Sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

The Florida Gators student section celebrates during a basketball game against the Auburn Tigers in the Final Four round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.

SPORTS | BASKETBALL

Natty numbers: How do Florida’s and Houston’s stats compare going into the championship?

By Zoey Thomas | Apr. 7

Florida and Houston are facing off in the men’s basketball National Championship at 8:50 p.m. in San Antonio, Texas. Both teams pulled upsets in their Final Four games Saturday night. Houston erased Duke’s nine-point lead in the last two minutes to win 70-67, while Florida outlasted Auburn 79-73.

James poses out the window of the bar Ballz following the Gators win at the NCAA Final Four game on Saturday, April 5, 2025.

SPORTS | BASKETBALL

Gators gone wild: Gainesville celebrates Auburn win

By Alligator Staff report | Apr. 7

When UF’s Final Four matchup against the Auburn Tigers ended in triumph, Gainesville roared. Students stormed the streets. Bar floors shook. Fireworks exploded. The Gators had just advanced to their first National Championship since 2007.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Freshman Niels Villard finds home in Florida men’s tennis

By Curan Ahern | Apr. 7

Nestled along the banks of the Marne River lies the commune of Meaux in Northern France. A quiet town rich in history and lined with ancient buildings and historic cathedrals, the town is known for its landscape, rich culture and cuisine (including the world-famous Brie de Meaux).

Florida Gators guard Alijah Martin (15) flies through the air before a dunk during a basketball game against the Auburn Tigers in the Final Four round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.

SPORTS | BASKETBALL

Florida ascends into National Championship

By Noah White | Apr. 7

In a rematch of SEC titans, Walter Clayton Jr. toppled top-seeded Auburn with a career-defining 34-point performance in San Antonio. With the win, Florida advances to its first national championship since 2007.

Florida Gators gymnast Skye Blakely preforms an exhibition on the balance beam in a gymnastics meet against the Kentucky Wildcats in Gainesville, Fla., on Friday, March 14, 2025.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

No. 3 Florida wins Regional Championship, advances to Nationals

By Liana Handler | Apr. 6

No. 3 Florida Gymnastics wins NCAA Regional Championships, advancing to Nationals in Fort Worth, Texas.

Florida sophomores Bente Spee (left) and Alicia Dudeney (right) compete in their doubles match during the Gators' 4-1 win over the Michigan Wolverines Wednesday, March 22, 2023.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida women’s tennis falls short in long and tight road match against Kentucky

By Jeffrey Serber | Apr. 6

After a four-hour and 16-minute contest that saw four of their six singles matches go to three sets, the Gators fell short to Kentucky to close out their three-match road trip.

Florida Gators infielder Rylee Holtorf (4) throws the ball in a softball game against UCF in Gainesville, Fla., on Wednesday, March 12, 2025.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

No. 3/2 Florida drops rubber match against No. 12/13 Arkansas

By Jackson Colding | Apr. 6

After an electrifying win, the No. 3/2 Florida Gators could not make it two-straight, as they dropped Sunday’s contest to the No. 12/13 Arkansas Razorbacks to lose the SEC series.

Gators sophomore baseball player Ashton Wilson, 30, huddles with the team during the UF vs. Mississippi State on March 31, 2024.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida swept by No. 23 Vanderbilt, fall to 1-11 in SEC play

By Hugh Green | Apr. 6

Never in the history of Florida’s baseball program have the Gators gotten off to as poor of a start to conference play as 2025. After starting 0-8 against SEC opponents, UF took one game against Ole Miss before returning to its rough showings.

Florida Relays at the University of Florida on Saturday, April 5th, 2025.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Florida hurdlers star in first home meet of the season

By Paul Hof-Mahoney | Apr. 6

Pollen is in the air, an endless stream of team buses is rolling through the north side of campus, and the cacophonic sound of a starting gun is still ringing through the air. All of this means one thing: it’s track season in Gainesville.

The Florida Gators softball team met junior left fielder Korbe Otis at the plate after she hit a solo home run during the Gators' 4-2 win over Baylor on Friday, May 24, 2024.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

No. 3/2 Florida wins in electrifying fashion over No. 12/13 Arkansas in nine innings

By Jackson Colding | Apr. 6

In a chaotic contest that featured an ejection and a 15+ minute play review, the No. 3/2 Florida Gators evened the SEC series against the No. 12/13 Arkansas Razorbacks, winning in electrifying fashion.

Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) drives with the ball during a basketball game against the Auburn Tigers in the Final Four round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida outlasts Auburn en route to National Championship berth

By Noah White | Apr. 5

In a rematch of SEC titans, Walter Clayton Jr. toppled top-seeded Auburn with a 34-point, career-defining performance in San Antonio. With the win, Florida advances to its first national championship since 2007.

The Gators will face the Auburn Tigers in San Antonio Saturday for a Final Four match Saturday night.

SPORTS | BASKETBALL

Live from Gainesville: UF watches Gators men’s basketball in the Final Four

By Alligator Staff report | Apr. 5

The Gators returned to the Final Four for the first time since 2014 after a nail-biting Elite Eight performance against Texas Tech. If Florida advances Saturday evening, it will be the first National Championship the team has made since 2007.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida men’s tennis comes up short against No. 18 Tennessee

By Curan Ahern | Apr. 5

Despite a 3-0 lead, Florida men’s tennis came up just short as No. 18 Tennessee completed a remarkable 4-3 comeback.

Florida baseball head coach Kevin O'Sullivan argues with in the sixth inning of a 19-1 loss to South Alabama on June 5.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Kevin O’Sullivan ejected, Florida baseball drops fourth straight SEC series

By Jack Meyer | Apr. 5

UF baseball head coach Kevin O’Sullivan was hit with the first home game ejection of his entire 18-year career with the Gators, as Florida dropped its fourth consecutive SEC series against Vanderbilt on Saturday.

Florida Gators fans talk on the concourse of Capital One Fan Fest during Final Four weekend in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday, April 5, 2025.

SPORTS | BASKETBALL

By air, by land, (not) by sea: Florida fans follow historic NCAA Tournament run

By Noah White and Juliana DeFilippo | Apr. 5

Final Four Saturday night when Florida will take on Auburn in the Final Four tonight at 6:09 p.m. EST. So will thousands of other Gators. Between mass carpools and emotional ties, here’s how they got there and what it means.

Clark Hamilton (21) plays against Navy on Wednesday, March 12th, 2025.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Florida lacrosse earns first-ever Big 12 home win in 21-goal effort

By Max Bernstein | Apr. 5

In its first-ever Big 12 Conference matchup in Gainesville, No. 5 Florida lacrosse dominated San Diego State 21-9 as 10 Gators posted multi-point games.

Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) drinks water during a timeout in a basketball game against UConn in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Inside the numbers of Florida basketball’s Final Four run

By Noah White | Apr. 5

Florida basketball is numbers driven, and in the final moments of last Saturday’s 10-point comeback in the Elite Eight, it never had been more so.

Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) shoots a free throw in a basketball game against Auburn University on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Auburn, Ala.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida looks to reach national championship with win over Auburn in Final Four

By Max Tucker | Apr. 5

Florida basketball is back in the Final Four against a familiar opponent in Auburn. Here’s a preview of what’s to come between the Gators and Tigers with a national championship berth on the line.

Florida pitcher Jake Clemente (20) pitches as the Florida Gators face the Dayton Flyers on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Fla.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida shut out by No. 23 Vanderbilt in opening game of series

By Hugh Green | Apr. 4

Florida’s struggles in conference play have been well-documented. For most of its rough start against SEC opponents, the pitching has been the biggest issue. Whether it’s giving up late leads or being out-gunned in shootouts, the bats have not been the problem.

Florida Gators gymnast Taylor Clark preforms on the floor in a gymnastics meet against the Kentucky Wildcats in Gainesville, Fla., on Friday, March 14, 2025.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

No. 3 Florida runs away with second round of NCAA Regional

By Liana Handler | Apr. 4

No. 3 Florida Gymnastics earned its second-highest score across the regular and postseason to advance to Sunday’s NCAA Regional Final.