all, the NCAA Tournament proved why it’s the greatest three weeks in sports.  The Tournament was a direct resemblance of the regular season, in that it was unpredictable and there was some uncertainty as to who the best team was going in.  Fortunately, Louisville made a profound statement and proved why they were worthy of their overall #1 seed.  They proved to the country that they were truly the best team. 

            

So now college basketball fans can take some much-needed time off and recharge the batteries after an exhilarating, yet long, season.  The 2013-14 season commences on October 15^th with the first day of practices.  Teams are already thinking about winning the title at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for the 2014 NCAA Tournament.  Let’s hope it will be as good as this year’s.  And let’s also hope my bracket-picking improves, as I think most of you do as well!   

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: Keys to the game

#3 seed Florida Gators (28-7 overall) vs. #15 seed Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (26-10 overall)
Cowboys Stadium (capacity: 100,000), Arlington, TX, 10:38 p.m.

Broadcast Information

TV: TBS; Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), and Craig Sager (sideline)
Radio: WRUF/Gator IMG Sports Network; Mick Hubert (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (analyst)
Streaming: March Madness on Demand

Head Coaches

University of Florida: Billy Donovan (414-165, 17th season at Florida; 449-185 overall, 19th season)
Florida Gulf Coast: Andy Enfield (41-27, 2nd season at FGCU/overall)

Florida Gulf Coast Eagles

Quality wins: Miami, Mercer, Georgetown, San Diego State

Projected starting lineup

#0 Brett Comer (6'3", 192 lbs SO) Season stats: 8.1 ppg, 6.6 apg, 3.1 rpg, 1.5 steals per game
#2 Bernard Thompson (6'3", 166 lbs SO) Season stats: 14.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.8 steals per game
#25 Sherwood Brown (6'4", 200 lbs SR) Season stats: 15.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg
#20 Chase Fieler (6'8", 205 lbs JR) Season stats: 12.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.3 blocks per game
#12 Eric McKinght (6'9", 210 lbs RS SO) Season stats: 6.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg

Bench

#23 Eddie Murray (6'8", 205 lbs RS SR) Season stats: 3.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg
#5 Christophe Varidel (6'2", 170 lbs JR) Season stats: 6.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg
#15 Filip Cvjeticanin (6'9", 218 lbs SO) Season stats: 3.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg
#35 DaJuan Graf (6'0", 170 lbs FR) Season stats: 2.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg

Keys to the game:

1.  The Gator defense has to keep Brett Comer out of the lane so that he can't drive in for a layup or find an open teammate.  Junior guard Scottie Wilbekin said this during an interview yesterday, and it's probably the most important objective.  I'm almost certain that Wilbekin will start out on the Eagles' point guard so that should be quite a matchup to watch.

2.  FGCU forward Chase Fieler is a "stretch-four" that senior forward Erik Murphy will have the pleasure of handling.  Fieler has made 32/85 3-pointers this season so he's someone we need to keep an eye on.  Along with his perimeter play, he also has the ability to leap.  His alley-oop in the upset of #2 seed Georgetown in the second round has probably been the most memorable play of this year's NCAA Tournament so far.

3.  The Eagles do not have a player that weighs over 218 pounds.  Their tallest active player is 6'9", so the Gators will obviously have the advantage strength-wise in the post.  Their lack of girth makes their big men sort of hybrid players, meaning they can mix it up inside and also take their defender out to the perimeter.

4.  The Eagles have virtually no post presence, so our guards will need to pound the ball inside to our big guys as we have the advantage inside.  The same thing is true when the Eagles have the ball inside.  Unless one of their big men is having a stellar game, there would be no reason for us to double-team in the post.  Doing this would give their big men the easy decision to find a guard on the perimeter for a shot or drive.

5.  Coach Andy Enfield's team plays an uptempo style, are extremely athletic, and like to push the pace.  To the Gators' advantage, that's the kind of pace that we prefer as well.  However, the Eagles may try to slow the game down if we find ourselves in a deficit.  

6.  Lastly, the only way that I see the Gators losing is if either FGCU begins the game hot by hitting some three's to get the pro-FGCU crowd into the game or if the Gators beat themselves (i.e. turnovers, bad shots, foul trouble).

Facts

• Junior forward Will Yeguete has not practiced all week due to some discomfort in his right knee, which he just had surgery on.  He's cleared to play tonight, but it's uncertain how much time he'll get on the floor.
• Murphy and freshman guard Michael Frazier have missed a few practices this week due to bouts of the flu, but both players participated in practice yesterday and shootaround today so it'll be interesting to see how their stamina is.  Both need to stay hydrated most importantly.
• Florida's +18.2 scoring margin is the best in the nation.
• The Gators have won five consecutive NCAA regional semifinal games.  Under Donovan, the Gators are 5-1 in the round of 16.
• Senior guard Mike Rosario had his biggest scoring output as a Gator on Sunday against Minnesota when he scored 25 points.
• Florida is one of four teams to advance to the last three Sweet 16's, joining Marquette, Ohio State, and Kansas.
• According to @ESPNStatsInfo, Trey Burke became the "1st player with 20 points and 10 assists in a Sweet 16 game since Billy Donovan for Providence in 1987."  Burke led the Michigan comeback from a 14-point deficit late in the second half for the overtime victory.  
• The winner of the UF/FGCU Sweet 16 game plays Michigan on Sunday for a chance to go to the Final Four in Atlanta. 

Final score prediction: Florida 77 - Florida Gulf Coast 64

NCAA Tournament Round of 32: Rebounding will determine who moves on between Florida and Minnesota

All pre-game notes courtesy of Scott Carter and Kevin Brockway:

• Minnesota leads the nation in offensive rebounding percentage, grabbing 43.9 percent of their misses
• Donovan stressed to the Gators that to advance to the Sweet 16 for a third consecutive season -- something the program has never accomplished -- limiting Minnesota's second opportunities is a good place to start.
• "He chased balls," Donovan said. "That's what we need from him. We need him playing with a motor. When he doesn't do that, we're not the same team."
• Minnesota is ranked 267th in the country in turnover percentage, coughing up the ball on 21.7 percent of its possessions.
• The Gophers had not won an NCAA Tournament game since making the Final Four 16 years ago prior to Friday night's 83-63 win over UCLA
• They played 11 ranked teams during the regular season and entered the tournament with the second-best strength of schedule in the country.
• The Gators have only played the Gophers once in school history, a 74-66 loss in the first round of the 1993 NIT.
• "It didn't really bother me at all or bother coach. He was like ... 'If you get bit, I'll pay for your medical bills.'' Gators center Patric Young on a bat flying around at Florida's practice
• "I wasn't mad at him to the point to the point I was going to bench him the whole game,'' Donovan said. "But the game was going well while he was on the bench, that was probably part of it."
• The two coaches have known one another for nearly 25 years, and when Donovan's Gators face Smith's Gophers on Sunday for a berth in the Sweet 16, it will be their 25th head-to-head meeting.
• The first one came on Jan. 22, 1997, when Smith was in his second season at Georgia and Donovan his first year at UF. Georgia won 77-70 in overtime in Athens.
• The following season Smith went to Kentucky and for the next decade, they squared off regularly as leaders of the SEC's two premiere programs. Smith owns a 14-10 advantage in the rivalry but Donovan has won the last six.
• "Tubby's always going to put an emphasis on defense,'' Donovan said. "His teams have always been very good defensively. He always utilizes and takes advantage of the personnel he has on offense. They're always a tough and disciplined team."
• Florida made 14 of 23 from the foul line on Friday and is now shooting 45 of 80 (56.2 percent) in three SEC Tournament games plus the victory over Northwestern State.
• Boynton (2,006 points) joined former UF standout Ronnie Williams as the only players in school history with more than 2,000 points. Williams, UF's all-time leading scorer, finished with 2,090 career points during his career from 1981-84.
• He knows Minnesota leads the rough-and-tumble Big Ten with a rebounding margin of plus-8.8. Florida's rebound margin of plus-5.1 is respectable. But prior to Northwestern State, Florida had been outrebounded in six of nine games. The Gators went 5-4 during that stretch.
• Mbawke leads the Big Ten in rebounding at 8.8 per game.
• “That's something internally he needs to be more accountable and responsible for. He's got to take ownership of it and make the decision ‘this is what I need to do.' And he's got to go out there and do it as hard and as aggressively as he possibly can.”
• The Gators rank first in the SEC and second in the nation in scoring defense, holding opponents to 53.5 points per game. The Gators have held 13 opponents under 50 points and 24 opponents under 60 points. 

NCAA Tournament Round of 64: Keys to beating Northwestern State

#3 seed Florida Gators (26-7, 14-4 SEC) vs. #14 seed Northwestern State (23-8, 15-3 Southland)

Erwin Center (capacity: 16,292), Austin, Texas. 7:27 p.m.

TV: truTV 

Radio: Gator IMG Sports Network 

1.  3-point shooting

Throughout the season, our bread-and-butter has been the ability to make 3-point shots.  The Gators have made 277 out of 728 shots from behind the arc this season, good for 38%.  That amounts to about 22 3-point attempts per game.  Senior guard Kenny Boynton has started to get back on track these last two games, while senior guard Mike Rosario regained his shooting touch in Sunday's SEC Championship loss to Ole Miss.  The big question is senior forward Erik Murphy.  Ever since his career-high performance against LSU on Friday, he has gone 1/9 from deep in the two games since.  Murphy is the best shooter on the team and it's really the first time all season where he's been in a little funk as it pertains to shooting.  I look for the First Team All-SEC performer to get back to his old ways in today's game.

2.  Experience

Nearly everyone on this year's active roster has seen action in an NCAA Tournament game, excluding junior forward Will Yegeute, who missed both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments last season after suffering a broken foot against Auburn late in the regular season, sophomore Jacob Kurtz, and the four freshmen (Michael Frazier, Braxton Ogbueze, DeVon Walker, and Dillon Graham).  While there may be first half jitters for everyone, the experience shouldn't be as unbearable as it would be if this was their first time playing in the Tournament.  The classic saying, "You can't teach experience," is very true.  For example, the University of Miami has been one of the best teams all season and is favored by some to win it all, but not one of the their players has played in an NCAA Tournament game.  Experience can go a long way in determining how far you go in the Tourney and I think it will benefit the Gators immensely.  

3.  Shot selection

Shot selection has been an issue with only two players, Boynton and Rosario.  At various points during the season, either guard has taken an ill-advised shot at the most crucial times.  The loss at Tennessee was a prime example of this.  During the first half, the Gators settled for too many 3-pointers instead of getting the ball inside.  I've found that when the Gators find themselves taking too many three's, it's going to be a dogfight until the final whistle with Florida struggling to put opponents away.  With junior center Patric Young's improved offensive play around the basket, it's essential that the ball finds its way to him.  He's playing with supreme confidence and we need to utilize that.  Young's shooting 60% so he should start to become a prime offensive target.  

4.  Enjoy the moment

The easiest way for players to relax is to enjoy the moment.  Take pride in the fact that you're a number three-seed in the NCAA Tournament.  You're given a clean slate as every team is equal now, 0-0.  Records and stats are thrown out the window because the NCAA Tournament helps to determine a true champion.  Don't underestimate any team because that's how you get beat.  Savor the moments, whether good or bad, because you'll remember them for the rest of your lives.  It truly is a wonderful experience to know that all the hard work the players put in over the offseason and during the regular season has come to fruition with a berth in the Big Dance, not to mention being the third-seed in the South Region with a legitimate chance to make it to the Final Four in Atlanta.  True champions make their names in March and that's how players will be remembered.  With all the experience that the Gators have, that could go a long way to determining their fate.

Final score prediction: Florida 83 - Northwestern State 52

SEC Final: Boynton's confidence and free throws will be key factors in today's game against Ole Miss

Keys to the game:

• Senior guard Kenny Boynton was scoreless in the first half of yesterday's 61-51 win over Alabama.  What he did in the second half is what has made him the second all-time leading scorer in Florida history.  He scored all of his 16 points in the second half, all started by getting fouled and hitting both free throws.  Seeing the ball go through the net can do a struggling player's confidence a world of good.  He hit 2/6 from 3-point range, but he seemed to be shooting the ball at the apex of his jump, not on the way down (which has been the reason for his struggles of late).  If he continues to play with confidence, he could be making his usual late March move towards being one of the nation's top performers.
• The Gators shot 12/18 (66.7%) from the free throw line yesterday.  For the season, they're shooting 68.8% from the charity stripe.  While that percentage isn't a major concern, as the games become single elimination, making free throws becomes an essential ingredient for advancing.  The problem is that the Gators don't get to the line enough.  In the Gators' only meeting against Ole Miss on February 2, the Gators went 3/3 from the line.  For the season, the Gators average 15.84 attempts per game.  As long as Boynton, Rosario, Wilbekin, and Frazier are the ones taking the free throws, we should be fine.

Final score prediction: Florida 73 - Ole Miss 68

SEC Semifinals: Expect a tight game when Gators take on Crimson Tide

(1-seed) #13 Florida Gators (25-6, 14-4 SEC) vs. (4-seed) Alabama Crimson Tide (21-11, 12-6 SEC)
Bridgestone Arena (capacity: 18,160), Nashville, Tn. 1:00 p.m.

Broadcast Information

TV: ABC; Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Dick Vitale (analyst), and Shannon Spake (sideline)
Radio: WRUF/Gator IMG Sports Network; Mick Hubert (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (analyst)
Streaming: ESPN3.com

Head Coaches

University of Florida: Billy Donovan (411-164, 17th season at Florida; 446-184 overall, 19th season)
Alabama: Anthony Grant (84-50, 4th season at Alabama; 160-75 overall, 7th season)

Probable Starters

Florida Gators

#5 Scottie Wilbekin (6'2", 176 lbs JR) Season stats: 9.2 ppg, 5.0 apg, 3.1 rpg, 1.5 steals per game
#1 Kenny Boynton (6'2", 190 lbs SR) Season stats: 12.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.1 apg
#3 Mike Rosario (6'3", 183 lbs RS-SR) Season stats: 12.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg
#33 Erik Murphy (6'10", 238 lbs SR) Season stats: 12.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg
#4 Patric Young (6'9", 249 lbs JR) Season stats: 10.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.7 blocks per game

Bench

#24 Casey Prather (6'6", 208 lbs JR) Season stats: 6.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg
#15 Will Yeguete (6'7", 240 lbs JR) Season stats: 5.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg
#20 Michael Frazier (6'4", 200 lbs FR) Season stats: 6.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg

Alabama Crimson Tide

#12 Trevor Releford (6'0", 195 lbs JR) Season stats: 15.5 ppg, 2.6 apg, 2.5 rpg, 2.0 steals per game
#5 Trevor Lacey (6'3", 215 lbs SO) Season stats: 11.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.1 apg
#20 Levi Randolph (6'5", 205 lbs SO) Season stats: 7.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg
#21 Rodney Cooper (6'6", 215 lbs SO) Season stats: 10.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg
#14 Moussa Gueye (7'0", 255 lbs JR) Season stats: 1.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.5 blocks per game

Bench

#15 Nick Jacobs (6'8", 265 lbs SO) Season stats: 7.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg
#24 Devonta Pollard (6'8", 200 lbs FR) Season stats: 4.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg
#32 Retin Obasohan (6'1", 210 lbs RS FR) Season stats: 3.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg
#22 Andrew Steele (6'4", 225 lbs RS SR) Season stats: 3.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg

Injury News and Team Notes

• Senior forward Erik Murphy injured his knee in practice on Wednesday and there was doubt that he would play yesterday against LSU.  Instead, Murphy scored a career-high 27 points on 11/15 from the field (5/7 from 3-point range) to go along with 12 rebounds, for his third-career double-double.
• Although senior guard Kenny Boynton only scored two points (1/7 fg, 0/4 3pt) yesterday, he helped the team in other ways.  He dished out seven assists and played solid defense on Andre Stringer and Anthony Hickey.  I'm confident that if he keeps getting open looks, he'll start knocking down shots with regularity.  He always seems to get hot from the perimeter at this time of the season.
• Junior center Patric Young made 4/6 free throws in the second half after going 0/4 in the first half.  He's constantly working on his form and knows that he can make a huge difference in the Gators' scoring output if he can improve his charity stripe shooting.
• Alabama wants to make this game ugly, slowing down the pace, running their offense, and getting the shot clock down to 15 seconds or less.  I feel that that's the only way they can keep this game close because they don't have the offensive firepower to compete with Florida's offense if the game gets into a shootout.
• Florida has won the last six meetings with Alabama.  
• The Gators are 5-7 all-time versus Alabama in the SEC Tournament.  Florida is 4-2 against the Crimson Tide in the SEC Tournament under Coach Donovan.
• Donovan is 11-2 against past assistant coaches, including 5-0 against Anthony Grant (assistant from 1996-2006)

What I'm Wondering

1.  Trevor Releford is on quite a hot streak, averaging 19 points per game in his last seven games.     He is Alabama's most important player and he's their heart and soul; if he's not playing well, the Tide doesn't play well, and vice versa.  I expect Boynton or Wilbekin to have the task of defending Releford.  How will Releford's play impact the game and Alabama's execution?   

2.  Florida's free throw shooting has been an issue the entire season.  The Gators shot 11/22 from the line yesterday.  In close games, free throw shooting determines the final result.  How will the Gators shoot from the line?

3.  Kenny Boynton and Mike Rosario have been really struggling with their shooting.  Will either of them be able to get back on track today?

Final score prediction: Florida 69 - Alabama 64

Donovan named SEC Coach of the Year, six Gators earn All-SEC honors

Gator head coach Billy Donovan was named SEC Coach of the Year on Tuesday for the second time in his career.  He also won the award in 2011, when, coincidentally, the Gators also won the SEC regular season title.  It's a duly deserved award for a coach whose team has undergone a rash of injuries this season, yet the 13th-ranked Gators finished the regular season with a 24-6 overall record, and went 14-4 in the SEC.  Florida is the #1 seed in the SEC Tournament which got underway yesterday in Nashville, Tennessee.  The Gators play Friday at 1:00 (TV: ESPNU) against the winner of Georgia and LSU, who play this afternoon.

The Gators also had six players earn All-SEC honors:

Senior forward Erik Murphy: 1st team All-SEC
-Season stats: 12.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 62/133 3pt (46.6%)
-Needs 27 points to reach 1,000 for his career
-18-straight games with at least one 3-pointer, good for the ninth-longest streak in school history
-133/249 fg (53.4%) this season
-Fourth all-time in career 3-point field goal percentage (43.9%)
-Ranks 12th in the NCAA in 3-point field goal percentage this season; Second in the SEC in that category behind Frazier- 48.4%
-Ranks fifth in the SEC in 3-point field goals made this season

Senior guard Kenny Boynton: 2nd team All-SEC and All-District IV Team
-Season stats: 12.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.0 apg
-Second on the Gators' all-time scoring list (needs 36 points to reach 2,000 for his career)
-UF's all-time leader in 3-point field goals made with 324.
-Fifth in field goals made (643) in Florida history
-First in minutes played (4,482)
-First in games started (135)
-Seventh in games played (138)
-Tenth in assists (378)
-Ninth in free throws made (354)
-Ranks first among active SEC players in career points (1,964) and 3-point field goals
-Ranks sixth on the SEC's all-time 3-point field goals made list
-One of 15 active Division-1 players to score over 1,950 points (only player on list to play all four years in a Power Six Conference-SEC, ACC, Big 10, Big East, Big 12, Pac 12)
-3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio in SEC play (57 assists, 19 turnovers)
-His third-straight season earning all-conference honors

Senior guard Mike Rosario: 2nd team All-SEC
-Season stats: 12.3 ppg, 2.2 apg, 57/67 ft (85.1%)
-Leads UF in scoring in SEC play at 12.8 ppg
-Has scored 1,614 points in his career (including 1,051 points in his two years at Rutgers)
-Scored in double figures 19 times this season, including 17 games with 13 or more points


Junior center Patric Young: 2nd team All-SEC, All-SEC Defensive Team, SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year, and 2013 SEC Men's Basketball Community Service Team
-Season stats: 10.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.7 blocks per game
-Won Scholar-Athlete award for the second straight year; 3.38 GPA (Major: Telecommunications)
-Ninth all-time in blocked shots (113)
-Third all-time in field goal percentage (60.4%)
-Sixth all-time in dunks (112)*unofficial stat
-Ranks first in the SEC in field goal percentage (60.6%); 14th in the NCAA in that category.
-Ranks fourth in the SEC in blocked shots (52)
-SEC's active leader in field goal percentage
-Six double-doubles this season and has nine for his career


Junior guard Scottie Wilbekin: All-SEC Defensive Team
-Season stats: 9.0 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.1 rpg
-143 assists this season, four away from breaking into the top-10 for most assists in a season
-First in the SEC (25th in the NCAA) in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.5); 143 assists vs. 58 turnovers
-Second in the SEC in assists

Freshman guard Michael Frazier: All-SEC Freshman Team
-Season stats: 6.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 45/93 3pt (48.4%)
-Ranks first in the SEC in 3-point field goal percentage (48.4%); seventh in the NCAA in that category
-Ranks fourth on the Gators' all-time single-season list for 3-point field goal percentage
-Named SEC Freshman of the Week twice

Boynton, Murphy, and Rosario look to deliver outright SEC title on Senior Night versus Vanderbilt

Well, I cannot believe that Florida seniors Kenny Boynton, Erik Murphy, and Mike Rosario are putting on the white and blue home jerseys for the last time tonight. It's amazing to think how far these three players have come in their careers at the University of Florida. Boynton, from Pompano Beach, Florida, became a high school legend while competing at Blanche Ely and American Heritage. His matchups against former Pine Crest School, University of Kentucky, and current Detroit Pistons-star Brandon Knight were some of the most anticipated matchups in South Florida high school history. Although he was unsuccessful against Knight's Panthers on many occasions, Boynton proved that he was destined for success in college and pro ball.

Boynton is now the second-leading scorer in Gator basketball history and, although he has frustrated Florida fans with his unorthodox shooting motion and inconsistent performance, he will finish his career as one of the best to put on the Gator jersey. As someone who's from the state of Florida, Boynton's career is all the more significant.

Erik Murphy has been one of the most improved players in the country, in relation to his freshman to senior seasons. His first two seasons now seem like a blur compared to his productive third and fourth seasons. His playing time was sparse and outside influences questioned if he should transfer. Then, in the offseason after his sophomore season, he was arrested for breaking into a car along with former Gator Cody Larson and a former team manager. He was suspended from all basketball-related activities and had to do some real soul-searching. Ever since that incident, he's become one of the premier "stretch-fours" in the country, combining his remarkable perimeter shooting with his deft post play, displaying crafty moves around the basket.

With Yeguete and Frazier out, Gators look to end of bench for production

With junior forward Will Yeguete's (knee surgery) return possibly coming Saturday against Alabama and freshman guard Michael Frazier's (concussion) return date uncertain, the Gators come into tonight's game at Tennessee with six regular rotation members active.  6'6" junior "super sub" Casey Prather is the Gators' only backup forward, so he will probably see time at the center position.  After Prather, it's uncertain which one of the seldom-used freshman (Dillon Graham, Braxton Ogbueze, and DeVon Walker) will see the most action.  Nevertheless, it's almost unheard of for a team to win on the road with six players, so the freshmen will have a great opportunity to show what they can bring to the table and how hard they've been working in practice.  Coach Billy Donovan is considering them part of the rotation until the other pieces return, meaning they'll probably receive comparable minutes in the first half to Frazier or Yegeute.  "They gotta get in early (preferably in the first 10 minutes)," coach Donovan said Monday.  As for how many minutes they'll play, it's all "based on fatigue or foul trouble."  Fatigue might even be an issue for the freshmen, as the chunk of their minutes came at the beginning of the season.  Actually, these three freshmen saw their season-high in minutes in the first game of the season against Alabama State on November 11; Ogbueze played 23 minutes, Walker played 22, and Graham played 18.

Tonight, the Gators will play with a four-guard lineup for some stretches.  It is imperative that junior center Patric Young DOES NOT get in foul trouble.  Tennessee will be gearing their gameplan towards getting our players in foul trouble due to our limited depth.  These freshmen have waited all season to contribute in big games and I have confidence in them.     

Stats for Graham, Ogbueze, and Walker:

Dillon Graham (6'4"): 0.3 ppg, 0.2 rpg; 19 games played, 72 minutes, 3/15 fg, 0/8 3pt, 4 rebounds, 5 assists 

Braxton Ogbueze (6'1"): 0.9 ppg, 0.7 rpg; 18 games played, 89 minutes, 6/19 fg, 1/4 3pt, 12 rebounds, 5 assists

DeVon Walker (6'7"): 0.9 ppg, 0.7 rpg; 20 games played, 87 minutes, 3/19 fg, 0/6 3pt, 11/14 ft, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks

Other notes:

• Prather, from Jackson, Tennessee, will be playing a homecoming game tonight.
• The Volunteers swept the season series last season.
• Florida is 7-4 on the road this season.     
• Tennessee is 11-3 at home this season.

Final score prediction: Florida 72 - Tennessee 69

Gators out for revenge against Razorbacks in Gainesville

Arkansas Razorbacks (17-9, 8-5 SEC) at #5 Florida Gators (21-4, 11-2 SEC)
Stephen C. O'Connell Center (capacity: 11,548), Gainesville, Fl. 7:00 p.m.
Broadcast Information

TV: ESPNU; Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Matt Doherty (analyst)
Radio: WRUF/Gator IMG Sports Network; Mick Hubert (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (analyst)
Streaming: ESPN3.com

Head Coaches

Arkansas: Mike Anderson (35-23, 2nd season at Arkansas; 235-121 overall, 11th season)
University of Florida: Billy Donovan (407-162, 17th season at Florida; 442-182 overall, 19th season)

Probable Starters

Arkansas Razorbacks

#1 Mardracus Wade (6'2", 176 lbs JR) Season stats: 6.5 ppg, 1.7 apg
#11 BJ Young (6'3", 180 lbs SO) Season stats: 16.2 ppg, 3.8 apg
# 3 Rickey Scott (6'3", 205 lbs JR) Season stats: 5.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg
#4 Coty Clarke (6'7", 225 lbs JR) Season stats: 6.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg
#33 Marshawn Powell (6'7", 240 lbs JR) Season stats: 16.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg

Bench

#21 Hunter Mickelson (6'10", 245 lbs SO) Season stats: 6.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.4 blocks per game
#00 Rashad Madden (6'5", 181 lbs SO) Season stats: 4.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg
#24 Michael Qualls (6'5", 205 lbs FR) Season stats: 4.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg
#20 Kikko Haydar (5'10", 162 lbs JR) Season stats: 3.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg
#12 Fred Gulley (6'2", 177 lbs JR) Season stats: 1.5 ppg, 1.2 rpg
#22 Jacorey Williams (6'8", 204 lbs FR) Season stats: 3.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg
#5 Anthlon Bell (6'3", 190 lbs FR) Season stats: 4.0 ppg, 0.9 rpg

Florida Gators

#5 Scottie Wilbekin (6'2", 176 lbs JR) Season stats: 9.3 ppg, 5.4 apg
#1 Kenny Boynton (6'2", 190 lbs SR) Season stats: 13.0 ppg, 3.2 apg
#3 Mike Rosario (6'3", 183 lbs RS-SR) Season stats: 12.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg
#33 Erik Murphy (6'10", 238 lbs SR) Season stats: 12.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg
#4 Patric Young (6'9", 249 lbs JR) Season stats: 10.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg
Bench

#24 Casey Prather (6'6", 212 lbs JR) Season stats: 6.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg
#20 Michael Frazier (6'4", 200 lbs FR) Season stats: 6.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg
#25 DeVon Walker (6'6", 191 lbs FR) Season stats: 0.9 ppg, 0.7 rpg

Injury News and Team Notes

• Donovan: "(Will) Yeguete's doing some light running...he's ahead of schedule."
• Donovan: "He could be back for the Vanderbilt game."
• Arkansas is 1-6 on the road this season
• Florida is 12-0 at home this season

Final score prediction: Florida 75 - Arkansas 66

Big Missouri comeback continues Gator struggles in Ozarks

Missouri 63 - (5) Florida 60

Top Performers

Florida Gators (21-4, 11-2 SEC)
Mike Rosario: 14 points (5/12 fg, 3/8 3pt) Kenny Boynton: 11 points (4/13 fg), 4 rebounds
Michael Frazier: 10 points (3/5 fg, 2/4 3pt)
Casey Prather: 7 rebounds
Missouri Tigers (19-7, 8-5 SEC)

Laurence Bowers: 17 points (8/17 fg), 10 rebounds
Jabari Brown: 12 points (3/10 fg, 3/9 3pt)
Earnest Ross: 11 points (4/11 fg), 4 rebounds
Phil Pressey: 7 points (2/5 fg, 3/3 3pt), 10 assists, 6 rebounds

Selected stats (all Florida stats unless noted)

Field goals made/attempted= 22/54 (40.7%)
Three-pointers made/attempted= 10/33 (30.3%)
Free throws made/attempted= 6/12 (50.0%)
Rebounds/offensive= 28 rebounds/8 offensive
Fouls= 15
Assists= 10
Turnovers= 14
Steals= 10
Missouri turnovers= 19
Blocks= 3
Points off turnovers= 16
Points in the paint= 16
Second-chance points= 0
Fastbreak points= 4
Bench points= 17
Guard rebounds= 13
Missouri offensive rebounds= 12
Second half points= Missouri (37) Florida (31)
Officials= Doug Shows, Mike Kitts, and Mike Nance
Attendance= 15,061

What's Up Next

The Gators will be looking to avenge their loss on the road to Arkansas two weeks ago when they take on the Razorbacks in Gainesville today (2/23).  The Razorbacks come in with a record of 17-9 and are 8-5 in the SEC.  They are 1-6 on the road this season.  The tip is set for 7:00.  The game will be televised on ESPNU and broadcast on the radio on WRUF/Gator IMG Sports Network.  The pregame radio show begins at 6:25.

Gators taking "on a whole new team" in Missouri tonight

#5 Florida Gators (21-3, 11-1 SEC) at Missouri Tigers (18-7, 7-5 SEC)
Mizzou Arena (capacity: 15,061), Columbia, Mo. 9:00 p.m.

Broadcast Information

TV: ESPN; Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Jimmy Dykes (analyst), and Holly Rowe (sideline)
Radio: WRUF/Gator IMG Sports Network; Mick Hubert (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (analyst)
Streaming: ESPN3.com

Head Coaches

Missouri: Frank Haith (48-12, 2nd season at Missouri; 177-113 overall, 9th season)
University of Florida: Billy Donovan (407-161, 17th season at Florida; 442-181 overall, 19th season)

Probable Starters

Florida Gators

#5 Scottie Wilbekin (6'2", 176 lbs JR) Season stats: 9.4 ppg, 5.5 apg, 2.9 rpg, 1.6 steals per game
#1 Kenny Boynton (6'2", 190 lbs SR) Season stats: 13.0 ppg, 3.4 apg, 3.2 rpg
#3 Mike Rosario (6'3", 183 lbs RS-SR) Season stats: 12.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg
#33 Erik Murphy (6'10", 238 lbs SR) Season stats: 12.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg
#4 Patric Young (6'9", 249 lbs JR) Season stats: 10.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.8 blocks per game

Bench

#24 Casey Prather (6'6", 212 lbs JR) Season stats: 6.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg
#20 Michael Frazier (6'4", 200 lbs FR) Season stats: 6.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg
#25 DeVon Walker (6'6", 191 lbs FR) Season stats: 0.9 ppg, 0.7 rpg

Missouri Tigers

#1 Phil Pressey (5'11", 175 lbs JR) Season stats: 12.0 ppg, 6.8 apg, 3.2 rpg
#5 Keion Bell (6'4", 200 lbs RS SR) Season stats: 11.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg
#32 Jabari Brown (6'5", 205 lbs RS SO) Season stats: 14.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg
#21 Laurence Bowers (6'8", 227 lbs RS SR) Season stats: 14.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg
#42 Alex Oriakhi (6'9", 255 lbs SR) Season stats: 10.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.6 blocks per game

Bench

#33 Earnest Ross (6'5", 222 lbs RS JR) Season stats: 10.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg
#3 Tony Criswell (6'9", 240 lbs JR) Season stats: 5.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg
#35 Stefan Jankovic (6'11", 230 lbs FR) Season stats: 3.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg
#14 Negus Webster-Chan (6'7", 200 lbs FR) Season stats: 2.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg
#44 Ryan Rosburg (6'10", 250 lbs FR) Season stats: 1.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg

Injury News and Team Notes

• Florida moved up to #5 in the AP Poll, up from #7 in last week's poll.
• Freshman guard Michael Frazier was named the SEC Freshman of the Week for the second time this season.  Frazier scored 18 points on 6/7 from 3-point range (career-highs in points and 3-pointers made).
• Junior forward Casey Prather is averaging 10.0 ppg in his last three games.  Prather's shooting a remarkable 65.7% (44/67) from the field!
• Senior guard Kenny Boynton made 4/9 3-pointers in Saturday's win at Auburn, scoring 16 points.  Those were his most 3-point makes and points since the win at Mississippi State on January 26.
• The Gators have lost only once when leading at the half.  Their only loss was at Arizona.
• The Gators have had 15-straight 20+ win seasons (all under Donovan).  Only Mike Krzyzewski of Duke and Jim Boeheim have had more 20+ winning seasons in a row.
• Senior guard Mike Rosario scored 18 first half points on Saturday and finished with a career-high 22 points (at Florida).
• Frazier has scored in double-figures in 16 games this season.
• Junior guard Scottie Wilbekin is second in the SEC in assist-to-turnover margin, while Boynton is fourth.
• Frazier and senior forward Erik Murphy are two of four players in the nation who are shooting 50% or better from 3-point range and make 1.5 three's per game or more.
• In SEC games, the Gators are making exactly 10 3-pointers per game.  Frazier is shooting 60% from deep in league play, best in the SEC.
• The Gators had a season-high 25 assists on Saturday.
• Florida also made a season-high 15 3-pointers.
• Wilbekin had his third 10-assist game of the season.
• Including UF's 31-point win over Auburn, the Gators have had eight victories by 30 or more points this season.
• •In the first meeting on January 19, Missouri star point guard Phil Pressey committed 10 turnovers, a tremendous credit to Wilbekin's defense.
• Tigers' senior forward Laurence Bowers did not play in the first meeting due to a knee injury.
• Coach Donovan described Bowers as Missouri's "heart and soul."
• The Tigers have six players who average double-figures in points, led by Jabari Brown at 14.6 ppg.  
• The Tigers rank second in the SEC in scoring, averaging 76.5 ppg.  They are also the top free throw shooting team, going 75% from the line.
• Missouri leads the league in rebounding at 42.2 rpg and rebounding margin at +10.2.
• Florida is 7-3 on the road this season.
• Missouri is 14-0 at home this season.

Last Game for Both Schools

Florida: Defeated Auburn (away) on Saturday, 83-52.
Missouri: Lost to Arkansas (away) on Saturday, 73-71.

Gators All-Time Versus Missouri

The Gators are 1-0 all-time against the Tigers, their only prior meeting being on January 19.  However, this will be Florida's first trip to Columbia, Missouri.

Last Meeting Between Schools

Florida defeated Missouri 83-52 on January 19 in Gainesville. 

What I'm Wondering

1.  Missouri is a totally different team than the one that lost by 31 points exactly one month ago in Gainesville.  Bowers did not play in that game and his absence clearly affected the Tigers' gameplan.  Missouri might be the deepest team in the league and they can stroke it from deep.  How will the Tigers' avenge last month's loss to the Gators? 

2.  As is the case with every conference road game, it's how the Gators respond coming out of the gate that will determine what the tempo of the game will be.  How will the Gators come out tonight?

3.  The matchup between Young and Oriakhi was one I was really looking forward to in the first meeting, but Missouri's big man was in foul trouble for most of the game and Young absolutely won that battle, picking up a double-double.  Who wins the matchup tonight?

Final score prediction: Florida 74 - Missouri 70

Remaining SEC schedules for top-five teams

The remaining SEC schedules for the top-five SEC teams (Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Missouri):

*home games in BOLD

Florida Gators (20-3, 10-1 SEC)

Saturday February 16: at Auburn
Tuesday February 19: at Missouri
Saturday February 23: Arkansas
Tuesday February 26: at Tennessee
Saturday March 2: Alabama
Wednesday March 6: Vanderbilt
Saturday March 9: at Kentucky

Alabama Crimson Tide (16-8, 8-3 SEC)

Saturday February 16: South Carolina
Wednesday February 20: Mississippi State
Saturday Feburary 23: at LSU
Tuesday February 26: Auburn
Saturday March 2: at Florida
Tuesday March 5: at Ole Miss
Saturday March 9: Georgia

Kentucky Wildcats (17-7, 8-3 SEC)

Saturday February 16: at Tennessee
Wednesday February 20: Vanderbilt
Saturday February 23: Missouri
Wednesday February 27: Mississippi State
Saturday March 2: at Arkansas
Thursday March 7: at Georgia
Saturday March 9: Florida

Ole Miss Rebels (18-6, 7-4 SEC)

Saturday February 16: Georgia
Wednesday February 20: at South Carolina
Saturday February 23: Auburn
Wednesday February 27: Texas A&M
Saturday March 2: at Mississippi State
Tuesday March 5: Alabama
Saturday March 9: at LSU

Missouri Tigers (18-6, 7-4 SEC)

Saturday February 16: at Arkansas
Tuesday February 19: Florida
Saturday February 23: at Kentucky
Thursday February 28: at South Carolina
Saturday March 2: LSU
Tuesday March 5: Arkansas
Saturday March 9: at Tennessee

Rivalry Week: Florida set to battle with Kentucky with first place and bragging rights up for grabs

#25 Kentucky Wildcats (17-6, 8-2 SEC) at #7 Florida Gators (19-3, 9-1 SEC)
Stephen C. O'Connell Center (capacity: 11,548), Gainesville, FL 7:00 p.m.

Broadcast Information

TV: ESPN; Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Dick Vitale (analyst), and Shannon Spake (sideline)
Radio: WRUF/Gator IMG Sports Network; Mick Hubert (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (analyst)
Streaming: ESPN3.com

Head Coaches

Kentucky: John Calipari (119-20, 4th season at Kentucky; 522-158 overall, 21st season)
University of Florida: Billy Donovan (405-161, 17th season at Florida; 440-181 overall, 19th season)
Probable Starters

Kentucky Wildcats

#12 Ryan Harrow (6'2", 170 lbs SO) Season stats: 10.4 ppg, 3.3 apg
#34 Julius Mays (6'2", 192 lbs GS) Season stats: 9.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg
#10 Archie Goodwin (6'4", 198 lbs FR) Season stats: 14.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg
#22 Alex Poythress (6'7", 239 lbs FR) Season stats: 12.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg
#1 Nerlens Noel (6'10", 228 lbs FR) Season stats: 10.6 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 4.5 blocks per game

Bench

#33 Kyle Wiltjer (6'10", 239 lbs SO) Season stats: 11.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg
#15 Willie Cauley-Stein: (7'0", 244 lbs FR) Season stats: 7.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg
#5 Jarrod Polson (6'2", 189 lbs JR) Season stats: 2.3 ppg, 1.4 rpg
#4 Jon Hood (6'7", 212 lbs RS JR) Season stats: 1.2 ppg, 0.8 rpg

Florida Gators

#5 Scottie Wilbekin (6'2", 176 lbs JR) Season stats: 9.3 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.0 rpg, 1.6 steals per game
#1 Kenny Boynton (6'2", 190 lbs SR) Season stats: 13.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.4 apg
#3 Mike Rosario (6'3", 183 lbs RS-SR) Season stats: 12.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg
#33 Erik Murphy (6'10", 238 lbs SR) Season stats: 12.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg
#4 Patric Young (6'9", 249 lbs JR) Season stats: 10.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.7 blocks per game

Bench

#20 Michael Frazier (6'4", 200 lbs FR) Season stats: 6.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg
#24 Casey Prather (6'6", 208 lbs JR) Season stats: 5.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg
#25 DeVon Walker (6'6", 191 lbs FR) Season stats: 0.9 ppg, 0.8 rpg

Injury News and Team Notes

• Junior forward Will Yeguete will be out 4-6 weeks after undergoing knee surgery on Friday.  Yeguete's loss is debilitating because of the lack of frontcourt depth on Florida's active roster (transfers Damontre Harris and Dorian Finney-Smith must sit out this season to fulfill transfer rules). 
• Senior forward Erik Murphy left Saturday's game with an ankle injury and was taken to the locker room as a precaution.  Coach Donovan said that he was "full go" in Sunday's practice, so luckily the injury wasn't serious.
• The winner of tonight's game will be leading the SEC.  If Kentucky wins, they'll be a half-game ahead of Florida.
• Senior guard Kenny Boynton is only shooting 41% from the field and 34% from behind the arc this season.  Over his last three games, he's shooting 30% from the field and 16% from three.  He had made at least one 3-pointer in 15 straight games, but that streak ended on Saturday with an 0/5 perfomance.
• The Gators are averaging 74.2 ppg, while giving up 52.7 ppg (+21.5).  That scoring margin is good for second in the nation.
• The Gators' coaching staff has a few Kentucky connections: Assistant coach John Pelphrey played for the 'Cats from 1989-1992 and head coach Billy Donovan was an assistant at Kentucky from 1989-1994.
• The Gators have lost five straight games to the Wildcats.
• Kentucky has won five straight games and was voted back into the AP Poll for the first time in two months.
• Kentucky freshman guard Archie Goodwin, while he leads the Wildcats in scoring, averages three turnovers per game.
• Nerlens Noel leads the nation in blocks (103).  Donovan thinks that he's just as good, if not better than, last year's number one pick, Anthony Davis, who was a shot-blocking machine that helped the Wildcats win the National Championship.
• The Wildcats are 4-3 on the road this season.
• The Gators are 11-0 at home this season.

Last Game for Both Schools

Kentucky: Defeated Auburn (home) on Saturday, 72-62.
Florida: Defeated Mississippi State (home) on Saturday, 83-58.

Florida All-Time Versus Kentucky

Kentucky leads the all-time series, 93-33.  The Gators are 13-22 against the Wildcats under Donovan.  Florida is 9-7 versus Kentucky under Donovan, and 22-33 all-time in Gainesville.  The Gators have lost five straight games to the Wildcats.

Last Meeting Between Schools

Florida lost to Kentucky, 74-71, in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament last season (March 10, 2012).  Although the Gators led 31-21 at the 8:42 mark in the first half, UK outscored the Gators 19-8 over the remainder of the half to take a 40-39 lead into halftime.  In the second half, Florida retook the lead, 56-51, but the Wildcats went on a 14-0 run to remain on top for good.  Erik Murphy led the Gators with 24 points and Brad Beal added 20 points and eight rebounds.

What I'm Wondering

1.  I'm curious to see how Kentucky begins the game: guns blazing or tentative?  They've played in tough environments at Notre Dame, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Alabama, and Ole Miss.  This is a rivalry game, but Florida clearly has the edge in terms of experience.  How will Kentucky come out to start the game?

2.  Boynton's shooting struggles over the past few games shouldn't be a cause for concern.  He said Monday that he "just needs to see a few go in" to help his confidence.  He's getting wide-open looks, but he's just not knocking them down.  He's not taking bad shots, it's just a thing that shooters go through.  Will Boynton find his shooting touch in tonight's game?  Something tells me he will.

3.  Bench play will play a huge factor in tonight's game.  It will be a hard-fought game, meaning various players will be in foul trouble early on.  Kentucky has an eight-man rotation, while Florida plays seven guys.  The x-factors for Kentucky and Florida are Jarrod Polson and DeVon Walker, respectively.  Which team's bench will make the greatest impact in tonight's game?

4.  Can Casey Prather come with the same energy and athleticism that he did against Mississippi State on Saturday (season-high 12 points and five rebounds)?  Also, how about another posterizing dunk like he had on Kyle Wiltjer in last season's SEC Tournament (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfIvh97n0k&feature=related)?

Records to be Broken in the Future or Have Been Broken

• Kenny Boynton (1,877 points) is third on the all-time scoring list (Ronnie Williams leads with 2,090 points)
• Boynton (310 threes) is the all-time leader in three-pointers made in school history
• Boynton (127 games started) is just two starts away from passing Andrew DeClerq (128 starts) for the all-time record in school history
• Boynton (4,201 minutes played) is 158 minutes away from passing Erving Walker for first on the all-time list
• Patric Young (99 blocked shots) is tenth on the all-time list.  David Lee is ninth with 109.
• Young (105 dunks) is sixth on the all-time list.  Dwayne Davis leads with 168.

Final score prediction: Florida 76 - Kentucky 73

Gators post emphatic win over Bulldogs to get back to winning ways, 83-58

(2) Florida 83 - Mississippi State 58

Top Performers

Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-15, 2-8 SEC)
Gavin Ware: 16 points (7/11 fg), 6 rebounds
Colin Borchert: 14 points (5/11 fg, 3/5 3pt), 5 rebounds
Trivante Bloodman: 10 points (4/7 fg), 3 assists
Craig Sword: 7 points (2/8 fg), 8 rebounds, 5 assists

Florida Gators (19-3, 9-1 SEC)
Mike Rosario: 18 points (7/11 fg, 2/5 3pt), 4 rebounds
Erik Murphy: 17 points (7/10 fg, 3/5 3pt), 5 rebounds
Casey Prather: 12 points (5/9 fg), 5 rebounds in 22 minutes
Michael Frazier: 11 points (4/7 fg, 3/5 3pt), 6 rebounds
Scottie Wilbekin (7 assists) and Kenny Boynton (6 assists)
Patric Young: 7 rebounds

First Half Notes

• It was announced before the game that Mississippi State starting guard Jalen Steele would not play because he was suspended indefinitely due to a violation of team rules. 
• Coach Donovan announced that junior starting point guard Scottie Wilbekin would not start due to a "lack of passion in practice" exhibited since Tuesday's loss to Arkansas.  Donovan said that Wilbekin's a gritty competitor and he took the loss hard and that his attitude was reflecting that.  As the point guard, his attitude trickles down to his teammates.  Donovan started freshman Michael Frazier, giving him his first career start.
• Junior guard/forward Casey Prather checked into the game at the 17:50 mark.  Prather, without a doubt, played his best game since returning from his ankle sprain three games ago.  He finished with a season-high 12 points and 5 rebounds in 22-energizing minutes.
• Wilbekin checked in at the 17:21 mark.  Although he didn't start, he still played 33 minutes.
• Frazier had a great in-bounds pass to senior forward Erik Murphy for a bucket.
• The first four minutes of the game were very sloppy.
• Frazier came into the game having made nine out of his last 14 three's.  He began Saturday's game making his first three from deep.  Although Murphy has the highest 3-point shooting percentage on the team, Frazier is the best shooter on the team in my opinion.
• Senior guard Kenny Boynton was very careless with the ball in the first few minutes, committing two turnovers.
• Frazier's defense and hustle were the best I've seen from him this season.  I think getting his first start probably contributed to that.  Defense has been his worst enemy so far this season but it's improving every game (the complex defensive schemes that Florida runs haven't been easy for Frazier to adjust to).
• Mississippi State, with Steele being suspended, only dressed eight players.  At the 12:03 mark, senior walk-on guard Baxter Price entered the game for the Bulldogs.  Nothing against Price (I'm a huge fan of walk-ons), but the coach Rick Ray had no choice with only having eight guys.
• Prather produced another highlight-reel play when he caught the outlet pass at halfcourt and took the ball aggressively to the basket, resulting in a "posterizing" dunk.  Just another day at the office for Casey Prather!  He also had a nice pullup jumper.  I'd say the ankle was just fine then!
• In case I haven't stated this before, Prather has the best athleticism on the team by a long shot.  Just look up some of his highlights and you'll agree.
• Interesting note: Murphy was playing his first game with a fresh haircut. 
• Until the 3:49 mark, Murphy and senior guard Mike Rosario combined for 17 points while Mississippi State had 18.
• I cringe everytime junior forward Patric Young shoots his free throws.  He made the classic mistake of changing his form after his first two seasons and it has made his percentage worse.  Needless to say, it's an adventure every time that he steps to the line.  That being said, he did make four out of six from the charity stripe, so let's hope that's a sign of better things to come!
• Mississippi State forward Colin Borchert hit some tough shots throughout the game and he was keeping the Bulldogs somewhat in the game.
• The Bulldogs scored 19 points in the first half of their first meeting with the Gators. 
• I was very surprised that freshman forward DeVon Walker did not see any action in the first half considering the fact that junior forward Will Yeguete will be out 4-6 weeks due to knee surgery.  
• Considering that Florida presses almost the entire game, it is frustrating when the opponent beats the press and they have a two-on-one advantage.
• The Gators were 17-1 when leading at halftime.
• Prather scored eight points in the half, which was totally unexpected from my point of view.
• Rosario had 10 points and Frazier and Murphy had nine.
• UF committed six turnovers, compared to 11 from MSST.
• Side note: Arkansas followed up their win over the Gators on Tuesday by losing at Vanderbilt 67-49 on Saturday.  The Razorbacks are 0-5 on the road, compared to 14-1 at home.
• Donovan: "I'd like to see a little bit more emotion from our guys."
• Halftime score: Florida 42 - Mississippi State 26

Second Half Notes

• Wilbekin started the second half, while Frazier began the half on the bench.
• UF got off to a 10-0 run to begin the half.
• Walker checked in at the 8:30 mark, finally ending the wonder on my part.
• Young had a dunk which was his first field goal of the game at the 10:00 mark.  He finished with six points (1/5 fg) and seven rebounds.  Just a hint: he's going to play his best game of the season on Tuesday versus Kentucky.
• Boynton came into the game having made one 3-pointer in 15 straight games, but unfortunately went 0/5 from deep so his streak begins anew on Tuesday against the Wildcats.
• The Gators forced the Bulldogs into a 35-second shot clock violation.
• Murphy left the game due to an apparent ankle injury.  He went to the locker room but, luckily, it was just a twisted ankle.  The entire gym was silent when he left, and with good reason because the Gators would have lost another frontcourt player to injury.
• Freshman guard Dillon Graham played his best game of the season, dishing out a career-high three assists.  He threw a perfect two-handed pass from halfcourt to a running Walker for a fastbreak dunk.  Donovan has acknowledged that Graham is one of the better passers on the team and the coaching staff likes how he passes the ball from the perimeter.
• Walker played average defense, took a forced 3-pointer, and had a dunk on a Graham asssist.  He'll be called into action against Kentucky and I expect him to give the team some quality minutes while giving Murphy or Young breaks.
• Most importantly, Florida did a great job of bouncing back from Tuesday's loss, while not getting caught looking ahead to Tuesday's rivalry game against the Wildcats.
• From Gatorzone.com: "The Gators are a perfect 11-0 in the O’Connell Center this season and played in front of a sell-out crowd of 12,444 Saturday night."
• Final score: Florida 83 - Mississippi State 58

Selected stats (all Florida stats unless noted)

Field goals made/attempted= 31/59 (52.5%)
Three-pointers made/attempted= 9/26 (34.6%)
Free throws made/attempted= 12/18 (66.7%)
Rebounds/offensive= 36 rebounds/10 offensive
Fouls= 12
Assists= 21
Turnovers= 8
Steals= 6
Mississippi State turnovers= 16
Blocks= 2
Points off turnovers= 21
Points in the paint= 38
Second-chance points= 8
Fastbreak points= 16
Bench points= 21
Guard rebounds= 16
Mississippi State offensive rebounds= 9
Second half points= Florida (41), Mississippi State (32)

Officials= Doug Shows, Pat Adams, and Tim Gattis
Attendance= 12,444
What's Up Next

The Gators are set to enjoy the comforts of the O'Dome when they face an old-time rival in the Kentucky Wildcats on Tuesday (2/12).  The #25 Wildcats come in with a record of 17-6 and are 8-2 in the SEC, winners of five straight games.  They are 4-3 on the road this season.  The tip is set for 7:00.  The game will be televised on ESPN and broadcast on the radio on WRUF/Gator IMG Sports Network.  The pregame radio show begins at 6:25.

Gators look to rebound at home against Mississippi State

Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-14, 2-7 SEC) at #2 Florida Gators (18-3, 8-1 SEC)
Stephen C. O'Connell Center (capacity: 11,548), Gainesville, Fl. 5:00 p.m.

Broadcast Information

TV: Fox Sports (Sun Sports); Dave Neal (play-by-play) and Larry Conley (analyst
Radio: WRUF/Gator IMG Sports Network; Mick Hubert (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (analyst)
Streaming: ESPN3.com

Head Coaches

Mississippi State: Rick Ray (7-14, 1st season at Mississippi State/overall)
University of Florida: Billy Donovan (404-161, 17th season at Florida; 439-181 overall, 19th season)

Probable Starters

Florida Gators

#1 Kenny Boynton (6'2", 190 lbs SR) Season stats: 13.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.3 apg
#20 Michael Frazier (6'4", 200 lbs FR) Season stats: 5.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg
#3 Mike Rosario (6'3", 183 lbs RS-SR) Season stats: 12.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.4 apg
#33 Erik Murphy (6'10", 238 lbs SR) Season stats: 12.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg
#4 Patric Young (6'9", 249 lbs JR) Season stats: 11.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.8 blocks per game

Bench

*update: (4:52 p.m.) Wilbekin will not start due to "lack of passion in practice" and Donovan's "high expectations" placed on him.  No disciplinary issue, just Wilbekin's attitude since Tuesday's loss.  Donovan said that Wilbekin's a gritty competitor and he's disappointed by Tuesday's loss and hasn't had the right mindset so that's why Frazier's starting.  As the point guard, Wilbekin's attitude trickles down to his teammates. 

#5 Scottie Wilbekin (6'2", 176 lbs JR) Season stats: 9.5 ppg, 5.0 apg, 2.9 rpg, 1.6 steals per game
#20 Michael Frazier (6'4", 200 lbs FR) Season stats: 5.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg
#24 Casey Prather (6'6", 208 lbs JR) Season stats: 5.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg
#25 DeVon Walker (6'6", 191 lbs FR) Season stats: 0.9 ppg, 0.8 rpg
#12 Dillon Graham (6'4", 179 lbs FR) Season stats: 0.4 ppg, 0.3 rpg

Mississippi State Bulldogs

#4 Trivante Bloodman (6'0", 182 lbs SO) Season stats: 5.7 ppg. 3.3 rpg, 2.8 apg
#1 Fred Thomas (6'5", 191 lbs FR) Season stats: 10.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg
#32 Craig Sword (6'3", 189 lbs FR) Season stats: 9.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg
#3 Colin Borchert (6'8", 231 lbs JR) Season stats: 7.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg
#20 Gavin Ware (6'9", 270 lbs FR) Season stats: 8.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg

Bench

#25 Roquez Johnson (6'7", 210 lbs SO) Season stats: 9.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg
#24 Tyson Cunningham (6'3", 194 lbs JR) Season stats: 2.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg
*Update: (4:08 p.m.) Normal starter Jalen Steele will not play due to a violation of team rules.

Injury News and Team Notes

• It was announced Thursday that junior forward Will Yeguete will undergo knee surgery to repair bone chips in his ailing right knee.  He will be out 4-6 weeks and, after being evaluated, might be ready to play in either the SEC Tournament or NCAA Tournament.
• Florida is no stranger to injuries this season, however.  Mike Rosario (ankle sprain), Scottie Wilbekin (broken finger and three-game suspension), Casey Prather (concussion and ankle sprain), and Erik Murphy (broken ribs) have all missed time.
• Yeguete's loss gives freshman guard Michael Frazier more time and freshman DeVon Walker possible minutes. 
• Brockway: "I don't know if he is ready," Donovan said. "We don't have a whole lot of choices now, but I will say this about DeVon Walker, which I like.  He is highly competitive.  He is a tough kid.  I think he'll step in there and give us everything he has."
• Kevin Brockway: "[Despite giving up a season-high 80 points in the loss to Arkansas on Tuesday] Florida remains second in the nation in scoring defense at 52.4 points per game."
• Coach Donovan: "As of today, we are a really bad defensive team,” Donovan said. "Right now, because that was our last game, we are a bad defensive team."
• Brockway: "Without the 6-foot-7, 240-pound Yeguete in the post, Donovan said the Gators may be forced to play more double-teams in the post when freshman DeVon Walker or junior Casey Prather play at the power forward spot."
• Brockway: "He's very important," Florida senior guard Mike Rosario said. "Obviously, he's one of our, like, dirty guys. That's what we would call it, like Dennis Rodman-type, grab every rebound, our hustle guy."
• Brockway: "The Gators have held 11 opponents under 50 points and 15 opponents under 60 points."
• Brockway: "Florida senior Kenny Boynton has made at least one 3-pointer in 15 straight games."
• Brockway: "Florida freshman Michael Frazier II is 9 of his last 14 from 3-point range."
• Brockway: "Mississippi State is shooting an SEC-worst 28.3 percent from 3-point range." 
• Brockway: "The Gators are shooting 49.2 percent from the floor and 39 percent from 3-point range."
• The Bulldogs have lost seven straight games after beginning the SEC schedule with two wins.
• Mississippi State is 1-6 on the road this season.
• Florida is 10-0 at home this season.

Last Game for Both Schools

Mississippi State: Lost to Ole Miss (away) on Wednesday, 93-75.
Florida: Lost to Arkansas (away) on Tuesday, 80-69.

Florida All-Time Versus Mississippi State

Florida leads the all-time series 59-49.  The Gators are 12-8 under Donovan against the Bulldogs.  The Gators are 6-2 at home under Donovan, and are 36-12 all-time at home.  Six of the last eight games between the two teams have been dedided by single digits. 

Last Meeting Between Schools

Florida defeated Mississippi State 82-47 in Starkville on January 26th.  Kenny Boynton and Erik Murphy co-led the team with 18 points.  The Gators opened the game with a 20-6 run and led 41-19 at halftime.  The Gators held Roquez Johnson, then the Bulldogs' leading scorer, and their third-leading scorer, Jalen Steele, scoreless on 0/8 from the field.

What I'm Wondering

1.  How will Florida rebound from Tuesday's loss?

2.  Will Yeguete's injury creates an opportunity for freshman forward DeVon Walker to play some important minutes on a consistent basis.  This is a similar situation to when junior guard/forward Casey Prather was out due to a high ankle sprain, and Walker was projected to see some time.  However, the most minutes he saw during that time was six minutes, ironically versus Mississippi State.  How many minutes will Walker play in today's game and how will he deliver?

3.  The Bulldogs are certainly playing much better since they lost by 35 to Florida on January 26th.  They lost in overtime to Texas A&M on January 30th and at the buzzer to LSU on February 2nd.  They only play eight players (dress nine), but Coach Rick Ray gets the most out of his guys.  This by no means will be a pushover for the Gators like it was in Starkville.  Will the Bulldogs be able to improve on their previous meeting with the Gators? 

Records to be Broken in the Near Future

• Kenny Boynton (1,867 points) is third on the all-time scoring list (Ronnie Williams leads with 2,090 points)
• Boynton (310 threes) is the all-time leader in three-pointers made in school history
• Boynton (126 games started) is just 3 starts away from passing Andrew DeClerq (128 starts) for the all-time record in school history
• Boynton (4,171 minutes played) is 188 minutes away from passing Erving Walker for first on the all-time list.
• Patric Young (99 blocked shots) is tenth on the all-time list.  David Lee is ninth with 109.
• Young (104 dunks) is sixth on the all-time list.  Dwayne Davis leads with 168.

Final score prediction: Florida 83 - Mississippi State 56

Gators suffer first SEC loss, upset in Fayetteville 80-69

Arkansas 80 - (2) Florida 69

Top Performers

Florida Gators (18-3, 8-1 SEC)
Mike Rosario: 15 points (5/10 fg, 2/5 3pt, 3/3 ft)
Scottie Wilbekin: 14 points (5/15 fg, 2/5 3pt), 7 rebounds, 4 assists
Michael Frazier: 11 points (3/5 fg, 3/4 3pt), 9 rebounds

Arkansas Razorbacks (14-8, 5-4 SEC)
BJ Young: 13 points (3/8 fg, 2/4 3pt, 5/6 ft), 5 assists, 4 rebounds
Marshawn Powell: 11 point (5/12 fg, 1/1 3pt), 6 rebounds
Michael Qualls: 11 points (5/9 fg, 1/2 3pt), 4 rebounds

First Half Notes

• Arkansas was 13-1 at home prior to Tuesday's game.  They're only loss was against Syracuse.
• Junior guard Scottie Wilbekin missed the first two shots for the Gators, while Arkansas hit their first two shots, both three's.
• Senior guard Kenny Boynton's shot was off the entire night and it started with an open missed three. 
• Senior forward Erik Murphy was even more surprising, shooting 2/7 overall from the field (1/6 3pt).  Murphy came into the game shooting 51% from 3-point range, 1st in the SEC.
• Junior forward Will Yeguete hadn't practiced in the last two weeks due to tendinitis in his knee.  Unfortunately, he left the game and was ruled out.  On Wednesday, Coach Donovan announced that Yeguete would be undergoing knee surgery and will miss the rest of the regular season.
• Junior guard/forward Casey Prather checked into the game at the 15:02 mark.  Prather, however, didn't contribute much stat-wise: 0 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 fouls.  However, he gets somewhat of a pass because this is only his third game back since recovering from a high ankle sprain.  He still needs more practice time, which will help with his conditioning (which led to his four fouls).
• Donovan wanted to see if his older players (Boynton, Murphy, Rosario, Wilbekin, and Young) could fight their way back from the large deficit.  He didn't call a timeout and it may have proved costly because Arkansas continued to increase their lead.
• I realize that Murphy's bulked up to 238 pounds, but he needs to be stronger with the ball inside the three-point line.  He did have seven rebounds, but had four turnovers.
• ESPN analyst Jimmy Dykes made a good point when he said that Tuesday's game was the first time all season where Florida's opponent was playing harder than them.
• Florida's largest deficit of the first half was 23 points, their largest of the season.
• At the 7:46 mark, the Gators were down 37-15.  Florida had given up fewer points to Alabama State and South Carolina in full games.
• UF had only given up 40 or more points in the first half once this season (vs. UCF, when they gave up 42 points). 
• Freshman guard Michael Frazier was one of the few bright spots, scoring 11 points off the bench, while grabbing 9 rebounds in 25 minutes.  He has made 18/19 free throws this season.
• Florida had a 26.5 point winning margin in their first eight SEC games (all wins).
• The Razorbacks came into the game shooting 29.7% from 3-point range.  They made 8/18 on Tuesday.
• Arkansas scored 39 points in the first 13 minutes.
• Donovan only called one timeout during the half.
• Halftime score: Arkansas 43 - Florida 26

Second Half Notes

• •The Gators trailed only twice at the half prior to Tuesday's game.
• Senior forward Patric Young was in foul trouble the entire game, eventually fouling out at the 3:41 mark.  Considering that fact, he played a credible game with nine points and four rebounds, and did well to play 26 minutes.
• Donovan was clearly frustrated throughout the game with the officiating, once calling a timeout just to speak with each official individually about the way that the game was being called.
• After the previously mentioned timeout, senior guard Mike Rosario scored five points to cut the deficit to 49-31.  The Gators would go on a 7-0 run after that timeout.
• Florida assistant coach John Pelphrey was back in Fayetteville, which was his home for four years when he was the head coach of the Razorbacks from 2007-2011.
• The loudest roar of the night came when fan favorite Kikko Haydar nailed a 3-pointer.  Haydar, a former walk-on from Fayetteville, is part of the rotation and is a solid backup at the guard positions.
• Two missed fastbreak layups by Prather and Wilbekin were momentum-killers.
• Coty Clarke's acrobatic dunk was the nail in the coffin for the Gators.
• The largest deficit of the game was 27 points.
• Donovan had no choice to insert Young with four fouls due to Yeguete's injury and their lack of frontcourt depth.  Young played much better in the second half.
• Wilbekin had two very uncharacteristic fouls, possibly out of frustration.
• Arkansas played 12 players, 11 of which scored.  That's the definition of balanced scoring.
• UF was able to cut the lead down to 13, the closest the game had been since it was 21-8.
• The Razorbacks came out ready to play and left the Gators in the dust after the tip.
• The Gators never led and their were no ties.  Arkansas opened the game with two three's and never looked back.
• The most points that Florida had previously given up was 67 points in the loss to Kansas State.
• #8 Miami (FL) is the only Power-Six conference team to remain undefeated.
• Final score: Arkansas 80 - Florida 69

Coach's Quotes

Florida Coach Billy Donovan

Talking about dealing with Yeguete injury and foul trouble...
"You gotta be resilient."

Talking about how loss may benefit team going forward...
"Getting humbled is a good thing."

Talking about the inefficiency of the Gators in the loss...
"We didn't give ourselves a chance to win the game."

Talking about how Arkansas is a good team but...
"They're not [26 or 28] points better than us."

Selected stats (all Florida stats unless noted)

Field goals made/attempted= 23/56 (41.1%)
Three-pointers made/attempted= 10/27 (37.0%)
Free throws made/attempted= 13/19 (68.4%)
Rebounds/offensive= 33 rebounds/9 offensive
Fouls= 19
Assists= 15
Turnovers= 16
Steals= 5
Arkansas turnovers= 9
Blocks= 1
Points off turnovers= n/a
Points in the paint= 22
Second-chance points= 12
Fastbreak points= n/a
Bench points= 12
Guard rebounds= 18
Arkansas offensive rebounds= 7
Second half points= Florida (43), Arkansas (37)

Officials= Doug Shows, Mike Nance, and Mark Whitehead
Attendance= 13,816
What's Up Next

The Gators return home to try to rebound from Tuesday's loss when they face Mississippi State, whom the Gators beat 82-47 in Starkville on January 26.  The Bulldogs come in with a record of 7-14 and are 2-7 in the SEC.  The tip is set for 5:00.  The game will be televised on Fox Sports Florida and broadcast on the radio on WRUF/Gator IMG Sports Network.  The pregame radio show begins at 4:25.