Dominant start lifts Gators to dominant victory over Spartans
By Kyle Bumpers | Dec. 18, 2022The Florida Gators (11-1) took down UNC Greensboro (5-7) 79-55 Sunday afternoon in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
The Florida Gators (11-1) took down UNC Greensboro (5-7) 79-55 Sunday afternoon in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
The Gators (10-1) defeated the Hurricanes (7-4), 76-73, Sunday afternoon in an overtime thriller in Coral Gables. The matchup was the first time the teams played each other since 2010.
The Gators defeated Presbyterian in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Tuesday. Florida shot an impressive 46% from the field and made seven of its 13 attempts from beyond the arc. Three Gators scored in double-figures — Rimdal, senior guard KK Deans with 18 points and junior center Ra Shaya Kyle with 12.
The Gators scored at will early on, but stagnant second and third quarters brought the Panthers within one. Florida got back on track with an 18-point fourth quarter to secure a 68-53 victory.
Florida defeated Green Bay Thursday in the St. Pete Showcase. UF senior guard Leilani Correa led the team in scoring with 20 points, with junior Jordyn Merritt right behind with 17 points.
Florida Gators women’s basketball took on the Furman Paladins in their fourth home game of the season Monday night and came out with a decisive victory. UF still remains undefeated inside the Stephen C. O’Connell center so far this season.
Five-star 2023 women’s basketball prospect Laila Reynolds is ready to compete for championships and bring a winning mentality to Gainesville. Reynolds hails from PG County, Maryland. She’s the No.19 recruit in the country as of Nov. 20, according to ESPN.
Florida defeated Bethune-Cookman Friday night inside the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. UF made more than half its shots and finished with a 52% field goal percentage. Second chance points helped keep the Wildcats within reach of Florida, outscoring the Gators 16 points to six in the category.
Based on the run Florida had just went on, six points felt more than achievable. However, a stagnant fourth quarter ended with the Seminoles on top, 92-77. The Seminoles led by as many as 19 points in a game where the Gators ran out of magic and failed to come back one more time.
The Gators moved to 2-0 on the season after beating UNC Asheville 86-40 Sunday afternoon. Florida led for all four quarters and outscored the Bulldogs 49-17 in the second half.
Florida starts the season 1-0 after defeating the Rattlers 83-55 in the first game of its season Monday night. The win starts Kelly Rae Finley’s first full season as the team’s head coach on a strong note.
Florida women’s basketball is back and expectations are high. The Gators, under second-year head coach Kelly Rae Finley, will start their season Monday against Florida A&M at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
Finley’s first time leading the team through a tumultuous season was driven by the care and joy she infused in her team. Using her experiences as a college player to relate to and guide her players through adversity, Finley orchestrated a historic season for the Gators that culminated in their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2016.
Jackie Moore returns to Gainesville to take over one of the biggest roles in college sports.
Down three usual starters, Florida ended their NCAA Tournament hopes with a 69-52 loss to UCF Saturday.
Florida is dancing for the first time since the 2015-16 season and is seeded to face a determined UCF team, fresh off its first conference championship.
Florida women’s basketball is officially dancing. UF has earned a 10-seed in the NCAA Tournament and will face UCF in the first round in Storrs, Connecticut. Kelly Rae Finley will lead the Gators into their first March Madness appearance since 2016, a potential matchup with UConn looming.
Ole Miss center Shakira Austin’s size gave her 27 points and the Gators a 70-60 bouncing out of the SEC Tournament. Zippy Broughton scored 26 points to lead UF’s depleted roster that was missing stars Kiki Smith and Jordyn Merritt.
Florida earns a bittersweet 53-52 win over Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament. Guard Kiara Smith had to be helped off the floor late in the fourth quarter.
Her players, Mike White, Mary Wise and other prominent Gators voiced their support for Finley via social media after Monday’s announcement.