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No. 13 Florida edges out No. 16 Mississippi State

Posted by admin on January 30th, 2012 No Comment

Bradley Beal led the No. 13 Florida Gators (17-4, 5-1 SEC) to a victory over No. 16 Mississippi State Bulldogs (17-5, 4-3 SEC) 69 -57 Saturday Night. Beal scored 19 points and finished 6 – 9 from the field going 3-4 from behind the arc. Erik Murphy added another 14 points and made 4 out of his seven three point attempts. Florida started out the game very slow and led the Bulldogs at half by only three points. It wasn’t until the second half when the Florida went on an 11-0 run that seemingly put the game out of sight. From there, the Bulldogs couldn’t recover. Florida went a combined 11-24 from behind the arc. After being asked what he thought about the Gators 3-point play, MSU coach, Rick Stansbury replied, “It seemed like 21, but it was only 11,” and “That’s why they lead the country in 3-point shooting,” , “There’s a reason why they have that stat.” Up next for the Gators is the South Carolina Gamecocks (9-11, 1-5 SEC), which they will be facing at home, on Thursday, February 2.

No. 14 Florida Gators sneak by Ole Miss 64 – 60

Posted by admin on January 26th, 2012 No Comment

No. 14 Florida Gators (16-4, 4-1 SEC) started the second half 0-3 from the field and things just didn’t look good. They had already been out performed in the first half and were down by 10 points to an unranked Ole Miss Rebel (13-7, 3-3 SEC) that was just relentless from begin the arc in the first half going 6-6 from behind the arc. Then things started to turn around…slowly. Erik Murphy hits a shot, the Rebels miss some foul shots, Patric Young makes a couple of baskets and Mike Rosario hits a three. Things started to look better. Murphy hits a three, Young throws down a nice dunk and just like that, we are back in it. With 9:45 seconds left in the second half, Florida finally tied the score on a Scotty Wilbekin three. It was the first time the score was tied since tip-off. With 8 minutes to go, Florida took its first lead since it led 2-0 in the first half and never looked back. Only forward as Kenny Boynton, who leads the league with 66 three point FGM, connected on two three balls and Rosario chipped in another one. Florida leads the NCAA in threes made with 212. The Gators defense held the Rebels to 8 – 29 (27%) shooting in the second half. A drastic improvement from the first half were Ole Miss shot 60%. The Rebels did make it interesting right at the end, but the Gators held strong and came away with a nice conference and road win. Florida improves to 2-4 on the road. Erving Walker scored 10 points and had a career high in assists with 9. Patric Young led the gAtors in scoring with 15 points, shooting an efficient 70% from the field going 7-10. The Gators face No. 16 Mississippi State Bulldogs in Gainesville, on January 28 at 1:30pm.

Photo: Rogelio V. Solis / AP

No. 14 Gators cruise pass LSU 76-64

Posted by admin on January 22nd, 2012 No Comment

The Florida Gators (15-4, 3-1 SEC) defeated the LSU Tigers (12-7, 2-3 SEC) 76 -64 on Saturday night in Gainesville to extend its home winning streak to 16. The Gators had five players in double figures in scoring. Eric Murphy led the Gators with 15 points, Erving Walker had 12 and Kenny Boynton, Bradley Beal and Mike Rosario each chipped in with 11 points. Throughout this entire season Florida has killed teams with the three ball. On nights where the Gators were dismantling teams with the three, which they lead the nation in makes per a game, they very rarely have to rely on a balanced offensive effort inside the arc. LAst night, this was not the case. The Gators shot only 7 – 21 from beyond the arc and still managed to put perform admirably. They dominated the field shotting 74% from inside the three line and cruised to a victory eventhough LSU pulled within 8 with 3 minutes remaining. Erving Walker hit a go ahead three after that which put the game on ice. The Gators next matchup will be against Ole Miss on January 26, at 7:00pm.

Florida Gators Ranked Preseason No. 1 in Collegiate Baseball

Posted by admin on January 16th, 2012 No Comment

The Nations oldest college baseball poll, which started in 1958, ranked the Gators preseason No. 1 for the first time in the school’s history. Last year Florida made it to the 2011 NCAA College World Series finals where they lost to the defending national champions, the South Carolina Gamecocks. But this year will hopefully end differently. The Gators ended the season 53 – 19 and set a school record in wins.

The Florida Gators Head Coach, Kevin O’Sullivan returns 11 players that look to make a very big impact on the 2012 season. Right-hander Karsten Whitson (So.) who was a 2011 Perfect Game Freshman Pitcher of the year, will be returning as well as Left-hander/first baseman Brian Johnson (Jr.), right-hander Hudson Randall (Jr.) and left-hander Steven Rodriguez (Jr.). The 2011 SEC Player of the year, catcher Mike Zunio (Jr.) and the 2011 SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player, outfielder Daniel Pigott (Sr.) will be returning as well. Rounding out the remaining players are outfielder Preston Tucker (Sr.), catcher/right-hander/infielder Austin Maddox (Jr.), the 2011 College World Series All-Tournament Team Third Baseman Cody Dent (Jr.) and Zack Powers (So.), a 2011 SECC All-Freshman Team third basemen rounds out the group.

As for the new members of the Florida Gators Baseball team, they will be the fourth straight incoming freshman class that are ranked in the top 10 nationally as a recruiting class as a whole.

Keep an eye out on the Gators pitching squad as they look to improve on there already gaudy statistics from last year. Florida led the nation in walks allowed per nine innings with an average of 1.82. As a team, they collectively had an ERA (Earned Run Average) of 2.95 and had 547 strikeouts and 130 walks. The Gators offense ranked No. 1 last year in hits, with 755. They ranked 5th in doubles and homers.

In 2011, the Florida Gators finished with a 22 – 8 record in the Southeastern Conference, which was tied for a conference best with Vanderbilt and South Carolina. The Gators defeated Vanderbilt 5 – 0 in the SEC Championship game to win their sixth league title and first in 20 years.

The Gators open up their season on February 17, 2012 against Cal State Fullerton, which will be the first of a three game series. Cal State is ranked 21 in Collegiate Baseball’s Preseason Poll. It should be a great start to the 2012 season.

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No. 19 Florida wins on the road at South Carolina

Posted by admin on January 15th, 2012 No Comment

The Gators (14-4, 2-1 SEC) finally got a much-needed win on the road against the South Carolina Gamecocks (8-9, 0-3 SEC). Florida put on an offensive clinic defeating the Gamecocks 79 – 65. The Gators shot 53% from the field going 25 of 47 and completing 12 of 24 from behind the arc. All five starters finished with double figures in scoring. Kenny Boynton led the team with 15 points, with 12 of those points coming off of 4 -7 shooting for three. Bradley Beal and Will Yeguette both had 14 points and Erving Walker and Erik Murphy chipped in 11 each. Erving Walker went 3-4 from behind the arc. Next up for the Gators are the LSU Tigers, which they will be facing on Saturday, January 21, at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville.

Gators hire new Offensive Coordinator Brent Pease

Posted by admin on January 13th, 2012 No Comment

Every year we see the same thing. Boise State has a ridiculously potent offense and puts up absurd amounts of points on almost every opponent they play. If it wasn’t for their offense, no one would even know about a blue football field. The good news for Gator fans is that part of that offense is coming to Gainesville. Will Muschamp was able to pull off his best recruiting of the year in luring away from the claws of Satan, I mean Saban (Alabama), Boise States Offensive Coordinator Brent Pease. For the last five years Pease has served as wide receivers coach and in 2011 served as the Broncos Offensive Coordinator. Last Year Boise State ranked 11th nationally in passing (309.38) and fourth in passing efficiency (171.56). Overall, Boise State averaged 481.31 yards per a game and tied for 10^th nationally in total offense. Thank god for a breath of fresh year. This past season our offense was downright offensive. Weis was terrible (I can’t believe he is going to be a head coach, Good Luck Kansas) and I credit the Gators 6 losses this year all to Charlie Weis. In 2011 the Gators offense ranked 105th nationally in total offense (328.69) and 71st in scoring (25.46). I think Steve Spurrier even had nightmares about those statistics. Nonetheless, the monkey, or in Weis’s stature, the Gorilla, is finally off our back. Looking forward to a new offense and new spark, hopefully it sets a trail a blaze and doesn’t burn down a house.

Gators stomp Bulldogs, 70-48

Posted by admin on January 11th, 2012 No Comment

No. 19 Florida Gators (13-4, 1-1 SEC) defeated the Georgia Bulldogs (9-7, 0-2 SEC) in Gainesville. This was the Gators second SEC matchup of the season and it turned out to be one of the best defensive performances that the Gators put out this season. They held the Bulldogs to 36 percent from the field and forced Georgia to miss eight of their first nine shots. This defensive performance was not a fluke. After the Gators lost to the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday 67-56, head coach Billy Donovan had seen enough and did what all great coaches do, forced his players to get back to their roots and focus. It just so happens that defense is what wins championships and that is exactly what Donovan conveyed to them. He made the Gators go through two hard practices on Sunday which revolved around boxing out, rebounding and defense. He was so set on getting back to the basics that he placed two plastic covers over each rim so that no one could attempt a shot. It apparently worked. The Gators D was so stifling that the announcers on ESPN kept comparing it to Alabama’s fresh romp over LSU (BCS is such a joke).

Nonetheless, you still have to win by scoring, and the Gators had some help from freshmen Bradley Beal who scored 17 points, had a double double and went 4-6 from behind the arc. Beal finally broke out is four game slump (shot 30 percent and was 2-16 from 3 point range) where he was often benched at times due to poor performance. The Gators Kenny Boynton finished with 17 points. This is the 15^th consecutive home win for the Gators.

The Gators next matchup will be against the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday, January 14.

Déjà vu: 2012 Gator Bowl Preview

Posted by barnett on December 15th, 2011 1 Comment

On January 2^nd, 2012 in what is a seemingly strange twist of fate, the Florida Gators (6-6) have been scheduled to play the Ohio State Buckeyes (also 6-6) at Everbank Field in the 2012 Tax Slayer Gator Bowl, in a typical Big 10 vs. SEC Bowl matchup. A precipitous feeling of déjà vu is sweeping through the Gator Nation as we all remember the 2007, 41-14 victory over the Buckeyes to win Florida’s first National Championship since 1996. The memory of 2^nd year coach Urban Meyer stomping the Buckeyes with senior QB Chris Leak and a young freshman phenom Tim Tebow in Arizona is still ever-present in Gainesville. Being a junior at UF at the time, I still have a branch from the tree that was torn down in front of campus… sweet memories.

Urban Meyer’s team will once again take the field in Jacksonville, Florida. This time, that team is the Ohio State Buckeyes. In the eyes of Gator fans, this brings the necessity of victory to a new level. Granted, Meyer himself has opted to not coach the bowl game, the principal of the matter is what counts in the minds of many diehard Gator fans… this is personal.

Not only did the Gators struggle offensively all year, but the departure of Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weiss will undoubtedly affect next year’s recruiting. If 1^st year HC Muschamp is to have any chance at reconciling this year’s dismal season in the minds of fans and potential recruits, this game is where his Gator team needs to shine. Hopefully, this Gator team will take the field with a true desire to obtain victory. Seniors John Brantley, Chris Rainey, and Jeff Demps undoubtedly have something to prove and will be crucial to the Gator’s game effort.

Ohio State, has also endured an exceptionally difficult season; the firing of decade long coach Jim Tressel, and a regular season record of 6-6 is anything but the norm in Columbus. Honing in on gossip taking place on the Ohio State online message boards, fans vividly remember the staggering defeat of 2007 at the hands of the Gators. This sentiment is clearly exasperated by the Buckeyes securing Urban Meyer as their head coach. Victory would simply be bittersweet icing on the cake.

According the CBS.com, their panel of experts overwhelmingly feels that this game will result in a Buckeye victory. However, glancing at each team’s statistics, the match-up is relatively even. Ohio State has 124.1 yards in pass offense, 195.7 yards of rush offense, 186.2 yards of pass defense, and 142.4 yards in rush defense. Respectively, the Florida Gators have 190.2 yards of pass offense, 144 yards of rush offense, 167.3 yards of pass defense, and 132.3 yards of rush defense. Florida’s defense will most likely be the biggest challenge for the Buckeyes. Merely stopping the Buckeyes will not be enough, forcing turnovers is a must. However, if Florida is to emerge victorious, the Gator offense needs to get out of their current slump, and move the ball into the end zone.