2 - The Independent Florida Alligator

SPORTS | COLUMNS

Introducing the Spring 2019 Alligator sports staff

By Jake Dreilinger | Jan. 6, 2019

The confetti has fallen. The stands are empty.

A last-second, full-court heave to South Carolina forward Chris Silva helped the Gamecocks earn a 71-69 win over the Gators on Saturday at the O'Connell Center.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Loss to South Carolina highlights Florida’s shortcomings

By Tyler Nettuno | Jan. 6, 2019

The Gators men’s basketball team finished its non-conference schedule in a respectable manner. UF squandered an opportunity to upset No. 8 Michigan State, but it took care of business against Mercer and Florida Gulf Coast before manhandling Butler on Dec. 29.

Trey Burton played in every game of the season, racking up 54 receptions for 569 yards and six touchdowns.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Gators in the NFL: 2018 Season Review

By Bryan Matamoros | Jan. 6, 2019

A total of 45 former Gators were on 24 NFL teams by the end of the 2018 regular season.

Sophomore Alyssa Baumann earned First-Team All-America and All-SEC honors in her freshman campaign with the Gators.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

National title aspirations no stretch heading into UF’s 2019 campaign

By River Wells | Jan. 6, 2019

Since UF gymnastics took home the NCAA title three years in a row from 2013-2015, it has made repeated trips deep into the postseason, reaching the Super Six twice.

Rhoel Dinglasan, UF associate professor of infectious diseases and leader of the project which developed the Saliva-based Malaria Asymptomatic Asexual Rapid Test device, sits next to one of his agilent mass spectrometers which was used to gather data. Courtesy to The Alligator.

NEWS

UF professor develops tool to test for malaria using saliva

By Samuel Schaffer | Jan. 6, 2019

The tool may be on the market in 2020.

“You have to learn that in the SEC when you get punched you can’t flinch, you can’t falter,” said Gators women's basketball coach Cam Newbauer. “We just kinda flinched a little bit at the wrong time and got away from what our game plan was.”

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida falls to Auburn in second-straight conference loss

By Sam Campisano | Jan. 6, 2019

The Florida women’s basketball team needed big performances from its two leading-scorers in Funda Nakkasoglu and Delicia Washington to win on Sunday. They didn’t deliver.

Florida missed eight shots in the final seven minutes of its 69-71 loss to South Carolina, including a missed jumper and layup from freshman guard Keyontae Johnson.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators falter down the stretch, lose to Gamecocks in final seconds

By Jake Dreilinger | Jan. 5, 2019

The game looked as if it was going to overtime.

A four vehicle crash on Interstate 75 at mile marker 394 caused seven deaths and a diesel fire Thursday afternoon.

METRO

All I-75 lanes are open following repairs from crash

By Kelly Hayes | Jan. 5, 2019

Crews worked on the highway from Friday afternoon to early Saturday.

Sophomore Taylor Ault finished third in the 500-yard freestyle during Day 1 of the Georgia Tech Invitational. She posted a time of 4:42.08.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

Gators successful at home, lead Ohio State and Kentucky after Day 1

By Evan Lepak | Jan. 5, 2019

The UF swimming team started 2019 in style on Friday, ending Day 1 of the two-day meet at the O'Connell Center in first place.

METRO

More lane closures Friday night, slow traffic after fatal I-75 crash

By Kelly Hayes | Jan. 4, 2019

The damage to the highway spanned across several hundred feet.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

FHP releases names of the 5 children, 2 men who died in Florida I-75 crash

By Taylor Girtman | Jan. 4, 2019

The semi driver who started the crash has had eight traffic citations in Palm Beach County since 2003.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida blows lead, drops first SEC matchup

By Dylan Rudolph | Jan. 3, 2019

The Gators had finally gotten back in the game. They had blown their early 20-point lead but now had the game tied again with momentum on their side.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

ACFR: 7 killed in fiery crash on I-75

By Taylor Girtman | Jan. 3, 2019

The multi-vehicle crash caused a fuel fire and injured others.

Nancy Ruzycki, a UF lecturer and the director of undergraduate laboratories at the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering Department of Materials Science and Engineering, holds Arduinos, an type of open-source electronic, to create lab experiments involving data collection and analysis. Courtesy to The Alligator.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF professor receives $5 million grant to improve Florida public education technology

By Samuel Schaffer | Jan. 3, 2019

Teachers can earn $5,400 or $1,200 for participating in the funded program.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

GPD: Man arrested for pointing laser at an officer

By Katherine Wallace-Fernandez | Jan. 1, 2019

The officer was responding to a call of gunfire in a neighborhood.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Year in Review: The Alligator’s top read stories of 2018

Jan. 1, 2019

Here are The Alligator's most read stories in news, sports, opinions and The Avenue in 2018.

Guard Funda Nakkasoglu led the Gators in scoring with 43 points through the first two games. She's the only UF player shooting over 50.0 percent from the field (57.1).

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Nakkasoglu, Gators topple Charleston Southern in final non-conference game

By Dylan Rudolph and Dylan Rudolph Sports Writer | Dec. 30, 2018

Guard Funda Nakkasoglu found her deep shot at the right time. She rose up without hesitation and made back-to-back threes, the ball slicing through the net and giving the Gators the lead late in the third quarter.