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ESPN ranked the Florida Gators in the ACC
Via @OSGatorsIn case you hadn’t noticed, the Florida Gators aren’t in the ACC. They happen to play in the SEC. Then why did ESPN lump them in there?
(read more)Gators hang tough against visiting Commodores
GAINESVILLE, Fla. As if playing a rugged Southeastern Conference opponent on about 36 hours rest wasnt trying enough, the Florida Gators had three starters, including both front-court players, on the bench late in the first half Saturday against Vanderbilt and were forced to roll out a rather unconventional lineup.
Try 6-foot-2 Scottie Wilbekin at the power forward spot.
Sometimes it just takes guts, senior point guard Erving Walker said.
Both UF and Vandy showed plenty, but in the end it was the 12th-ranked Gators who dug deep and made the plays down the stretch, including a perfect 14-of-14 from the free-throw line in the second half, to hold off the 25th-ranked Commodores for a 73-65 victoryin front of 11,270 at the OConnell Center.
Junior guard Kenny Boynton scored 18 points and freshman swingman Bradley Beal shook off a 1-for-5 start to make all but one of his six second-half shots on the way to 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Walker threw in 11 points and five assists, with junior guard Mike Rosario (who also did some minutes at power forward) pitching in 10 first-half points off the bench.
All those numbers helped the Gators (19-4, 7-1) win a seventh straight as well as their 19th in a row at the ODome but it was UFs defensive energy, particularly in the full-court press, that triggered a key second-half spurt. Forward Will Yeguete, positioned at the top of the press, was his usual disruptive and discombobulating self, tipping balls, harassing ball-handlers and making life miserable for the Commodores, who turned it over 17 times.
I just feel like any time during the game were going to make a run at some time, said Yeguete, who had eight rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot off the bench. Our press today helped us make that run.
Vanderbilt (16-7, 5-3), which lost its second straight and fell two games behind Florida for second place in the SEC standings, got a game-high 25 points from forward Jeffery Taylor, but Floridas ability to make the pace chaotic prevented the Commodores from getting in their disciplined half-court sets. Without them, conference scoring leader John Jenkins, averaging 19.9 points per game, was held to 15 points, his second-lowest output in SEC play this season.
We didnt do a very good job of attacking their press, and it was disruptive, Vandy coach Kevin Stallings said. We did a poor job with our spacing and our ball-handling, and it caused problems.
UF had its share of problems in the first half. Center Patric Young, starting for the first time in six games, got his second foul early and played only three first-half minutes. Forward Erik Murphy got his second around the 8-minute mark and Beal his with just more than five minutes to go. At one point, the 6-foot-7 Yeguete was the tallest player on the court, surrounded by Wilbekin and Rosario at forward, and Boynton and Casey Prather at guard.
Not long after that, Floridas 10-point lead began withering away as the Commodores closed out the half by cutting the margin to 37-34.
Walker opened the second with a 3-pointer, but Vandy went on a 9-0 blitz and three times scored to hold leads of three points. That was when Beal came to life, scoring eight of the next 10 points, as the Gators unfolding their full-court pressure reeled off 12 straight to take a 58-49 lead with just more than nine minutes remaining.
I thought the press at least got the game going up and down, and got it going to a style that was probably more conducive to us, UF coach Billy Donovan said. And I think because there were so many runs going back and forth by both teams, it was almost who dominated the style of play at that time. When it got slowed and got stagnate in the half-court, it was probably in their favor. When it got up and down, it was probably in our favor.
Two free throws from 6-foot-11, 250-pound center Festus Ezeli (11 points) made the score 66-62 with 1:32 to play. The Gators ran precious seconds off the clock on the ensuing possession, with Walker driving to the lane as the shot clock wound down, firing a pass from beneath the basket back out to Boynton, who nailed a 3-pointer to push the lead to seven with 58 seconds to go. Safe, right?
Taylor nailed a three at Vandy's end nine seconds later. Timeout, Vandy.
Two free throws from Beal with 38.6 seconds padded the lead back to six. In Vanderbilts half of the court, the Gators sent a trap at point guard Brad Tinsley near the top of the key. Tinsley facing right, wheeled to his right and fired a nearly blind pass for Jenkins on the left side of the court but the pass left Tinsleys hands just as Jenkins took off on a back-door cut.
The ball sailed out of bounds with 29 seconds to go, almost hitting Stallings on the Vandy sidelines.
Boyntons two free throws iced the game. Florida finished 16 of 17 from the line, helping survive a second straight game of less than 40-percent shooting from the floor. The Gators shot 37.3 percent in Thursday's late-night win against South Carolina and just 38.3 against Vanderbilt.
But they both won anyway.
And without a lot of time of time in between.
I think throughout the whole season, weve shown we can bounce back when a team throws a punch at us, Boynton said. With a minute to go, Taylor hit that big shot. After that, it came down to free throws. Wed been struggling earlier in the year on free throws, but now, when it matters were making them.
Speaking of doing things when they matter, the Gators next will put their seven-game winning streak on the line and on the road by visiting No. 1 Kentucky in an ESPN-televised game Tuesday night at Rupp Arena, a place they havent won since a couple guys named Noah and Horford and Brewer wore the orange and blue. At least theyll have almost three days to prepare for that one.
And a few hours to savor a pretty good one Saturday.
We needed that, Beal said. We were tired but we hung in and fought.
(read more)No. 12 Gators Beat No. 25 Vanderbilt
GAINESVILLE, FLA. -- Florida appears to have these short turnarounds figured out. Of course, it helps when the Gators are making 3-pointers and forcing turnovers. Kenny Boynton scored 18 points, Bradley Beal added 16 and No. 12 Florida beat No. 25 Vanderbilt 73-65 Saturday for its seventh consecutive victory.
(read more)No. 12 Florida 73, No. 25 Vanderbilt 65
Kenny Boynton scored 18 points, Bradley Beal added 16 and No. 12 Florida beat No. 25 Vanderbilt 73-65 Saturday for its seventh consecutive victory.
Boynton and Beal came up huge in the second half. Beal scored 14 points after halftime. Boynton drained a 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining after the Commodores made it a four-point game and then sank two free throws with 25.9 seconds left to seal Florida's 19th consecutive victory at home.
The Gators (19-4, 7-1 Southeastern Conference), returning to the court about 36 hours after their last win, made 11 of 24 shots from behind the arc. But the biggest difference in the game was the press.
Vanderbilt (16-7, 5-3) committed 17 turnovers, most of them against double teams that followed made baskets.
Jeffery Taylor led the Commodores with 25 points. John Jenkins, the league's leading scorer, added 15.
Vanderbilt used a 9-0 run early in the second half to take the lead, 43-40, and was up 49-46 before Florida took over.
Beal started a 10-0 run with a 3-pointer. He added a tip-in and another 3 in the spurt. The Gators went four minutes without a field goal, giving Vandy plenty of chances to move back in front, but Beal's driving layup made it a six-point game again.
Boynton's shot from behind the arc was equally huge.
The Gators closed it out from the free throw line, making 16 of 17 in the game and 14 of 14 in the second half.
Florida improved to 6-1 in Saturday games that followed Thursday nighters. Vanderbilt lost consecutive games for the second time this season and likely will drop out of The Associated Press college basketball poll.
The Gators survived all sorts of early foul trouble to lead 37-34 at halftime.
Patric Young played just three minutes before picking up his second foul. Erik Murphy and Bradley Beal joined him on the bench late in the first half with two apiece.
With the three starters sidelined, the Gators turned to bench players Will Yeguete, Mike Rosario, Scottie Wilbekin and Casey Prather. Yeguete had eight rebounds in 16 minutes, and Rosario scored 10 points in 12 minutes. It was exactly what Florida needed to withstand Vanderbilt's late rally.
The Commodores ended the half on an 11-5 run that sliced into Florida's 32-23 lead.
Jenkins and Taylor had four points each in the spurt, Brad Tinsley turned a steal into a layup and Lance Goulbourne added a free throw. It was a big turnaround from how the `Dores started the game.
Vandy committed five turnovers in the first five minutes of the game and eight in the first 16 minutes, most of them because of Florida's trapping press.
(read more)Boynton, Beal lead Gators past Vanderbilt
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Kenny Boynton scored 18 points, Bradley Beal added 16 and No. 12 Florida beat No. 25 Vanderbilt 73-65 Saturday for its seventh consecutive victory.
Boynton and Beal came up huge in the second half. Beal scored 14 points after halftime. Boynton drained a 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining after the Commodores made it a four-point game and then sank two free throws with 25.9 seconds left to seal Florida's 19th consecutive victory at home.
The Gators (19-4, 7-1 Southeastern Conference), returning to the court about 36 hours after their last win, made 11 of 24 shots from behind the arc. But the biggest difference in the game was the press.
Vanderbilt (16-7, 5-3) committed 17 turnovers, most of them against double teams that followed made baskets.
Jeffery Taylor led the Commodores with 25 points. John Jenkins, the league's leading scorer, added 15.
(read more)Boynton, Beal lead Gators past Vanderbilt
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Kenny Boynton scored 18 points, Bradley Beal added 16 and No. 12 Florida beat No. 25 Vanderbilt 73-65 Saturday for its seventh consecutive victory.
Boynton and Beal came up huge in the second half. Beal scored 14 points after halftime. Boynton drained a 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining after the Commodores made it a four-point game and then sank two free throws with 25.9 seconds left to seal Florida's 19th consecutive victory at home.
The Gators (19-4, 7-1 Southeastern Conference), returning to the court about 36 hours after their last win, made 11 of 24 shots from behind the arc. But the biggest difference in the game was the press.
Vanderbilt (16-7, 5-3) committed 17 turnovers, most of them against double teams that followed made baskets.
Jeffery Taylor led the Commodores with 25 points. John Jenkins, the league's leading scorer, added 15.
Vanderbilt used a 9-0 run early in the second half to take the lead, 43-40, and was up 49-46 before Florida took over.
Beal started a 10-0 run with a 3-pointer. He added a tip-in and another 3 in the spurt. The Gators went four minutes without a field goal, giving Vandy plenty of chances to move back in front, but Beal's driving layup made it a six-point game again.
Boynton's shot from behind the arc was equally huge.
The Gators closed it out from the free throw line, making 16 of 17 in the game and 14 of 14 in the second half.
Florida improved to 6-1 in Saturday games that followed Thursday nighters. Vanderbilt lost consecutive games for the second time this season and likely will drop out of The Associated Press college basketball poll.
The Gators survived all sorts of early foul trouble to lead 37-34 at halftime.
Patric Young played just three minutes before picking up his second foul. Erik Murphy and Bradley Beal joined him on the bench late in the first half with two apiece.
With the three starters sidelined, the Gators turned to bench players Will Yeguete, Mike Rosario, Scottie Wilbekin and Casey Prather. Yeguete had eight rebounds in 16 minutes, and Rosario scored 10 points in 12 minutes. It was exactly what Florida needed to withstand Vanderbilt's late rally.
The Commodores ended the half on an 11-5 run that sliced into Florida's 32-23 lead.
Jenkins and Taylor had four points each in the spurt, Brad Tinsley turned a steal into a layup and Lance Goulbourne added a free throw. It was a big turnaround from how the Dores started the game.
Vandy committed five turnovers in the first five minutes of the game and eight in the first 16 minutes, most of them because of Florida's trapping press.
(read more)Boynton, Beal lead Gators past Vanderbilt
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Kenny Boynton scored 18 points, Bradley Beal added 16 and No. 12 Florida beat No. 25 Vanderbilt 73-65 Saturday for its seventh consecutive victory.
Boynton and Beal came up huge in the second half. Beal scored 14 points after halftime. Boynton drained a 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining after the Commodores made it a four-point game and then sank two free throws with 25.9 seconds left to seal Florida's 19th consecutive victory at home.
The Gators (19-4, 7-1 Southeastern Conference), returning to the court about 36 hours after their last win, made 11 of 24 shots from behind the arc. But the biggest difference in the game was the press.
Vanderbilt (16-7, 5-3) committed 17 turnovers, most of them against double teams that followed made baskets.
Jeffery Taylor led the Commodores with 25 points. John Jenkins, the league's leading scorer, added 15.
Vanderbilt used a 9-0 run early in the second half to take the lead, 43-40, and was up 49-46 before Florida took over.
Beal started a 10-0 run with a 3-pointer. He added a tip-in and another 3 in the spurt. The Gators went four minutes without a field goal, giving Vandy plenty of chances to move back in front, but Beal's driving layup made it a six-point game again.
Boynton's shot from behind the arc was equally huge.
The Gators closed it out from the free throw line, making 16 of 17 in the game and 14 of 14 in the second half.
Florida improved to 6-1 in Saturday games that followed Thursday nighters. Vanderbilt lost consecutive games for the second time this season and likely will drop out of The Associated Press college basketball poll.
The Gators survived all sorts of early foul trouble to lead 37-34 at halftime.
Patric Young played just three minutes before picking up his second foul. Erik Murphy and Bradley Beal joined him on the bench late in the first half with two apiece.
With the three starters sidelined, the Gators turned to bench players Will Yeguete, Mike Rosario, Scottie Wilbekin and Casey Prather. Yeguete had eight rebounds in 16 minutes, and Rosario scored 10 points in 12 minutes. It was exactly what Florida needed to withstand Vanderbilt's late rally.
The Commodores ended the half on an 11-5 run that sliced into Florida's 32-23 lead.
Jenkins and Taylor had four points each in the spurt, Brad Tinsley turned a steal into a layup and Lance Goulbourne added a free throw. It was a big turnaround from how the Dores started the game.
Vandy committed five turnovers in the first five minutes of the game and eight in the first 16 minutes, most of them because of Florida's trapping press.
(read more)‘U Mad Bro’ & Trollface Sign Spotted At Florida-Vandy Game [PHOTO
Florida Gators fans have a question for you Vanderbilt Commodores: U Mad Bro? These signs were spotted court side of the game courtesy of @RowdyTownMayor. There were more cheerleader and dazzler pictures in this game than any other game I have covered. Also, can anyone tell me what this Florida fan was wearing or what the hell Kevin Stallings was doing.
Have something from College Basketball today that we missed? Spotted a hot chick we need to investigate? Do your thing.
mail@bustedcoverage.com
Follow ParadigmShift35 on Twitter
Filed under: NCAA
(read more)No. 12 Gators get job done against Gamecocks
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Earlier in the week, Florida coach Billy Donovan stopped practice during a five-on-five drill that emphasized defense, boxing out and rebounding. Donovan turned to freshman swingman Bradley Beal and flat-out called him out.
"Two offensive rebounds in SEC play, Brad Beal!" Donovan yelled. "How's that possible?"
He paused for effect.
"Two!"
So it must have done Donovan's soul some good when on UF's first possession of Thursday night's home game against South Carolina, center Erik Murphy missed a jumper, but forward Will Yeguete was there to grab the board and put up another shot. That one missed, too.
But there was Beal, snaring the rebound and sticking it back for the first points of the game. The play was a tone-setter. Good thing, too. Against the Gamecocks, the 12th-ranked Gators shot cockeyed most of the game, but rebounded well enough and hit free throws down the stretch well enough for a sixth straight victory, a workmanlike 74-66 win before 10,003 at the O'Connell Center.
Kenny Boynton, averaging just 11.7 points in Southeastern Conference games, was the lone Gator to show up with a hot hand, pouring in 24 points, including 4-for-8 from 3-point range and 8-for-10 from the free-throw line. The rest of the Gators (18-4, 6-1) were a collective 16-for-46 overall and 3-for-20 from long-distance.
"We got great looks and were satisfied with the looks we got," said senior point guard Erving Walker, who had 14 points, four rebounds and seven assists. "We're not going to have too many nights like that."
They might be able to get away with such nights against South Carolina (9-12, 1-6), but upcoming dates against No. 25 Vanderbilt at home Saturday and Tuesday at No. 1 Kentucky will be a different matter.
"I'm kind of happy it happened," Donovan said after his team's second-worst shooting night (37.3 percent) of the season. "We won the game and it was a woeful shooting night for our team. We almost got caught because I didn't think we had great maturity and understanding with the things you can control."
What they did control was effort level. It had to be there to out-rebound South Carolina, which leads the league in rebounding defense, to the tune of 42-30, with 20 of those on the offensive end. UF came into the game averaging 6.5 offensive rebounds in SEC games.
Enter Beal, who finished with 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Five of those boards were on the offensive end, nearly tripling his SEC output and making a statement to his coach.
"He kind of got under my skin with that stuff," Beal said.
The Gators, all of them, returned the favor for Donovan late in the first half by building a 17-point lead 10 minutes into the game, only to let it dwindle to nine, 37-28, at the break.
"The same shots that we knocked down in the first whatever it was, 12 to 14 minutes of the game, were the same shots we could not buy the rest of the game," Donovan said. "I thought our guys got too focused on the shots they were missing, instead of playing the game and staying aggressive."
USC coach Darrin Horn praised both sides on that front.
"This is as good as we've been defensively all year," Horn said. "But that's arguably the best offensive team in the league."
Not on this night, it wasn't.
While Florida was shooting less than 35 percent in the second half (and 1-for-13 from the arc), the Gamecocks inched their way closer until a 3-pointer by backup guard Brenton Williams with 50 seconds made it a five-point game at 67-62.
From there, though, the Gators closed things out by making seven of eight free throws down the stretch, part of an impressive 18-for-21 showing from the line in the second half after making just five of 11 in the first.
"We missed em early, but we've got good shooters," Walker said. "We just have to step up to the line with confidence."
And to the offensive boards with a vengeance.
"I can't say any of them took really bad shots," Donovan said. "But I thought what won the game tonight, we did a really good job on the offensive glass."
He'd love to say that again this season. Over the next few days, ideally.
(read more)No. 12 Gators get job done against Gamecocks
GAINESVILLE, Fla. Earlier in the week, Florida coach Billy Donovan stopped practice during a five-on-five drill that emphasized defense, boxing out and rebounding. Donovan turned to freshman swingman Bradley Beal and called him out.
"Two offensive rebounds in SEC play, Brad Beal!" Donovan yelled. "How's that possible?"
He paused for effect.
"Two!"
So it must have done Donovan's soul some good when, on UF's first possession of Thursday night's home game against South Carolina, center Erik Murphy missed a jumper, but forward Will Yeguete grabbed the board and put up another shot.
That one missed, too. But there was Beal, snaring the rebound and sticking it back for the first points of the game.
The play was a tone-setter. Good thing, too. Against the Gamecocks, the 12th-ranked Gators shot cockeyed most of the game, but rebounded well enough and hit free throws down the stretch well enough for a sixth straight victory, a workmanlike 74-66 win before 10,003 at the O'Connell Center.
Kenny Boynton, averaging just 11.7 points in Southeastern Conference games, was the lone Gator to show up with a hot hand, pouring in 24 points, including 4-for-8 from 3-point range and 8-for-10 from the free-throw line. The rest of the Gators (18-4, 6-1) were a collective 16-for-46 overall and 3-for-20 from long distance.
"We got great looks and were satisfied with the looks we got," said senior point guard Erving Walker, who had 14 points, four rebounds and seven assists. "We're not going to have too many nights like that."
They might be able to get away with such nights against South Carolina (9-12, 1-6), but upcoming dates against No. 25 Vanderbilt at home Saturday and Tuesday at No. 1 Kentucky will be a different matter.
"I'm kind of happy it happened," Donovan said after his team's second-worst shooting night (37.3 percent) of the season. "We won the game, and it was a woeful shooting night for our team. We almost got caught because I didn't think we had great maturity and understanding with the things you can control."
What they did control was effort level. It had to be there to out-rebound South Carolina which leads the league in rebounding defense to the tune of 42-30, with 20 of those on the offensive end. UF came into the game averaging 6.5 offensive rebounds in SEC games.
Enter Beal, who finished with 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Five of those boards were on the offensive end, nearly tripling his SEC output and making a statement to his coach.
"He kind of got under my skin with that stuff," Beal said.
The Gators, all of them, returned the favor for Donovan late in the first half by building a 17-point lead 10 minutes into the game, only to let it dwindle to nine, 37-28, at the break.
"The same shots that we knocked down in the first . . . 12 to 14 minutes of the game were the same shots we could not buy (the rest of the game)," Donovan said. "I thought our guys got too focused on the shots they were missing, instead of playing the game and staying aggressive."
USC coach Darrin Horn praised both sides on that front.
"This is as good as we've been defensively all year," Horn said. "But that's arguably the best offensive team in the league."
Not on this night, it wasn't.
While Florida was shooting less than 35 percent in the second half (and 1-for-13 from the arc), the Gamecocks inched their way closer until a 3-pointer by South Carolina backup guard Brenton Williams with 50 seconds left made it a five-point game at 67-62.
From there, though, the Gators closed things out by making seven of eight free throws down the stretch, part of an impressive 18-for-21 showing from the line in the second half after making just five of 11 in the first.
"We missed 'em early, but we've got good shooters," Walker said. "We just have to step up to the line with confidence."
And to the offensive boards with a vengeance.
"I can't say any of them took really bad shots," Donovan said. "But I thought what won the game tonight (was) we did a really good job on the offensive glass."
He'd love to say that again this season. Over the next few days, ideally.
(read more)No. 12 Gators Beat South Carolina
Florida was relieved to win with such a poor shooting performance.Kenny Boynton scored 24 points, Bradley Beal had his fourth double-double and the No. 12 Gators beat South Carolina 74-66 Thursday night for their sixth consecutive victory.Florida (18-4, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) swept the Gamecocks (9-12, 1-6) for the first time since 2008 and extended its home-winning streak to 18 games.
(read more)No. 12 Florida 74, South Carolina 66
Kenny Boynton scored 24 points, Bradley Beal had his fourth double-double and No. 12 Florida beat South Carolina 74-66 Thursday night for its sixth consecutive victory.
The Gators (18-4, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) swept the Gamecocks (9-12, 1-6) for the first time since 2008 and extended their home-winning streak to 18 games.
Florida had to grind out the latest one.
The Gators led by 17 points midway through the first half, but South Carolina slowly whittled it down to five with 2:51 remaining. Brenton Williams had a chance to make it a five-point game with 1:13 remaining, but he missed the first of two free throws. Williams also had a costly turnover on the previous possession. He was 2-of-9 shooting.
Florida made 11 of 12 free throws in the final 1:09 to close it out.
Bruce Ellington led South Carolina with 15 points. Damontre Harris and Malik Cooke added 12 each.
The Gamecocks squandered several chances in the final few minutes. Maybe the toughest to swallow was when Florida's Erving Walker came up with a loose ball - the Gators seemingly got all of them - and found Beal slicing through the lane. Beal dunked the ball, got fouled and completed the three-point play to put the Gators up 59-50.
Beal finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Walker had 14 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
The Gators built their big lead with a huge rebounding advantage and by making four of their first seven 3-point attempts. But they went cold from long range in the second half and finished 7 of 28 from behind the arc.
South Carolina couldn't take advantage after digging a huge hole.
Florida dominated the opening 10 minutes.
The Gators made 3-pointers, got every loose ball and took advantage of a 14-1 rebounding margin to build a 27-10 lead.
Nothing went wrong for Florida early. The press took South Carolina out of rhythm, and the Gators seemed to find wide-open shooters all over the floor. And even when they did miss, they got just about every rebound. Florida ended the first half with 14 offensive boards - more than coach Billy Donovan's team had in its previous three games combined.
The Gamecocks eventually settled down and started slicing into the lead.
Brian Richardson hit a 3-pointer and a jumper, and then Cooke found his stroke. Cooke sank a mid-range shot, and then converted a three-point play on the next possession. Cooke flipped in a shot over his head, got fouled and knocked down the free throw.
RJ Slawson continued South Carolina's late surge with a layup in the final minute. The Gamecocks ended the half on a 9-1 run and suddenly trailed 37-28 after looking like they would get blown out.
Florida contributed to its problems late in the first half with poor shot selection and missed free throws. Beal missed three from the charity stripe in the final 5:48, and Walker missed both of his in the final minute.
Cooke made it a six-point game, 37-31, with a three-point play to open the second half.
The Gators responded, though.
Walker made consecutive floaters in the lane, and Beal tipped in a miss. The game went back and forth the rest of the way. The biggest different was Florida started making free throws and finished 23 for 32 from the stripe.
(read more)Boynton, Beal lead Gators to sixth straight win
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Kenny Boynton scored 24 points, Bradley Beal had his fourth double-double and No. 12 Florida beat South Carolina 74-66 Thursday night for its sixth consecutive victory.
The Gators (18-4, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) swept the Gamecocks (9-12, 1-6) for the first time since 2008 and extended their home winning streak to 18 games.
Florida had to grind out the latest one.
The Gators led by 17 points midway through the first half, but South Carolina slowly whittled it down to five with 2:51 remaining. Brenton Williams had a chance to make it a five-point game again with 1:13 remaining, but he missed the first of two free throws. Williams also had a costly turnover on the previous possession. He was 2-of-9 shooting.
Florida made 11 of 12 free throws in the final 1:09 to close it out.
Bruce Ellington led South Carolina with 15 points.
(read more)Boynton, Beal lead Gators to sixth straight win
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Kenny Boynton scored 24 points, Bradley Beal had his fourth double-double and No. 12 Florida beat South Carolina 74-66 Thursday night for its sixth consecutive victory.
The Gators (18-4, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) swept the Gamecocks (9-12, 1-6) for the first time since 2008 and extended their home-winning streak to 18 games.
Florida had to grind out the latest one.
The Gators led by 17 points midway through the first half, but South Carolina slowly whittled it down to five with 2:51 remaining. Brenton Williams had a chance to make it a five-point game with 1:13 remaining, but he missed the first of two free throws. Williams also had a costly turnover on the previous possession. He was 2-of-9 shooting.
Florida made 11 of 12 free throws in the final 1:09 to close it out.
Bruce Ellington led South Carolina with 15 points. Damontre Harris and Malik Cooke added 12 each.
The Gamecocks squandered several chances in the final few minutes. Maybe the toughest to swallow was when Florida's Erving Walker came up with a loose ball -- the Gators seemingly got all of them -- and found Beal slicing through the lane. Beal dunked the ball, got fouled and completed the three-point play to put the Gators up 59-50.
Beal finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Walker had 14 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
The Gators built their big lead with a huge rebounding advantage and by making four of their first seven 3-point attempts. But they went cold from long range in the second half and finished 7 of 28 from behind the arc.
South Carolina couldn't take advantage after digging a huge hole.
Florida dominated the opening 10 minutes.
The Gators made 3-pointers, got every loose ball and took advantage of a 14-1 rebounding margin to build a 27-10 lead.
Nothing went wrong for Florida early. The press took South Carolina out of rhythm, and the Gators seemed to find wide-open shooters all over the floor. And even when they did miss, they got just about every rebound. Florida ended the first half with 14 offensive boards -- more than coach Billy Donovan's team had in its previous three games combined.
The Gamecocks eventually settled down and started slicing into the lead.
Brian Richardson hit a 3-pointer and a jumper, and then Cooke found his stroke. Cooke sank a mid-range shot, and then converted a three-point play on the next possession. Cooke flipped in a shot over his head, got fouled and knocked down the free throw.
RJ Slawson continued South Carolina's late surge with a layup in the final minute. The Gamecocks ended the half on a 9-1 run and suddenly trailed 37-28 after looking like they would get blown out.
Florida contributed to its problems late in the first half with poor shot selection and missed free throws. Beal missed three from the charity stripe in the final 5:48, and Walker missed both of his in the final minute.
Cooke made it a six-point game, 37-31, with a three-point play to open the second half.
The Gators responded, though.
Walker made consecutive floaters in the lane, and Beal tipped in a miss. The game went back and forth the rest of the way. The biggest different was Florida started making free throws and finished 23 for 32 from the stripe.
(read more)Gators look to stay perfect at home, face USC
Florida hasn't had a breakout performance by any one player during SEC play, but balanced scoring has worked just fine for the Gators.
The 12th-ranked Gators go for their sixth straight win when they look to stay undefeated at home in a matchup with South Carolina on Thursday night.
Florida is coming off a 69-57 victory over then-No. 18 Mississippi State on Saturday. Star freshman Bradley Beal scored 19 points and shot 6 of 9 while Erik Murphy added 14, hitting 4 of 7 from 3-point range.
The Gators (17-4, 5-1) had four players score in double figures after three had at least 10 points apiece in a 64-60 win over Mississippi last Thursday.
Florida, in second place in the conference, hasn't had a player score more than 19 points in a league contest.
"People say that we're a guard-oriented team," forward Patric Young told the Gators' official website. "I think our team is balanced. Whatever you take away, we're hopefully going to find something."
Young, who has come off the bench the last four games after spraining his ankle last month, has averaged 13.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in the previous two contests.
"Pat's a competitor," Beal said. "Coach is always pushing him to the extra limit and Pat's willing to accept that. It really shows in Pat. Pat just comes out and just tries to do whatever it takes to push us to the limit and get us all going."
Young was held to four points in 13 minutes of a 79-65 win over South Carolina on Jan. 14, but plenty of Gators helped pick of the slack. Six Florida players finished in double figures, with three scoring at least 14.
The Gators went 12 of 24 from beyond the arc, led by Kenny Boynton, who was 4 of 7.
"Any time somebody puts four shooters on the floor, it makes it really tough," Gamecocks coach Darrin Horn said after the loss.
Making things even more difficult for Horn's team, Florida has gone 11-0 at home this season to extend its win streak in Gainesville to 17.
South Carolina (9-11, 1-5) has lost five of six and has a tough week ahead, as it hosts No. 1 Kentucky this weekend.
The Gamecocks fell 66-62 at Mississippi on Saturday. Malik Cooke scored 17 points but missed a late free throw that could have tied the game. South Carolina was outrebounded 38-28.
Despite its struggles, the Gamecocks have made strides on defense, holding teams to 61.0 points and 45.3 percent shooting the last three games. They allowed 75.0 points and 56.6 percent shooting in the previous four.
"Strangely enough, this is a team that continues to build confidence in practice," Horn said. "We played like it Saturday against an Ole Miss team that is good at home. Our focus has got to be continuing to play that way, to put ourselves in position to try and have an opportunity to win one of these games."
For that to happen, the Gamecocks will need to give Cooke more help at the offensive end. He's averaging a team-best 12.7 points for a South Carolina team that's second-to-last in the SEC in scoring at 62.9 per game.
Bruce Ellington, second on the team at 10.8 points a contest, has shot 29.5 percent the last three games.
The Gamecocks have dropped eight straight against Top 25 opponents, though they defeated Gators 72-69 in Gainesville last Jan. 15 behind 23 points from Ellington. Ranked 17th for the second matchup, Florida won 79-60 at Columbia.
(read more)Muschamp thrilled with Gators' recruiting class
GAINESVILLE, Fla. The official letters-of-intent from running back Matt Jones and defensive lineman JaFar Mann had arrived a few minutes earlier in Florida's football offices Wednesday afternoon. They were the last two to check off the list at least for now giving Florida head coach Will Muschamp a chance for a quick breather on the leather sofa in his office.
A year ago, National Signing Day came and went in a blur for Muschamp, who had about a month after he took over the program to finalize his first Florida recruiting class. The process went much smoother the second time around.
As Muschamp reviewed a sheet of paper listing the 17 players the Gators signed on Wednesday and the six early enrollees that count toward the 2011 class, he sounded confident that the Gators took a big step toward being more competitive in the SEC than a year ago.
"I'm really pleased with what we were able to do and adding the players that we added to our program," Muschamp said. "More than anything, we needed to address our line of scrimmage, and we signed 14 big-skill and mid-skill guys as far as offensivedefensive linemen, tight ends and linebackers.
"That was the biggest need that we needed going into this class. This is a physical league and we needed to improve our physicality and our size and our athleticism, and we've certainly done that."
In Muschamp's first season, the Gators started 4-0 before running into the heart of their SEC schedule. A four-game losing streak started with losses to Alabama and LSU, programs that featured rosters much bigger and stronger than the one Muschamp inherited.
With the addition of players such as 6-foot-3, 263-pound defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard, 6-3, 261-pound linebacker Dante Fowler, 6-6, 270-pound defensive lineman Dante Phillips and Mann, who is listed at 6-3, 293 pounds, the Gators definitely got bigger on Wednesday.
Florida's class is currently ranked No. 5 nationally in the latest Scout.com rankings, providing the program with more momentum after its win over Ohio State in the Gator Bowl secured a 32nd consecutive non-losing season last month.
"I think as much as anything, with such a young football team and most of our guys coming back, it shows having this type of class that there is some excitement in our program right now," Muschamp said. "It's headed in the right direction. I'm really pleased obviously in winning the bowl game and finishing on a positive note, but also finishing out recruiting this way.
"We have some outstanding football coaches and men on this staff, but they are also excellent recruiters. I'm very pleased with the production today."
A key addition on offense Wednesday was Jones, who helped Armwood High near Tampa win a state title last season. Jones is listed at 6-2 and 213 pounds, providing the Gators with a much different option in the backfield than a year ago when undersized speedsters Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps were the team's most dangerous threats.
Jones is versatile enough to play receiver and big enough to take on a middle linebacker head-to-head.
"We needed to get bigger at the running back position and we wanted to add Matt from the standpoint of a downhill runner and create the physicality you need to in the SEC," Muschamp said. "Matt was a guy that we targeted when we first got here as a guy that was critical in moving forward in what we want to do offensively in being physical."
Let's get physical has been a constant motto around the program in recent months.
The Gators recruited for size and power. Muschamp also recently hired new strength-and-conditioning coach Jeff Dillman, who has implemented an Olympic style lifting program designed to increase power.
Muschamp expects contributions from some of the new recruits immediately, but only time will tell which ones emerge before the season opener in September against Bowling Green.
He does believe the team addressed its No. 1 concern.
"The biggest concern as you watched our football team this year was along the line of scrimmage," Muschamp said. "Going against two of the more dominant teams in our league, we had trouble. We've got to get better up front and we've got to create more depth up front. We'll see if some of these guys can come in and contribute."
The Gators also made a late push for Pennsylvania prep quarterback Skyler Mornhinweg that paid off. The interest in Mornhinweg picked up with the arrival of Brent Pease as offensive coordinator in January.
Mornhinweg had originally committed to Penn State and joins returning quarterbacks Jeff Driskel, Tyler Murphy and Jacoby Brissett on the roster.
"He's a guy we got on late," Muschamp said. "We really liked Skyler early in the process. We decided at the end of November, first of December that we needed to bring another quarterback into the program and he was what we were looking for as far as a decision-maker and a winner. He also plays defensive back, so he's a good athlete and has great toughness."
The Gators added Fowler, a longtime FSU recruit, to the mix late as well.
With his second National Signing Day with the Gators in the books, Muschamp is ready to get back to work at the key to making any class worth its lofty ranking.
"This class will be determined in two or three years from now," he said. "It's not going to be determined today. I said the same thing last year, and you know what, I'm going to say it again next year. Football is a developmental game. We've got a good young football team, and in my opinion, we've added some really good players in the fold. We'll know how good these guys are when they are here for a while.
"I feel very comfortable about the type of young man we're bringing into this program. I'm real proud of the staff. There was a lot of time and effort into this to finish with the type of players we need to have to win a championship here at Florida."
(read more)Fightin' Gators' Signing Day Picks
We count eight true prospects still on the board and the Florida Gators are looking to close with as many of them as they can. Our Fightin' Gators' crew has gone out on a limb for the final time this recruiting period and are giving our final predictions on where these elite prospects will wind up. It looks to be an exciting day for the Gators.
(read more)Murphy matures on, off court for No. 12 Florida
Florida's Erik Murphy has a small scar just above his right eye, a remnant of the eight stitches he needed after a recent collision with teammate Patric Young.
It's hardly the only makeover for the 6-foot-10 junior.
Murphy's game has improved dramatically this season, and coach Billy Donovan says the power forward has made an equally noticeable jump in maturity since his arrest last April. Combined, they have helped Murphy develop into a consistent scorer and reliable teammate for the 12th-ranked Gators.
Donovan says Murphy was ''just kind of floating through life'' last year. Donovan challenged him to figure out who he wanted to be as a person and as a player.
Donovan says he has ''seen a lot of growth in Erik in a real, real positive way.''
(read more)Commitment 21: Gators Add QB Mornhinweg
The Gators have filled another need, this time with 3-star quarterback Skyler Mornhinweg (6’3″, 215 lbs.) out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When the Gators hired Brent Pease to be Offensive Coordinator, his mission was to find a quarterback. Two individuals rose … Continue reading →
(read more)Gators, Rebels test clashing styles in Oxford
Led by Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton, much of Florida's success stems from a fluid offense and strong 3-point shooting.
Mississippi can't say it shares those traits, but is off to a solid start in SEC play thanks to its domination on the boards.
These two teams with vastly different styles meet Thursday night in Oxford, as the 14th-ranked Gators try to beat the Rebels for the 10th time in 11 meetings.
Florida (15-4, 3-1) leads the SEC with 82.2 points per game and ranks first in both 3-point percentage (40.7) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.46). Walker, tied for the conference lead with 4.9 assists, directs the offense, while Boynton, second in the league with 18.3 points per game, handles most of the scoring.
Neither had a particularly strong game Saturday against LSU, and the Gators misfired on 14 of 21 tries from beyond the arc, but Billy Donovan's team won 76-64. Walker had 12 points, three assists and was 1 for 6 from 3-point range, while Boynton had 11 points - his second-lowest output of the season - and missed all four 3-point attempts.
The Gators still had three other players in double figures - Erik Murphy (15), Bradley Beal (11) and Mike Rosario (11) - and shot a season-best 56.3 percent, making 20 of 27 shots (74.1 percent) from inside the arc.
"We struggled from the 3-point line," Walker said. "We haven't done that many games, but that's why we want to focus on defense and other things: to be able to still win when we're not shooting the 3-ball well."
Mississippi (13-6, 3-2) is used to that considering it hasn't had much luck from 3-point range all season.
The Rebels are last in the SEC in 3-point percentage (27.2) and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.69), a product of their relatively weak guard play.
Although Ole Miss has problems in the backcourt, it leads the SEC in both total rebounds (43.6 per game) and rebounding margin (plus-8.2) in conference games. Junior forwards Murphy Holloway (9.6 per game) and Reginald Buckner (8.8) both rank among the league's top five on the boards.
"It's what we need. It's who we are," Rebels coach Andy Kennedy said. "The reality is our most veteran group is our frontcourt."
Ole Miss' physical frontcourt could pose problems for Florida, which ranks near the bottom of SEC in rebounding (31.3) and rebounding differential (minus-0.5) in league games.
"Right now, we're going against maybe the best rebounding team in the league, if not one of the best in the country," Donovan said. "Any time you can rebound the basketball like they do, it eliminates second chances. Across the front line, they've got length, size and athleticism."
In Saturday's 66-63 win at Georgia, Buckner and Holloway combined for 17 boards, but it was swingman Terrance Henry who led the way. Henry, the Rebels' leading scorer at 11.5 points per game, had 24 points on 8 of 12 shooting and matched a season high with 10 rebounds.
The Rebels return to Oxford, where they're 8-0 this season and haven't lost since Jan. 29, 2011, to play four of their next six games.
The Gators are 1-4 in true road games, but have won three straight over Old Miss and nine of 10 since 2003.
In Florida's 77-71 home win over the Rebels last January, Walker had a team-high 20 points and Boynton scored 17. Buckner had 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Henry added 12 points and eight boards.
The Gators won their most recent trip to Oxford 64-61 two years ago despite shooting 1 for 13 from 3-point range.
(read more)
