Posts Tagged ‘florida gators’

Gators VS South Carolina Preview

Posted by admin on February 3rd, 2009   No Comment

Tipoff- 9:00pm at the O’Connell Center. Gainesville, FL.

Broadcasts- T.V ESPN and ESPNU

-Florida (18-4, 5-2), South Carolina (16-4, 5-2)

The Gators look to bounce back after the loss in Knoxville as they host the South Carolina Gamecocks for the second time this season. Everybody knows what happened in Columbia on the last second hail marry pass so let’s not go back because I myself am still sick in the stomach.

Florida and South Carolina are very evenly matched teams. Tonight both teams will be battling for first place in the SEC. Florida will be led by Sophomore guard Nick Calathes who averages about 18 points a game while the Gamecocks are led by Junior Devan Downey who puts up 19 a game. This game is going to be very exciting to watch and it will also be aired live in ESPN and ESPNU.

I believe Florida will take the heartbreaking loss they suffered in Columbia and use it against them tonight. I am taking Florida on top by about 5 points. The atmosphere in the O dome is incredible to so let’s hope it shifts the momentum towards the way they play tonight. Tipoff will be at 9pm so don’t miss it! Feel free to leave us comments before, during, or after the game and stay tuned for the post-game story.

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Gators Drop From Top 25

Posted by admin on January 26th, 2009   No Comment

ESPN/Mary Ann

The Gators have been knocked back out of the top 25 in the AP poll for the second time this season after today’s new rankings came out.

Florida (17-3, 4-1) received 65 votes but still came up short handed. The Gators had their 10 game winning streak snapped by the South Carolina Gamecocks after the heartbreaking last second buzzer beater on Wednesday but they responded after pounding the Commodores yesterday 94-69 on CBS which also turned out to be a historic day after knocking down 12 three pointers in the first half, with Chandler Parsons drilling five of the twelve.

In the coaches poll, the Gators remained outvoted for the top 25 with only 59 votes. The South Carolina loss really hurt not only knocking Florida out of the top 25 but a important SEC game. Florida still remains in second place in the SEC play, standing behind Kentucky who is 5-0.

The Gators are back in action this Wednesday in Gainesville starting at 8:00pm against the Georgia Bulldogs. Florida looks to find their fifth SEC win on the year.

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Gators Try To Rebound From Last Second Defeat

Posted by admin on January 25th, 2009   No Comment

By: Brandon
admin@gatorsportsnation.com

The Gators will head to Nashville on Sunday to face the Commodores in a SEC East match-up. Florida will try to wipe the South Carolina game off their minds while Vanderbilt worries about the two game losing streak they are on.

It was a tough SEC road loss against the Gamecocks last Wednesday on the final seconds of the game. The little things Florida suffered to manage at the end just killed them. It was heartbreaking I’m not going to lie. I hardly got any sleep that night. Florida needs to look ahead and not in the rear view mirror. Leave everything behind and work on the mistakes that were made. So if the Gators want to win this game in Nashville, they will need to limit the amount of turnovers. Florida turned the ball over 17 times against South Carolina. The Gators out-did the Gamecocks in almost every category. Shooting, rebounding, and even turnovers. But not free-throws. You have got to realize how much free throws mean in games like that, especially at the end when Calathes and Parsons came up short on the line.

I am sure that they had a nice team meeting and hours of shooting over the few days Florida had off to prepare for the Commodores. Florida (16-3, 3-1) will look forward to grab their fourth SEC win which is very important right now. My prediction is Florida will win by 8 or more. Tip off is at 1:30pm and the game will be televised on CBS.

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Gators Streak Ends At The Buzzer To South Carolina 70-69

Posted by admin on January 22nd, 2009   No Comment

After Chandler Parson’s missed free throw with just about 3 ticks left, the Gamecocks fired the ball down court to Zam Fredrick who layed the ball up with just about .03 seconds left on the clock which gave South Carolina the 70-69 SEC win and snapped Florida’s 10 game win streak.

Florida (16-3, 3-1) led by about 7 points with a few minutes left but let the Gamecocks come back. Devan Downey was a big factor in the game. Downey hit 4 huge free throws in a row and a three pointer with about 25 seconds left. Sophomore guard Nick Calathes led the Gators with 20 points, five assists and five rebounds. Following behind was Chandler Parsons with 14 points and nine boards. Senior guard Walter Hodge, Freshman guard Erving Walker, and Junior forward Dan Werner each tacked on 7 points a piece.

I am curious to see how Florida will respond after this heart breaking loss. Florida will have some time to get together and search for the little things they need to do in order to seal these kind of games up. Unfortunately this was not the night for Florida. Why put players on the free throw block when you have a one point lead? Billy made one bonehead mistake and you will not see him make this kind of mistake again. Florida should of had everybody back, but instead South Carolina gets a hail marry pass down court, burning Dan Werner for the winning layup. The Gators will be back in action on Sunday January 25th in Nashville to face off the Vanderbilt Commodores at 1:30pm. The Gators will be back in Gainesville on Wednesday January 28th to face Georgia at 8pm. These are two SEC games Florida needs to win and it sure would gain more confidence back after the USC loss.

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Mens Basketball NO. 24 in AP Poll

Posted by admin on January 19th, 2009   No Comment

The new top 25 AP poll has been released and the Gators are listed as NO. 24. Florida has been playing excellent ball rather than they were the first part of the season.

Freshman guard Erving Walker is getting tougher and tougher as the season goes on. He is sort of compared to a Taurean Green kind of player. Walkers speed and his quickness really comes in handy and makes the defense alot easier. And the way Nick Calathes and Alex Tyus are playing right now, the Gators might continue to climb polls before the season creeps to a end.

The Gators are now 3-0 in SEC play and hope to continue the streak but they will need to get past the Gamecocks before thinking any further. I believe Florida has a shot at the NCAA tournament this year if they continue to play with this much enthusiasm they have been using towards their opponents. Freshman center Kenny Kadji is a spark of the bench. He plays with so much intensity and really is a boost for the Gators because we really have no “true” big men when Florida had Noah, Horford, and Richards. But bottom line is that if Florida continues to play like they are capable of playing and keep the SEC wins coming along, then look for the Gators to ride the rankings and move on up. The main SEC games they will need to get past are the Kentucky and Tennessee match ups. Two great ball clubs Florida yet has to face and will be huge wins if Florida can get passed them both.

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Gators Cruise Past Arkansas 80-65

Posted by admin on January 18th, 2009   1 Comment

The Gators sunk several three pointers in the second half which gave them the boost to get past Arkansas and improve to 3-0 in the SEC. The Gators were led by Nick Calathes with 28 points 10 rebounds and seven assists. What a night Calathes had. Nick was a big part of the three point shooting in the second half. Calathes made a career high six three pointers while hitting four of the six in the second half.

Florida shot 3 for 17 from long range in the first half and still led by three at halftime. The Razorbacks pounded on the Gators down low but they could not answer on Florida’s threes. Freshman guard Erving Walker put up 13 points and three from beyond the arc. Alex Tyus added 11 points and grabbed six rebounds. Sophomore forward Chandler Parsons and Freshman center Kenny Kadji both added 10 a piece.

Florida (16-2, 3-0) will be back in action for two SEC games, Playing at South Carolina on Wednesday at 7pm and then they will play at Vanderbilt on Sunday starting at 1:30 pm.

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Gillislee Recommits To Florida

Posted by admin on January 16th, 2009   No Comment

Mike Gillislee, the 6 foot 1 from Deland (FL) has recommitted to the University Of Florida after decomitting just the other day. The 4 star recruit is a power back that Florida could use in the future.

Some other news for the Gators, Greg Reid has from Valdosta (GA) has a visit with Florida this weekend after he was already thinking about decomitting to UF.

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Tebow Undergoes Surgery On Non-Throwing Shoulder

Posted by admin on January 14th, 2009   1 Comment

By: Brandon
admin@gatorsportsnation.com

Quarterback Tim Tebow has had his arthroscopic surgery done on his right shoulder the day after he told Gator Nation that he is returning for his senior year at Florida. Tebow needed a bone spur removed and all of the chronic inflammation that was built up and which he had hurt back in the 2007 season.

Doctors have told media and Urban Meyer that the surgery went real well and Tebow should most likely be throwing again in the next few weeks and should return to full health. He hurt his shoulder a little more than half way through the season last year and it has been giving him a little trouble late this year, but good thing he is getting it taking care of now and also letting it give time to recover. Tebow fought through the pain in the National championship game against Oklahoma and never gave a sign of it hurting. Tebow still threw for 231 yards and rushing for over 100 yards. Despite throwing the interceptions, he made it up with the 2 touchdowns he threw which led Florida past the Sooners 24-14.

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