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.

Second-ranked Florida on upset-alert as they travel to Arkansas

#2 Florida Gators (18-2, 8-0 SEC) at Arkansas Razorbacks (13-8, 4-4 SEC)
Bud Walton Arena (capacity: 19,200), Fayetteville, Ark. 7:00 p.m.

Broadcast Information

TV: ESPN; Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Jimmy Dykes(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 (404-160, 17th season at Florida; 439-180 overall, 19th season)
Arkansas: Mike Anderson (31-22, 2nd season at Arkansas; 231-120 overall, 11th season)

Probable Starters

Florida Gators

#5 Scottie Wilbekin (6'2", 176 lbs JR) Season stats: 9.3 ppg, 5.1 apg, 2.7 rpg, 1.7 steals per game
#1 Kenny Boynton (6'2", 190 lbs SR) Season stats: 13.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.4 apg
#3 Mike Rosario (6'3", 183 lbs RS-SR) Season stats: 12.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.4 apg
#33 Erik Murphy (6'10", 238 lbs SR) Season stats: 12.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg
#4 Patric Young (6'9", 249 lbs JR) Season stats: 11.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.9 blocks per game

Bench

#15 Will Yeguete (6'7", 240 lbs JR) Season stats: 6.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg
#20 Michael Frazier (6'4", 200 lbs FR) Season stats: 5.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg
#24 Casey Prather (6'6", 208 lbs JR) Season stats: 5.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg
Arkansas Razorbacks

#1 Mardracus Wade (6'2", 176 lbs JR) Season stats: 6.3 ppg, 1.5 apg
#11 BJ Young (6'3", 180 lbs SO) Season stats: 16.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.1 apg
# 3 Rickey Scott (6'3", 205 lbs JR) Season stats: 5.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg
#4 Coty Clarke (6'7", 225 lbs JR) Season stats: 6.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg
#33 Marshawn Powell (6'7", 240 lbs JR) Season stats: 15.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg
Bench

#21 Hunter Mickelson (6'10", 245 lbs SO) Season stats: 7.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.5 blocks per game
#00 Rashad Madden (6'5", 181 lbs SO) Season stats: 4.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg
#12 Fred Gulley (6'2", 177 lbs JR) Season stats: 1.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg
#20 Kikko Haydar (5'10", 162 lbs JR) Season stats: 3.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg
#24 Michael Qualls (6'5", 205 lbs FR) Season stats: 3.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg
#22 Jacorey Williams (6'8", 204 lbs FR) Season stats: 4.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg
#5 Anthlon Bell (6'3", 190 lbs FR) Season stats: 3.7 ppg, 0.8 rpg

Injury News and Team Notes

• This is the first time since the 2007 National Championship win that the Gators have been ranked #2 or higher.
• The Gators are 5-2 against the RPI top-50 and 8-2 vs. the RPI top-100.
• The Gators have the 10th toughest schedule in the country (strength of schedule).
• Billy Donovan: "Our guys understand the value of defense."
• Donovan: "We've got plenty of stuff to work on.  That's not a problem."--talking about keeping players motivated and focused (not looking at rankings).
• Donovan: "They come in every single day and try to work and get better."--talking about this year's freshman class.
• Kenny Boynton has the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the SEC.
• Arkansas is 13-1 at home (only loss was to Syracuse).
• Florida is 6-2 on the road.
• The Gators are 4-7 all-time at Arkansas, 4-4 under Donovan.

What I'm Wondering

1.  How will the Gators deal with playing in Bud Walton Arena, which can be one of the loudest venues in the country and also where Arkansas is 13-1 this season?

2.  Florida had better come out ready to play because I have a feeling that Arkansas is going to play its best game of the season tonight.  Whether that's good enough to beat the Gators, we'll have to wait and see.  Will Florida get off to a quick start?

3.  Arkansas' BJ Young and Marshawn Powell may be the best duo in the SEC.  It's paramount that the Gators lock up on Young (presumably Wilbekin will guard him) and put a body on Powell and not let him gain post position on Young, Murphy, or Yeguete.  How will the Gators do with containing Young and Powell?

4. The Razorbacks will play 11-12 guys.  With Florida having an eight-man rotation, this could pose some problems for the Gators.  Will depth play a factor in tonight's game, for either team?

Final score prediction: Florida 75 - Arkansas 70

"Toughest game by far" for Gators as they down Ole Miss 78-64

(16) Ole Miss 64 - (4) Florida 78

Top Performers

Ole Miss Rebels (17-4, 6-2 SEC)
Marshall Henderson: 25 points (8/15 fg, 7/11 3pt)
Murphy Holloway: 15 points (5/16 fg, 5/7 ft), 7 rebounds
Reginald Buckner: 8 points (2/4 fg, 4/6 ft), 3 blocks

Florida Gators (18-2, 8-0 SEC)
Erik Murphy: 19 points (7/8 fg, 5/6 3pt), 6 rebounds, 2 blocks
Patric Young: 13 points (6/8 fg, 1/1 ft), 12 rebounds
Mike Rosario: 14 points (6/10 fg, 2/5 3pt), 4 rebounds, 3 assists
Scottie Wilbekin: 13 points (6/15 fg), 7 assists
Kenny Boynton: 9 points, 10 assists

First Half Notes

• This was Florida's second sellout of the season, the other being the Missouri game.
• Prior to the game, I said to myself, "This isn't South Carolina or Mississippi State.  This is a few steps up in competition."  The Gator coaching staff obviously let the players know this before the game.
• The Gators rank 10th in fewest fouls committed.
• The Gators, or any team for that matter, could not afford to give Ole Miss star guard Marshall Henderson any space.  He's comfortable shooting the ball from anywhere inside the halfcourt line.  He made a few "did I just see that?" shots versus the Gators, but junior defensive stopper Scottie Wilbekin played tough, aggressive defense on him.  He really made him work for his 25 points.  They were the toughest 25 points that he's ever gotten, I can assure you of that.
• Wilbekin is making a strong case for SEC Defensive Player of the Year.  It's probably between him, Anthony Hickey at LSU, and Nerlens Noel of Kentucky.
• ESPNU showed a graphic with teams that have started 7-0 in conference play and won each game by 15+ points in the last 25 years.  Florida is one of three teams to hold this distinction.
• Senior forward Erik Murphy had a big offensive rebounds as the shot clock expired early on in the first half.  Murphy played his most complete game of the SEC season, scoring 19 points (missed only one shot) and grabbed six rebounds.  Murphy's making his case for SEC Player of the Year. 
• Freshman guard Michael Frazier hit a 3-pointer to put UF up 30-14 at the 9:15 mark.  This resulted in an Ole Miss timeout and really got the crowd up and out of their seats.  Frazier continues to be UF's top offensive option off the bench.
• Junior forward Patric Young played inspired ball in both halves.  He was actively attacking the rim on both offense and defense, scoring 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season.
• I've said it before, but Young needs to bring the same intensity that he brought to this game and carry it over to the remaining games.  He becomes dominant when he plays like an animal.  Few can compete with his strength and motor. 
• Florida went on a 15-1 run from 11:08 until 5:52  (UF led 35-15 after the run).  That's been the story of this season; Florida will go on a lengthy run and its opponents haven't been able to fight their way back.
• Junior guard/forward Casey Prather checked into the game at the 7:13 mark.  He played six minutes, picking up one foul for his only stat of the game.  Coach Billy Donovan said after the game, "Casey needs more practice time."  After being out two and a half weeks with a high ankle sprain, it's no surprise that he's just getting back into the swing of things.  Tuesday's game at Arkansas will be a good judge of how confident Donovan feels putting him out on the court for extended minutes.
• Murphy scored his 10th point late in the first half (he scored 19), giving him his 13th double- figure scoring game.
• Henderson picked up his second foul at the 4:10 mark, a tremendous credit to Wilbekin's "in your face defense."
• Ole Miss went on a 10-0 run at the end of the half that cut the Gator lead to 10 (35-25).
• A Murphy 3-pointer ended the Rebels' run, stalling the momentum for the Rebels.
• UF did not attempt a free throw in the first half.
• Wilbekin hit a jumper to end the half.
• The Rebels' second offensive option, Murphy Holloway, went 1/7 from the field in the first half.
• Donovan: "We gotta grow up and get past that."--talking about UF complaining to the officials about the lack of calls.
• Halftime score: Florida 40 - Ole Miss 27

Second Half Notes

• Wilbekin hit a three-pointer to begin the half, giving the Gators a 43-27 lead.
• Frazier had a great ball fake and took the jumper, but missed the shot.  It was an excellent move that shows he's trying to expand his game.
• Henderson is one of the best movers without the ball in the country.  He uses screens very well and he has a catch-and-fire release (similar to ex-Vanderbilt sniper John Jenkins).
• Senior guard Kenny Boynton, although he finished with 10 assists, did not shoot the ball well at all.  He went 3/13 from the field, including 1/7 from 3-point range.  I'm confident that this was just an anomaly.  He made up for his shooting woes by racking up a career-high number of assists.  As long as he makes other differences in the game, it's fine by me. 
• Boynton and Wilbekin shot 2/14 from behind the arc.
• Three's by Murphy and Frazier put UF up 19 (56-37).
• The Gators really used the scouting report to their advantage when forcing Holloway to his right (he's left-handed).
• Erik Murphy has to be stronger on the boards.  He gets too many knocked out of his hands.
• Wilbekin made the heads-up play of the game when he threw the ball off the defender during an in-bounds play and got rewarded with two points.  He's done that a few times this season.  It's a tribute to his high basketball I.Q.
• Donovan cleared the bench with 17 seconds left in the game.
• UF scored on 33 out of its 66 possessions.
• Final score: Florida 78 - Ole Miss 64

Quick Stats (courtesy of Gatorzone.com)

• Florida has won 10 straight games
• It's the ninth 10+ game winning streak in program history and the eighth under Billy Donovan
• UF is now 3-1 against ranked opponents this season (defeated Wisconsin, Missouri, and Ole Miss and lost to Arizona).  Florida also lost to Kansas State, who was unranked when the teams played.  KSU is now ranked #13.
• The Gators are now 61-42 all-time against Ole Miss, including 36-11 at home.
• UF has now won five straight against Ole Miss, and 11 out of the last 12.
• The Gators held Ole Miss to only 64 points, well below its season average of 80.3 ppg (fifth in the nation)
• The first free-throw attempt (and make) for the Gators came at the 15:52 mark in the second half, with Young doing the honors.
• Florida shot 54.8% (17/31) from the field in the first half, its best shooting half since going 58% in the first half versus Missouri.
• UF attempted 29 three-pointers against the Rebels.  It's the second time in the last three games that the Gators have attempted 25 or more three's.
• Four Gator players scored in double-figures (Murphy 19, Rosario 14, Young 13, Wilbekin 13) making the Gators 8-0 this season when four or more players score at least 10 points.
• Boynton's 10 assists were a career-high (10th in the SEC in that category).
• Murphy set a season-high for 3-pointers (5)
• Boynton continued his streak 14-consecutive games with a three-pointer
• It was the third-straight game with Murphy, Boynton, Rosario, Wilbekin, and Frazier each hitting a 3-pointer.
• Young's 12 rebounds tied a season-high set versus Alabama State on November 11th.

Selected stats (all Florida stats unless noted)
Field goals made/attempted= 32/62 (51.6%)
Three-pointers made/attempted= 11/29 (37.9%)
Free throws made/attempted= 3/3 (100.0%)
Rebounds/offensive= 34 rebounds/9 offensive
Fouls= 19
Assists= 23
Turnovers= 12
Steals= 3
Ole Miss turnovers= 13
Blocks= 5
Points off turnovers= 16
Points in the paint= 34
Second-chance points= 6
Fastbreak points= 2
Bench points= 10
Guard rebounds= 8
Ole Miss offensive rebounds= 12
Second half points= Florida (38), South Carolina (37)

Officials= Tony Greene, Ron Groover, and Willi CJ Washington
Attendance= 12,522
Coach's Quotes

Billy Donovan

Talking about Young's shoulder injury...
"I thought he dislocated it...he's fine though."

Talking about Wilbekin's defense on Henderson...
"[We] gave Scottie carte blanche (he could do anything that he needed to do in order to defend Henderson."

Player Quotes

Erik Murphy

Talking about his shooting prowess...
"It's going in." (Short and simple, always courtesy of Murphy)

Scottie Wilbekin

Talking about the Gators' defense...
"[We were] more focused on defense than ever before."

Talking about the Rebels' talent...
"[It was our] the toughest game by far."

What's Up Next

The Gators travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for a tough road matchup with the Arkansas Razorbacks.  The Razorbacks come in with a record of 13-8 and are 4-4 in the SEC, fresh off a win over Tennessee on Saturday at home.  The Razorbacks are 13-1 at Bud Walton Arena.  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.

The Marshall Plan: Gators try to contain Ole Miss guard and remain atop SEC

#16 Ole Miss Rebels (17-3, 6-1 SEC) at #4 Florida Gators (17-2, 7-0 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

Ole Miss: Andy Kennedy (142-81, 7th season at Ole Miss; 163-94 overall, 6th season)
University of Florida: Billy Donovan (403-160, 17th season at Florida; 438-180 overall, 19th season)

Probable Starters

Ole Miss Rebels

#32 Jarvis Summers (6'3", 184 lbs SO) Season stats: 8.9 ppg, 3.9 apg
#22 Marshall Henderson (6'2", 175 lbs JR) Season stats: 19.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg
#10 LaDarius White (6'6", 210 lbs SO) Season stats: 5.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg
#23 Reginald Buckner (6'9", 235 lbs SR) Season stats: 9.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg
#31 Murphy Holloway (6'7", 240 lbs SR) Season stats: 14.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg

Bench

#20 Nick Williams (6'4", 212 lbs SR) Season stats: 9.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg *injured, but will play
#3 Derrick Millinghaus (5'10", 170 lbs FR) Season stats: 5.5 ppg, 1.8 apg
#1 Martavious Newby (6'3", 210 lbs FR) Season stats: 2.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg
#13 Anthony Perez (6'9", 205 lbs FR) Season stats: 2.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg

Florida Gators

#5 Scottie Wilbekin (6'2", 176 lbs JR) Season stats: 9.1 ppg, 4.9 apg, 2.8 rpg, 1.7 steals per game
#1 Kenny Boynton (6'2", 190 lbs SR) Season stats: 13.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.0 apg
#3 Mike Rosario (6'3", 183 lbs RS-SR) Season stats: 11.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.3 apg
#33 Erik Murphy (6'10", 238 lbs SR) Season stats: 12.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg
#4 Patric Young (6'9", 249 lbs JR) Season stats: 11.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.8 blocks per game

Bench

#15 Will Yeguete (6'7", 240 lbs JR) Season stats: 6.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg
#20 Michael Frazier (6'4", 200 lbs FR) Season stats: 5.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg
#24 Casey Prather (6'6", 208 lbs JR) Season stats: 6.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg

Injury News and Team Notes

• Junior guard/forward Casey Prather, who had missed the last four games due to a high ankle sprain, played three minutes against South Carolina.  He's averaging 14.4 minutes per game; look for him to see similar minutes in tonight's game.
• The Gators are going for their 10th straight win tonight.
• The game has been declared a sellout.  This will be Florida's second sellout of the season, the other one being the Missouri game on January 19.
• Courtesy of Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo! Sports: "The Gators have now beaten their seven SEC foes by an average of a ridiculous 28.3 points per game, never trailing in three of the victories and leading for all 140 second-half minutes besides the first 43 seconds after halftime at Georgia."
• Senior forward Erik Murphy leads the SEC in 3-point shooting at 48.7% (38/78).  
• The Gators shot 7/16 from the free throw line in Wednesday's game.  I'm sure Coach Donovan made sure that they put in some extra work during the last few days.
• Sophomore walk-on Jacob Kurtz has scored in three out of the last five games that he's played in. 
• The Gators held an opponent under 40 points for the second time this season, holding South Carolina to 36 points.
• In addition, the Gators held an opponent under 50 points for the 11th time this season.
• Ole Miss reserve forward Aaron Jones suffered a torn ACL in Tuesday's loss to Kentucky.  Jones was playing 16.9 minutes per game, so the Rebels will need freshman forward Anthony Perez to take some of Jones' minutes.
• Ole Miss star guard Marshall Henderson is averaging 19.3 ppg (#1 in the SEC in ppg) and has made 76 out of 218 three-pointers.  74.6% of his shots come from behind the arc (attempted 292 shots overall).  Needless to say, he's never seen a shot that he doesn't like and he's not afraid to pull up from anywhere.
• Henderson is averaging 21.3 ppg in SEC play.
• Murphy Holloway is the only SEC player averaging a double-double at 14.6 ppg and 10.3 rpg.
• Ole Miss has the SEC's top-scoring offense (fifth nationally), averaging 80.0 ppg.
• The Rebels also have the top 3-point defense in the conference, allowing 27.9% from behind the arc.

Last Game for Both Schools

Ole Miss: Lost to Kentucky (home) on Tuesday, 87-74 (the Rebels' first SEC loss).
Florida: Defeated South Carolina (home) on Wednesday, 75-36.

Florida All-Time Versus Ole Miss

Florida leads the all-time series versus the Rebels, 60-42.  The Gators are 13-6 under Donovan versus Ole Miss.  The Gators have won four straight and 10 of the last 11 meeting in the series.  UF is 35-11 all-time at home versus the Rebels, including 6-2 under Donovan.  The Gators have won six straight at home versus Ole Miss.  Four of the last five games have been decided by six points or less.

Last Meeting Between Schools

The Gators escaped with a four-point win (64-60) in Oxford, Mississippi, in January 26, 2012.  The Gators overcame a 16-point deficit to steal a road win.  Patric Young scored 15 points, Kenny Boynton had 12, and Erving Walker chipped in 10.

What I'm Wondering

1.  I think that the overriding question for tonight's game is whether the Gator defense will be able to contain Marshall Henderson.  He scored 21 points in Tuesday's loss to Kentucky, but needed 19 shots (made five shots).  Scottie Wilbekin will take the challenge of guarding the Rebels' best player.  Simply put, will the Gators be able to contain Henderson?  I'm confident that they will.  The Wilbekin-Henderson matchup will be one to die for!

2.  The Gators shot 7/16 from the free throw line in Wednesday's game.  As a team, they're shooting 69.7% from the line this season.  However, two Gators need to improve in that area: Will Yeguete is shooting 57.4% (31/54) and Patric Young shoots 50.0% (37/74).  Will the Gators improve their fortunes at the charity stripe?  After all, that's why they're called a "free" throws.

3.  A big key tonight will be the frontcourt matchups.  Ole Miss has two senior forwards in Buckner (6'9", 235 lbs)  and Holloway (6'7", 240 lbs).  Florida counters with Murphy and Young, with Yeguete off the bench.  Holloway averages a double-double and Young has been fairly consistent on both ends of the floor.  What a matchup down low it's going to be!  Which team will have the inside advantage?


Records to be Broken in the Near Future

• Kenny Boynton (1,848 points) is third on the all-time scoring list (Ronnie Williams leads with 2,090 points).
• Boynton (307 threes) is the all-time leader in three-pointers made in school history.
• Boynton (124 games started) is just 5 starts away from passing Andrew DeClerq (128 starts) for the all-time record in school history.
• Boynton (4,103 minutes played) passed Eugene McDowell for second on the all-time list.  Erving Walker leads with 4,358 minutes played.
• Patric Young (103 dunks) is tied for sixth on the all-time list. 

Final score prediction: Florida 77 - Ole Miss 68

It's not supposed to be this easy: Gators win ninth straight, beat Gamecocks by 39

(4) Florida 75 - South Carolina 36

Top Performers

Florida Gators (17-2, 7-0 SEC)
Mike Rosario: 15 points (6/11 fg, 2/5 3pt)
Kenny Boynton: 15 points (5/11 fg, 3/6 3pt), 7 assists, 4 steals
Michael Frazier: 12 points (4/6 3pt), 7 rebounds
Patric Young: 8 points (3/6 fg), 8 rebounds, 2 blocks

South Carolina Gamecoacks (12-8, 2-5 SEC)
Michael Carrera: 13 points (6/9 fg), 9 rebounds
Bruce Ellington: 7 points (2/9 fg), 7 turnovers

First Half Notes

• Senior guard Kenny Boynton had UF's first five points.
• South Carolina had seven turnovers prior to the 12:00-mark; they finished the game with 17.
• Senior guard Mike Rosario had six points at the second media timeout (11:11).  Rosario had been in a two-game shooting slump (combined 4/21 fg), but was much better with his shot selection in the win over the Gamecocks.  As with all shooters, he needed confidence early in the game by seeing the ball go through the hoop. 
• Rosario actually had 10 points in the first ten minutes of the game.  He was fouled while attempting a three-pointer, made the shot, and then hit the free throw for a four-point play.  Usually those four-point plays are reserved for Boynton!
• Senior forward Erik Murphy (6'10") is the SEC's leading 3-point shooter at 48.7% (38/78).  ESPN analyst Jimmy Dykes has acknowledged that the best collegiate shooters, based on percentage, are 6'7" or taller.
• The Gator defense forced the Gamecocks to commit a 35-second shot clock violation, one of two for the game.  Nothing fires me up more than to see the Gator defense grind it out for the entire shot clock and get rewarded.
• Junior forward Patric Young was 2/7 shooting free throws.  He changed his form from his first two years for some reason and it does not look like a comfortable shooting motion at all.  As a freshman, he shot 70.3% from the charity stripe, as a sophomore 59.3%, and this year he's shooting 50% (37/74).  On average, he's getting to the line four times a game, so he needs to put in the extra work in order to capitalize on his opportunities at the "free" throw line.
• Certainly the highlight of the night was Young's thunderous block on one end, and Rosario's fastbreak dunk on the other.  It's those types of plays that Young can bring to a game, and he's done it plenty of times in the past.
• SEC Network analyst and former Vanderbilt Commodore star guard Barry Booker said that it's going to be a "trip to the woodshed for the (Ole Miss) Rebels."  #16 Ole Miss, beaten Tuesday at home versus Kentucky, travels to Gainesville for a matchup between the SEC's top two teams.  
• UF finished the half 7/16 from the line.
• Coach Billy Donovan talked about the free throw woes: "We work on it every day...I'd like to have more than 20 hours a week [to work on things like free throws]."
• Rosario finished the half with 12 points.
• Freshman guard Michael Frazier corralled five rebounds in the half.
• The Gators scored 12 points off 11 Gamecock turnovers in the half.
• South Carolina: 10 points on 33 possessions
• Florida: 33 points on 34 possessions 
• The UF record for points allowed at the half was in the season-opener against Alabama State, where the Gators gave up nine points in the first half.
• Halftime score: Florida 33 - South Carolina 10 

Second Half Notes

• To begin the half, the Gators immediately looked inside to Young, who made a nice hook shot (only his second shot of the game.
• South Carolina dual-sport athlete Bruce Ellington was held to seven points for the game and also committed seven turnovers.  He came into the game averaging 17.3 ppg in four career games versus the Gators.
• Young displayed another jump shot that found the bottom of the net.  He seems to be more comfortable with them as the season has been progressing.
• Barry Booker: "I haven't seen a team this dominant in SEC play." -talking about Florida.
• Boynton passed former Vanderbilt shooting star John Jenkins on the all-time SEC 3-pointers list.
• Donovan announced shortly before tipoff that junior forward Casey Prather would be active and he wasn't sure how much he'd play him.  He had missed the previous four games with a high ankle sprain.      It's been an injury-riddled season for Prather, who began the season with two concussions.  He checked into the game at the 11:39-mark.  He only played three minutes, probably just to get his competitive juices flowing again, and he scored two points on a layup, and recorded two rebounds and an assist.  Look for Prather to play a significant role in Saturday's game versus Ole Miss.   
• Murphy had an uncharacteristic dunk; he had one versus Missouri, but he doesn't do it often.
• Frazier continues to compete with Murphy on who's the best shooter on the team.  The freshman shot 4/6 from deep and it was his fourth game in double-figures.  He's a star in the making.
• Freshman guard Braxton Ogbueze entered the game at the 5:16-mark.  He recorded an assist in his five minutes of action.  Donovan may be trying to see if Ogbueze can give the Gators some quality minutes at the back-up point guard position as the wear and tear of the season begins to take it's toll.  That's definitely something to monitor. 
• Donovan emptied the bench at the 3:38-mark, allowing freshmen DeVon Walker, Dillon Graham, and sophomore walk-on Jacob Kurtz to get some court time.  
• Kurtz scored for the third time in five games that's played in.  Kurtz plays with poise and doesn't try to force things like some walk-ons like to do.  He just goes out and plays.
• Walker hit his second field goal of the season (2/17 fg).  As he continues to add muscle to his thin frame, he can be an integral piece in his time as a Gator.  I compare him to former Gator Chandler Parsons, in that they have the same body type and are both, for the most part, perimeter players.
• The Gators did not attempt a free throw in the second half.  In the first half, they made seven out of 12.
• At the conclusion of the game, Donovan and South Carolina coach Frank Martin had some nice words for each other.  They've been long-time friends going back to Martin's days coaching former Gators Udonis Haslem and Brent Wright in high school.
• The Gators held an opponent under 40 points for the second time this season (Alabama State scored 35).
• The Gators held an opponent under 50 points for the 11th time this season.  
• Final score: Florida 75 - South Carolina 36

Coaches' Quotes

South Carolina Coach Frank Martin
“They’re real good.  The more I studied them on tape, the more I realized there’s a reason they’ve played as well as they have this year.  When they play here in this building, they take it to even another level.”

Florida Coach Billy Donovan
“What I've tried to get across to these guys is when you're up by a large margin, that does not give you the right not to do your job.  The scoreboard has nothing to do with your responsibility on the court, and they've done a pretty good job playing every possession.”


Selected stats (all Florida stats unless noted)

Field goals made/attempted= 28/53 (52.8%)
Three-pointers made/attempted= 12/21 (57.1%)
Free throws made/attempted= 7/16 (43.8%)
Rebounds/offensive= 38 rebounds/11 offensive
Fouls= 9
Assists= 18
Turnovers= 12
Steals= 13
South Carolina turnovers= 17
Blocks= 3
Points off turnovers= 22
Points in the paint= 28
Second-chance points= 7
Fastbreak points= 16
Bench points= 21
Guard rebounds= 17
South Carolina offensive rebounds= 6
Second half points= Florida (42), South Carolina (26)

Officials= Doug Shows, John Cahill, and Tim Clougherty
Attendance= 10,533

What's Up Next

The Gators face their first quality opponent in a while when they take on the 16th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels at home on Saturday (2/2).  The Rebels come in with a record of 17-3 and are 6-1 in the SEC, having lost on Tuesday to Kentucky.  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.