Gators travel to Starkville to face Bulldogs

Game 20: #3 University of Florida Gators (17-2, 6-0 SEC) at Mississippi State University Bulldogs (13-6, 3-3 SEC)
Humphrey Coliseum (capacity: 10,575), Starkville, Mississippi 7:00 p.m.

Broadcast Information

TV: ESPN2; Rece Davis (play-by-play) and Bob Knight (analyst)
Radio: Gator IMG Sports Network; Mick Hubert (play-by-play) and Bill Koss (analyst)
Streaming: ESPN3.com

Now ranked third in the country, Florida could easily get too over-confident and find itself in a dogfight with a pesky Mississippi State squad.  The Bulldogs have already eclipsed their win total from last season (10) and coach Rick Ray deserves consideration for SEC Coach of the Year if they keep their conference record around or above .500.  Ray's team is second in the conference and eighth in the country in steals with 8.8 per game.  They are 11-1 at "The Hump," where they average 27.2 free throw attempts.  In their last game, they lost to in-state rival Ole Miss, 82-63.  They are led, primarily, by three sophomores: Gavin Ware, Fred Thomas, and Craig Sword.  Ware is their tallest active player at 6'9" and it shows, as their rebounding margin is -1.4.  Mississippi State is only shooting 30.9% from 3-point range, making 4.6 per game.  They will have to improve in that area tonight if they want to avenge last year's losses to Florida, 82-47 (Starkville) and 83-58 (Gainesville).

Florida received good news this week with the announcement that freshman forward Chris Walker would become eligible for Tuesday's game at home against Missouri (9:00 p.m.).  The NCAA had been investigating Walker's amateur status, but he had been practicing with the team after enrolling in the university after the fall semester following his completion of high school credits.  As far as tonight's game is concerned, the Gators will be looking to extend their 11-game winning streak (longest since beginning 2005-2006 season 17-0), but don't think that Mississippi State will hand it to them.  The crowd will certainly be electric and it is key for the Gators to not play down to the Bulldogs' level.  The area where I'll be paying close attention to is turnovers.  The Bulldogs force 15.6 turnovers per game, so Kasey Hill and Scottie Wilbekin need to take care of the ball.

Projected lineups and reserves

Florida

#5 Scottie Wilbekin (6'2", 176 lbs. SR) Season stats: 12.5 points per game, 3.4 assists per game
#20 Michael Frazier II (6'6", 195 lbs. SO) 12.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg
#24 Casey Prather (6'6", 212 lbs. SR) 16.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg
#15 Will Yeguete (6'8", 230 lbs. SR) 5.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg
#4 Patric Young (6'9", 240 lbs. SR) 10.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg

Bench

#10 Dorian Finney-Smith (6'8", 212 lbs. RS-SO) 10.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg
#0 Kasey Hill (6'1", 181 lbs. FR) 6.5 ppg, 3.3 apg
#25 DeVon Walker (6'6", 195 lbs. SO) 3.0 ppg, 1.7 rpg
#30 Jacob Kurtz (6'6", 210 lbs. JR) 2.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg

Mississippi State

#4 Trivante Bloodman (6'0", 182 lbs. JR) Season stats: 5.8 points per game, 2.4 assists per game
#32 Craig Sword (6'3", 194 lbs. SO) 13.9 ppg, 3.6 rebounds per game
#1 Fred Thomas (6'5", 206 lbs. SO) 8.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg
#3 Colin Borchert (6'8", 231 lbs. SR) 10.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg
#20 Gavin Ware (6'9", 268 lbs. SO) 11.0 ppg, 8.2 rpg

Bench

#25 Roquez Johnson (6'7", 197 lbs. JR) 10.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg
#15 I.J. Ready (5'11", 170 lbs. FR) 6.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg
#24 Tyson Cunningham (6'3", 197 lbs. SR) 1.7 ppg, 0.4 rpg

Traditional rival Tennessee comes to town

Game 19: University of Tennessee Volunteers (12-6, 3-2 SEC) at #6 University of Florida Gators (16-2, 5-0 SEC)
Stephen C. O'Connell Center (capacity: 11,548), Gainesville, Florida 4:00 p.m.

Broadcast Information

TV: ESPN; Mark Jones (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analyst)
Radio: Gator IMG Sports Network; Mick Hubert (play-by-play) and Bill Koss (analyst)
Streaming: ESPN3.com

Despite travel problems on Thursday, Florida is confident in their preparation for today's game against one of its biggest rivals.  Due to mechanical issues with their chartered plane, the Gators watched film in the hotel in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Thursday night following their 68-62 win over Alabama.  They then had a light practice yesterday after getting into Gainesville around noon.  But the players and coaching staff aren't making a big deal out of their less-than-ideal preparation.

Tennessee, coming off an 81-74 win over Arkansas on Wednesday, is looking for a signature win, with its only noteworthy victory coming against Virginia.  Vols coach Cuonzo Martin is in his third season at the helm and this year's team has embraced the toughness that their coach displayed while playing at Purdue.  Junior forward Jarnell Stokes is the SEC's second-leading rebounder at 9.7 per game, with Jeronne Maymon fourth in the conference at 8.2.  Both big men are 6'8" and 260 pounds.  But probably the best pure-scorer in the conference is Jordan McRae, who's averaging 19.2 points per game, good for third in the SEC.  The senior is coming off of a 34-point performance in Wednesday's game.

Florida coach Billy Donovan said that the bench will play a big role, more so than normal due to the Thursday-Saturday turnaround.  Remarkably, the Gators are 16-1 in those such turnarounds.

Today's game is the 125th all-time meeting between the two schools, with Tennessee leading the series 72-52, including three in a row.  The Gators are 16-18 under Donovan against the Vols.  The Gators have been taking care of business at home, going 33-24.

Projected lineups and reserves

Tennessee

#2 Antonio Barton (6'2", 180 lbs. SR) Season stats: 8.3 points per game, 2.0 rebounds per game
#1 Josh Richardson (6'6", 196 lbs. JR) 8.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg
#52 Jordan McRae (6'6", 185 lbs. SR) 19.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg
#5 Jarnell Stokes (6'8", 260 lbs. JR) 13.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg
#34 Jeronne Maymon (6'8", 260 lbs. RS SR) 11.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg

Bench

#15 Darius Thompson (6'5", 181 lbs. FR) 2.9 ppg, 2.6 assists per game
#21 A.J. Davis (6'9", 212 lbs. FR) 2.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg
#23 Derek Reese (6'8", 220 lbs. SO) 3.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg
#4 Armani Moore (6'5", 215 lbs. SO) 2.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg
#32 D'Montre Edwards (6'6", 205 lbs. SR) 2.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg

Florida

#5 Scottie Wilbekin (6'2", 176 lbs. SR) Season stats: 12.5 points per game, 3.6 assists per game
#20 Michael Frazier II (6'6", 195 lbs. SO) 12.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg
#24 Casey Prather (6'6", 212 lbs. SR) 17.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg
#15 Will Yeguete (6'8", 230 lbs. SR) 5.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg
#4 Patric Young (6'9", 240 lbs. SR) 10.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg

Bench

#10 Dorian Finney-Smith (6'8", 212 lbs. RS-SO) 10.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg
#0 Kasey Hill (6'1", 181 lbs. FR) 6.8 ppg, 3.4 apg
#25 DeVon Walker (6'6", 195 lbs. SO) 3.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg
#30 Jacob Kurtz (6'6", 210 lbs. JR) 2.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg

2 keys to beating Arkansas

1. "Man down, man up"

The Gators will be without leading scorer Casey Prather, who suffered a bone bruise in his knee during Wednesday's win over South Carolina.  Senior center Patric Young, who is arguably playing the best basketball of his career, has been hobbled by tendinitis in both knees and will not start today.  Senior point guard Scottie Wilbekin will not start either, after turning his ankle at the end of Wednesday's game.  Sophomore shooting guard Michael Frazier II has been dealing with a calf injury.  Young has been in and out of practice, while Wilbekin has not practiced since his injury.  Both Young and Wilbekin will play today.  The Gators have been undermanned all season, with sophomore guard Dillon Graham (hip) and junior guard Eli Carter (leg) electing to redshirt after not being able to get back to full fitness.  According to Coach Billy Donovan, the Gator starting lineup will be: Kasey Hill (PG), Frazier II (SG), DeVon Walker (SF), Dorian Finney-Smith (PF), and Will Yeguete (C).  Junior walk-on forward Jacob Kurtz will be utilized and should be a big role in today's game.

2.  Dealing with the Razorback crowd

Bud Walton Arena is one of the loudest arenas in the country, and the Razorbacks have won 23 straight games here.  According to Donovan, Arkansas is a "top-5 team" when they play at home.  Expect all 19,200 seats to be filled.  Razorback fans should be excited, as #10 Florida comes into town today and #14 Kentucky comes in on Tuesday.
   

Florida opens SEC play with South Carolina coming to town

Game 14: University of South Carolina Gamecocks (7-6, 0-0 SEC) at #10 University of Florida Gators (11-2, 0-0 SEC)
Stephen C. O'Connell Center (capacity: 11,548), Gainesville, Florida 7:00 p.m.

Projected starting lineups and reserves:

South Carolina

#1 Brenton Williams (5'11", 172 lbs. SR) Season stats: 11.2 points per game, 1.8 rebounds per game
#10 Duane Notice (6'2", 221 lbs. FR) 6.7 ppg, 2.9 assists per game
#0 Sindarius Thornwell (6'5", 206 lbs. FR) 10.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg
#25 Mindaugas Kacinas (6'7", 210 lbs. SO) 6.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg
#21 Demetrius Henry (6'9", 215 lbs. FR) 7.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg

Reserves

#4 Tyrone Johnson (6'3", 194 lbs. JR) 11.7 ppg, 3.7 apg
#24 Michael Carrera (6'5", 214 lbs. SO) 7.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg
#14 Laimonas Chatkevicious (6'11, 250 lbs. SO) 3.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg
#32 Desmond Ringer (6'9", 255 lbs. FR) 2.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg
#5 Jaylen Shaw (6'0", 182 lbs. FR) 3.6 ppg, 1.4 apg

Florida

#5 Scottie Wilbekin (6'2", 176 lbs. SR) Season stats: 11.8 points per game, 4.0 assists per game, 3.3 rebounds per game  
#20 Michael Frazier II (6'6", 195 lbs. SO) 11.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg
#24 Casey Prather (6'6", 212 lbs. SR) 17.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg
#15 Will Yeguete (6'8", 230 lbs. SR) 4.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg
#4 Patric Young (6'9", 240 lbs. SR) 10.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.0 block per game

Reserves:

#10 Dorian Finney-Smith (6'8", 212 lbs. RS-SO) 10.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg
#0 Kasey Hill (6'1", 181 lbs. FR) 7.6 ppg, 3.3 apg
#25 DeVon Walker (6'6", 195 lbs. SO) 3.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg
#30 Jacob Kurtz (6'6", 210 lbs. JR) 2.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg

Broadcast Information

TV: CSS; Matt Stewart (play-by-play) and Daymeon Fishback (analyst)
Radio: Gator IMG Sports Network; Mick Hubert (play-by-play) and Bill Koss (analyst)
Streaming: ESPN3.com

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!