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  • WGYM Liveblog: No. 7 Florida at No. 2 LSU

    WGYM Liveblog: No. 7 Florida at No. 2 LSU

    Last week for the Gators was… rough.

    The team had a relatively comfortable lead going into floor, despite some errors from Riley McCusker and Ellie Lazzari on previous events, and it seems that Jenny Rowland made the decision to pull Anya Pilgrim out of the floor lineup for whatever reason – to save her legs for next week, to protect her from injury, to rest her because she wasn’t feeling well, we don’t really know.

    In her place went Lori Brubach, who honestly did not look competition ready. Her tumbling looked sluggish, her leaps were low, and she did take a fall. This was after, of course, Lazzari had already fallen earlier in the rotation, leaving the Gators to count a fall for the first time in over a year.

    We have a good reason to believe, though, that this week will be different. Florida always puts their best lineup up against LSU, as it’s a rivalry that has developed within the conference over the last several years. Tonight‘s meet is in Baton Rouge, so the Gators will need to be at their best to have a chance at sniping the reigning national champions.

    I’m a little slim on time tonight, so let’s just get started!

    7:35pm: rotation 1!

    Zeiss, LSU VT: FTY, 9.775.

    Blakely, UF UB: aaaaand a fall right off the top. That’s not a good sign.

    Finnegan, VT: Y1.5, stuck! Pretty good body position and solid dynamics. Not much to take there tbh.

    Pilgrim, UB: pak is clean, and then van Leeuwen – she looks nervous, but it’s a hit!

    Brock, VT: Y1.5, some noticeable knees, hop forward

    McCusker, UB: Chow to pak, super clean. Almost over the wrong way on a handstand but pulled it back. Van Leeuwen, up to dismount – little underrotated but waaaaay better. Single step forward. Proud of her.

    Lincoln, VT: Y1.5, way over cooked it, big bounds forward.

    Blakely Jr, UB: Ricna to pak, solid connection. Super clean low bar handstand, through the rest – little step on the double front half out dismount. It’s good.

    Drayton, VT: Y1.5, little bounce forward. Pretty clean in the air.

    Harris-Miranda, UB: Tkachev clean, bail is dead on. DLO stuck! Much more comfortable.

    Chio, VT: Y1.5, looked a little tentative but good amplitude, little hop on the landing.

    Wong, UB: Maloney to pak, some leg sep. van Leeuwen is cleaner. DLO, little bounce back.

    Ok, now I run to my actual viewing location! Hopefully I make it in time!

    8:05pm: I am back for the end of rotation two!

    Just watched Harris-Miranda absolutely nail her Y1.5!

    McClain, LSU UB: Great handstand work. Tkachev to bail, very clean. Stuck her dismount – yeah, that’ll be a good score.

    Hearing that Chio had a fall and Finnegan had an uncharacteristic mistake? Would have liked to see that.

    Florida responded with a massive 49.45 on vault! The era of Gator vault supremacy continues!

    AFTER TWO: LSU 98.65, UF 98.475

    Despite that initial fall from Sloane Blakely, the Gators are putting up a fight here for sure.

    8:15pm: Rotation 3!

    Ballard, LSU BB: Bhs loso, a little crooked in the air but fixes it without a single bobble. What a pro. Full turn is fine, switch to sissone is great. Front toss, little arm wave there. Sticks her dismount! A good way to start for the Tigers.

    Nguyen, UF FX: Front double full to sissone, perfectly rotated, maybe some leg sep in her twisting form. Switch ring to switch half, so extended. 1.5 to front lay, straight to arabesque, well controlled. Y turn is a little hurried but overall a good leadoff.

    Coen, BB: Front aerial to beat jump, clean. Bhs loso, really floats it, that’s nice. Switch to split, some back foot issues, don’t think it’s quite 180. Full turn is fine. Roundoff double full, little foot adjustment on the landing. Great debut for her!

    Ferris, FX: Full in to open, well controlled. Switch side to Popa, a little bouncy on the landing. 1.5 to front lay, really sends that layout out far but knows exactly where she is, single step forward. So glad to have her in the lineup this week!

    Chio, BB: Bhs loso, just lays that in. Dance series is good, well extended. Front aerial to split, good 180 there. Full turn is clean. 1.5 twist dismount, bit of a deep squat but she sticks it! A good rebound from the fall on bars.

    Blakely Sr., FX: Full in to open, looks SO confident with that, doesn’t move the front foot an inch. Dance series is great, gets excellent height and those splits are to die for. Really playing to her team as her crowd here! 1.5 to front full, nails it. She looks SO much more confident on floor this year, I’m so happy.

    McClain, BB: Switch to switch half, gets SO much height on that. Front aerial to bhs, gorgeous. Full turn, very clean. Little bobble in her choreo? Weird. Side aerial is clean, locks down those arms. Gainer full off the side is clean but doesn’t hold it very long, we’ll see if they take it.

    Clark, FX: DLO, HUGE amplitude, little lean back, maybe some slide of the front foot? She’s really performing the heck out of this routine despite the low-energy LSU crowd. Dance series is great, gorgeous extension there. Front through to double tuck, big lunge back, front foot definitely slid there. Alas, not as good as last week, but still great.

    Bryant, BB: She’s dealing with an elbow injury, so that’s why we didn’t see her on vault or bars tonight. Front aerial to bhs, well connected. Switch to straddle 1/4, clean. Standing front tuck, lands it very upright. Wolf jump is fine. Sticks that dismount – no surprise there.

    Wong, FX: DLO, a little underrotated, had to lean and step forward. Triple element dance series is clean, maybe a little more labored than usual? Whip half to front lay, very clean. She’s upset about that first pass still as she runs off the floor – she’s such a perfectionist, always her own worst critic.

    Finnegan, BB: Bhs loso loso, breaks at the hips! Leans all the way down, but doesn’t touch the beam and stays on. Wild. Dance series is clean, gorgeous extension as usual. Front aerial, locked back in. Gainer full off the side is stuck.

    Harris-Miranda, FX: Front through to double tuck, nails it, couldn’t move that front foot if she tried. Straddle elements in her dance series had great amplitude and positions in the air. Really hitting her musical moments. Combo pass to double stag, drops down in a crouch for her finishing choreo. Nailed that.

    AFTER THREE: LSU 148.175, UF 147.9

    Gators need to make up 3 tenths… not sure if that’ll happen tonight. Not in the PMAC.

    8:47pm: Rotation 4!

    Draser, UF BB: Good to see her in this week. Bhs loso, her elbows buckled on her bhs but she landed that somehow!! Switch to switch half, definitely some feet there. Roundoff 1.5 twist dismount is stuck! Way to fight.

    Ballard, LSU FX: Really bringing the drama in this opening choreo. DLO to open, a little banana-shaped but well controlled on the landing, takes it right to the line. 1.5 to front lay, big step forward, definitely dragged that back foot some. Dance series is lovely. Going for a third pass – double pike, basically a two-foot stick, held it for a hot second then put the foot back to the lunge. Incredible.

    Blakely Sr., BB: Front aerial to bhs, well connected. Split leap to switch half to beat jump, so quick with those and great split positions. Full turn is fine. Gainer full off the side – counts to herself to 5 to make sure she holds it long enough! Love that.

    Dunne, FX: Front through to double tuck to open, nice and high, great. Switch to switch ring half, that ring position was NOT acceptable. Double pike to close, good control there. Attempts what I assume is a ring jump full at the end? Never reached ring position at ALL and rotation was not there either to be honest.

    Pilgrim, BB: Bhs loso, super steady. Cat leap to front aerial, so clean. Switch to split leap, gorgeous toe point, well over 180. Bhs gainer full off the side, stuck! The Gators fighting for every tenth here.

    Drayton, FX: DLO, a little short, has to bend her knees and shuffle forward a little. Gorgeous switch ring to switch half. Front tuck through to double tuck, veeeeery close to the line, but knew exactly where she was. Kinda fell out of her wolf turn, don’t think she made it a full double rotation and put her hand down – will that be a fall? Judges will decide.

    Nguyen, BB: Onodi to bhs, gorgeous, connection is fine. Full turn is clean. Switch leap to split jump, extension is great, 180s a little off axis but I think she still reached them. Bhs 1.5, little shift forward for her dismount.

    9:00pm: Chio, FX: Full in, nice open body position, but also short, step forward. Combo pass is clean, well twisted. Dance series is clean. LSU giving some crucial tenths away.

    Wong, BB: Switch leap mount, big bobble but stays on somehow with one foot??? Moves into the rest of her dance sequence, clean. Bhs loso, locks it down. Gainer tuck full off the end, little hop on the dismount. Just not her night.

    Finnegan, FX: Double arabian to stag to open, incredible amplitude. Dance series is gorgeous, ring position is definitely legit here. 2.5 to punch front, has to step back instead of forward, so maybe a little underdone but covers well. Really putting on a show with the choreo through the whole routine – definitely a strong score.

    Harris-Miranda, BB: Series is SOOOO steady, bhs loso bhs. Dance sequence is lovely, hits those 180s well. Front toss is solid, she’s locked in. Bhs 1.5 twist, a shift back on that landing. Still, an excellent routine.

    Bryant, FX: Double front looks so easy for her as always. Switch leap through to tour jete half is good for her dance series, splits are great, although definitely some feet not fully pointed. Front lay to Rudi to close it out – they’re mobbing her like she’s won the natty again, but that was probably enough to clinch the meet for the Tigers.

    FINAL LSU 197.55, UF 197.45

    Sooooo close to fighting back to snipe that, but just a few too many flubs – still, a massive improvement over last week. That’s what matters to this coaching staff: getting better each week and progressing toward the ultimate goal of being prepared for postseason.

    Finnegan and Harris-Miranda tie for the all-around title at 39.5! Finnegan wins vault, McClain bars, Bryant and Blakely Sr. beam (9.95!), and Blakely also tied for the floor title with Finnegan at 9.95.

    Some really great signs for the Gators tonight, despite the loss – Ferris in the floor lineup is a big boon, although I do think they’re missing Pilgrim in a significant way. Draser back into beam, despite the scare, is also good news; she was a strong leadoff for the beam team last year. Vault being so strong is always good news, too, especially when we look ahead to the next ESPN2 meet the Gators will have – vs. Oklahoma.

    That’s all for me tonight. I’ll be back next week for the rivalry night vs. Georgia at 6:15pm on Friday. See you then!

  • BSB: Kevin O’Sullivan updates fans with month before first pitch — 3 things we learned

    BSB: Kevin O’Sullivan updates fans with month before first pitch — 3 things we learned

    With under a month left until the No. 10-ranked Florida Gators baseball team opens its season at home against Air Force on Valentine’s day, coach Kevin O’Sullivan addressed the fans and answered questions during his appearance on “Gator Talk” Thursday night.

    The Gators are hoping to make a 17th straight postseason appearance and make a third consecutive trip to the College World Series in Omaha, NE. They’ll be doing so while facing some roster turnover, including the loss of Gators star Jac Caglianone as he prepares to begin his professional career. Here’s three things we learned from O’Sullivan about the 2025 edition of the Gators baseball team:

    New faces and returning contributors

    The Gators added a ton of potential contributors through the transfer portal this offseason. Headlining the portal class is Miami power hitter Blake Cyr. He’s joined by a crop of players who found success at their last stops and are looking to contribute on a stage like Condron Family Ballpark provides. Justin Nadeau (Jacksonville), Kyle Jones (Stetson) and Bobby Boser (South Florida) will all try to carve out roles in the Gators’ lineup.

    “We have depth offensively, probably more depth than we’ve had in quite some years,” O’Sullivan said. “I feel good about our team and good about depth.”

    Backing up those new faces are a class of Gators familiar to fans at this point: Cade Kurland, Ty Evans, Colby Shelton and Luke Heyman will all be making their returns to the squad. However, this group of now-bonafide veterans will be tasked with making up for any production lost with the departure of Caglianone.

    More experience on the mound

    O’Sullivan referred to last year’s pitching staff during his appearance Thursday as “a bunch of 18 and 19-year-old pitchers that weren’t quite ready for that.”

    He did say, however, that the inexperience of last year’s staff should actually play to Florida’s advantage this season. Many returning sophomores, including Luke McNellie, Liam Peterson and Jake Clemente, all pitched in big spots last season and will be better equipped to find success in those situations this year.

    Add the return of former Stoneman Douglas ace Christian Rodriguez, who missed all of last season with an injury, and the Gators have themselves a young and dangerous rotation of arms.

    Culture leaders

    Perhaps most exciting to Gators fans are the comparisons O’Sullivan drew to the 2023 team, which fell 2-1 to Louisiana State in the College World Series finale. The Gators’ skipper said the returning veterans, who will serve as leaders in the clubhouse this season, remind him of players like B.T. Riopelle and Josh Rivera.

    “Many, many players on our roster have been to Omaha once, if not twice, now,” O’Sullivan said. “They have talent, obviously. And now we have leadership — we check all three of those boxes.”

    O’Sullivan hopes the experience and guidance of upperclassmen who chose to stay at UF longer can propel this team to the promised land.

  • WBB: Florida Falls to Ole Miss, 94-69

    WBB: Florida Falls to Ole Miss, 94-69

    The Gators fell 94-69 Thursday night in Oxford due to the suffocating defense of the Rebels. Ole Miss freshman Sira Thienou put on a dominant first-half performance that kept Florida behind all night, giving the Rebels their seventh straight win over the Gators. 

    Ra Shaya Kyle scored the first bucket of the game with an and-1 down low. Paint presence would be crucial for Florida in the first half, as the Gators tried to use its size as an advantage.

    Ole Miss wasted no time before enforcing an aggressive full-court defense, leading to back-to-back threes, giving the Rebels a 12-6 lead halfway through the first. 

    Florida quickly matched the energy of Ole Miss, resulting in transition opportunities. However, halfway through the second quarter, the Rebels went on an 8-0 run, capitalizing off of the Gator’s turnovers. 

    Ole Miss ranks third in the nation and first in the SEC for scoring defense, allowing only 51.3 points per game. Tonight was no different, as the Rebels forced 14 turnovers in the first half, scoring 18 points off of the mistakes. 

    Florida didn’t have an answer for Thienou, who had a career-high 29 points, with 22 coming through the first two quarters.

    The Gators made a 7-0 run as the half came to close, keeping the Rebels lead at ten, 42-32.

    Turnovers continued to plague Florida in the second half, as Ole Miss ran away with the game on a 14-1 run in the third.

    The Gators gave away the ball 15 times, leading to 24 Rebel points in the final 20 minutes.

    Jeriah Warren caught fire from beyond the arc late in the game with 13 second-half points, shooting 3-for-3 from deep in the fourth.

    The effort wasn’t enough to propel the Gators back into the contest, as Florida is now 0-6 in matchups this season when trailing at the half.

    The Gators are back in action on Sunday against No.6 LSU (19-0, 4-0) in Gainesville. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. and can be viewed on SECN.

  • WBB: Florida Commands Missouri, 93-67

    WBB: Florida Commands Missouri, 93-67

    After a dominant performance on the road, the Gators re-entered the win column with a 93-67 victory over the Tigers.

    Florida wasted no time on offense, scoring 12 points in the first four minutes. The Gators shot 61% from the field in the first quarter, hitting 11-of-18 shots.

    Liv McGill provided an offensive spark, scoring 13 in the first half and dishing out five assists.

    McGill finished the game with 21, 11 and 10, recording her first triple-double. Florida hasn’t documented this milestone since 2017 with Delicia Washington.

    The Gators led at the half, 45-36.

    Jeriah Warren picked up where McGill left off, scoring 13 points in the third quarter. Warren finished with 27 points on six made threes, both career highs.

    The Gators totaled 12 3-pointers on the night, setting a season high. 

    Florida outrebounded Missouri 37-25, leading to many fast-break opportunities and second-chance points. 

    Entering this game, Missouri was ranked first in the SEC and sixth nationally for three-point shooting, however, Florida held the Tigers to less than 30% from beyond the arc. 

    Overall, the Gators improved shooting and turnovers, both areas that posed struggles against Kentucky, to secure a nearly 30-point win.

    Florida will remain on the road for a matchup against Ole Miss on Thursday. The Rebels are hot off of a home victory against No.18 Alabama. 

    Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. in Oxford and will air on SECN. 

  • WGYM Liveblog: Opener Quad v. Michigan St, Nebraska, NIU

    WGYM Liveblog: Opener Quad v. Michigan St, Nebraska, NIU

    Today’s the day, Gator fans! The 2025 season has arrived! If you missed it this morning, make sure you check out my season preview for a primer on what to expect and what to look for this season.

    It will be a doozy of an opening meet tonight, with Florida facing one of their regional final opponents from last season in Michigan State, as well as coaching connection Nebraska and lesser-known Northern Illinois. No better way to jump back into gymnastics season than a quad meet, am I right?

    Be on the lookout tonight for newcomers Selena Harris-Miranda, Ly Bui, Taylor Clark, and potentially Skye Blakely, who wasn’t expected this soon due to her Achilles tear during Olympic Trials this summer. Early lineups seem to say she’s ready to compete on bars, which would be fantastic news for this Gator team.

    Lineups also show Riley McCusker back on bars, which we should all be excited for, and Danie Ferris on vault, despite the fact that she did not compete the event at Hype Night.

    As the home team, the Gators will start on vault. Live scoring can be found here on Virtius, and the meet itself is being broadcast on SEC+ tonight.

    7:07pm: Rotation 1, here we go!

    Kraus, NIU UB: A fall on her bail almost immediately, that’s tough. Double tuck dismount, big step forward.

    Pilgrim, UF VT: Y1.5, some knees in the air, little hop forward.

    Beautfait, MSU FX: Front double full to start, kinda bouncy but well twisted. Dance series is well connected, ring position a little undersplit. 1.5 to front lay, had to whip that around, slipped her feet but stayed upright.

    Jenkes, Neb BB: Front toss, clean. Switch to straddle 1/2, clean. Little hop on her dismount – a good start.

    Wong, VT: Podkopayeva – Yurchenko half on, pike half off – one of the cleanest she’s done in ages! Great height, solid positions in the area, small adjustment on the landing.

    Ross, UB: Only saw the dismount, but they logged a hit.

    Zsarmani, MSU FX: We missed the opening tumbling pass, but it seems she hit it fine. Bringing the energy with this choreo, loving it. 1.5 to front full, great control as she comes out of it.

    Kraus, BB: Acro series is clean. Hitchkick to switch leap to beat jump, gorgeous. Stuck gainer full dismount!

    Bui, VT: We missed it altogether. We missed her Gator debut??? I’m angry. She earned a 9.775.

    White, UB: Gienger, some leg sep but overall okay. Bail is good. Double lay dismount looked stuck from here, although kinda whippy.

    Simpton, BB: Split to sheep, actually an okay sheep jump? Stuck gainer full!

    7:15pm: Blakely Sr., VT: Y1.5, single large step forward. Working on dialing that back, I’m sure.

    Sikon, BB: Switch to switch half, great split positions, but a sizable wobble. Full turn is clean. Bhs tucked 1.5, little step back.

    Ferris, VT: Y1.5 STUCK that. Let’s go.

    Kalefe, FX: Flubbed the landings on both passes, YIKES. That floor is too slippery. Missed her dance element there too, looked like she just couldn’t get off the floor to jump.

    Spence, BB: Acro series is clean. Dance series is nice – little adjustment on the dismount.

    Someone for NIU just sat her dismount. Think it was Anderson.

    Harris-Miranda, VT: Y1.5, little stutter step back. Not her best, but a hit. She’ll get better.

    McClelland, BB: Double wolf turn, gorgeous. Bhs loso, locked down. Chest stand cartwheel, nice. Straddle to beat to stag jump series, all clean and confident. Bhs tucked 1.5, small step – great performance.

    Lazzari, VT exhibition: Y1.5, a little angled to one side, single large step forward.

    Finally getting Harkness on FX: Full in to open, gorgeous. Really hitting her moments in the music nicely. Dance series is nice and precise. Front tuck through to double tuck, little bit of an ankle cruncher but keeps it on her feet.

    King hit bars for NIU – they needed that in the lineup, but unfortunately it was na exhibition!

    Hall also just had a strong exhibition routine for Nebraska on beam. Could easily slot into early lineup.

    7:30pm: Stephen, FX: Front through to Rudi, great amplitude, clean form. A little tight in her split position in her dance series, but good power and rotation. Loso into some floor choreo, that’s kinda fun. Front double full as her SECOND pass, wow. Gorgeous.

    Smith, FX: BIG full in to start, refuses to move her feet, incredible. Really killing this choreo, Gators cheering for her in the background. Lost her balance a little as she landed her dance series, oopsie. Front through to double tuck, well controlled once again. Should be an excellent score!

    Lebster, FX exh: Rudi to open, good twisting form, good control. Bhs loso just randomly in the middle of the floor, interesting. Kind of a classic rock routine here, makes me miss Amelia Hundley. Combo pass to finish – a little stutter step there at the end, other teams need to make sure they are chalking their feet well.

    AFTER ONE: UF 49.2, NEB 49.15, MSU 48.9, NIU 46.925

    7:45pm: Rotation 2 time!

    Hsu, MSU VT: Yfull, pretty clean, small adjustment.

    Blakely Sr., UF UB: Maloney to bail, clean. Double front STUCK yes! Great way to start things off.

    Ross, NIU BB: Clean so far. Stuck dismount! They needed that to turn this around.

    Simpton, Neb FX: Clean first pass, well controlled on the landing. Ring positions in her dance series are… questionable. Finished strong, though.

    Duplissis, VT: Y1.5, sat it. Ouch.

    Pilgrim, UB: Maloney to pak, clean. van Leeuwen is excellent. Good last handstand. Full in dismount STUCK.

    Rourke, FX: Double pike, little step OOB it looks like. Triple dance series, good amplitude from what I could tell from this angle. front through to double tuck, well controlled to finish.

    Zsarmani just hit her vault, didn’t see what it was. And another hit for NIU on beam, from what we saw, from Sallee.

    McCusker, UB: Chow to pak, goooorgeous swing. van Leeuwen is also excellent. Oh nooo, knees down on her dismount. That still needs fixing, apparently.

    Smith, VT: Y1.5, hop forward and off to one side.

    Jencks, FX: First pass is solid. A little off axis on some of her wolf dance elements, but rotation was fine. Double tuck to close, really strong.

    O’Shea, BB: Only saw the dismount, small step. Commentators say she narrowly avoided a fall apparently!

    Stephen, VT: Y1.5, biiig amplitude, large step forward.

    Blakely Jr., UB: So excited for her! Great opening handstand. Ricna to pak, wow. Very nice. Great final handstand, holds it forever. Double front half out, step back, and another. Still, puts it to her feet what seemed comfortably. Incredible!

    Nickle, BB: Big bobble on her acro series but stays on. Stuck gainer full dismount it looked like!

    McClelland, FX: Really strong opening pass, a front double full, and nailing this choreo. Rudi to very floaty loso, gorgeous. This might be her same routine as last year? I feel like I remember it.

    Kellerman, VT: Handspring pike half, stuck!!! Huge.

    Brown, BB: Standing loso to another loso, that’s fun. Leap series is pretty steady. Dismount had a small foot adjustment.

    Harris-Miranda, UB: Ray to bail, solid handstand position. Double layout dismount, little hop back. A great routine for her!

    8pm: Doyle, VT exh: Y1.5, very deep but sticks it? It’s getting there.

    Wong, UB: Maloney to pak, legs just glued together, floats nicely. Great low bar handstand, van Leeuwen is clean too. Double layout, stuck!

    Spence, FX: Double wolf turn, nice and steady. Front through to double tuck, solid. That’ll finish it out, we didn’t see the first pass.

    Arana, UB exh: Maloney to bail, clean. Double lay dismount, stuck! That could easily go back in the lineup.

    White had a solid exhibition on beam as well for NIU!

    Kraus, FX: Biiiig double tuck, lots of air on that. Not a lot of amplitude on her dance series. Combo pass is clean, well controlled. Double pike to finish, underrotated, has to step forward to stay on her feet.

    Homecillo, FX: I missed what the first pass was, but the landing was well controlled. Not great amplitude on her dance elements, but good positions in the air. Double tuck to finish is solid.

    AFTER TWO: UF 98.525, MSU 97.925, NEB 97.825, NIU 95.025

    8:17pm: Rotation 3!

    Kuenemann, Neb VT: Yfull to start off, pretty clean in the air, little step.

    Stephen, MSU UB: Clean releases, full in dismount stuck!

    Pilgrim, UF BB: Candle mount, solid. Bhs loso, super steady. Switch leap to split leap, gorgeous 180 positions. Bhs gainer full, stuck! She’s automatic, y’all.

    Ross, NIU FX: Double pike to start, very nice. Dance series a little low but good positions. Combo pass is clean. Double tuck, a little wide in the lunge, tried to keep her front foot from sliding but couldn’t quite mask it.

    McClelland, VT: Another Yfull, a little off to one side, bounce in place.

    Zsarmani, UB: Big release, good transition to low. Stuck dismount! Let’s go!

    Blakely Sr., BB: Front aerial to bhs, clean. Split leap to switch half to beat jump, fabulous positions in the air. Full turn is clean. Stuck dismount!

    Harbeck, FX: Rudi is great. Really serving the drama in her choreo. Some flexed feet in her dance series. Double pike to her knees, ouch!

    Hall, VT: Yfull like a DART into that mat, couldn’t move if she tried.

    We missed Doyle but she got a 9.85, so clearly a hit.

    Nguyen, BB: Onodi to bhs, absolutely gorgeous, adjusted like a pro. Switch leap to split jump, showing oversplits like the elegance queen she is. Bhs 1.5, little hop forward. Lovely.

    Jencks, VT: Another solid Yfull! Nebraska quietly chugging along here.

    Smith, UB: Didn’t see her releases but she nailed her double lay dismount!

    White, FX: Really nailing this routine so far. Combo pass is clean. Double tuck, and she falls forward onto her stomach, yikes.

    Lazzari, BB: Bhs loso, bobble at the end but stays on. Front aerial is clean. Switch to split, great extension there. Split 1/2 from side stand, okay. Gainer full off the side, chest way down, grabs her legs? Very unusual for her.

    Kellerman just hit a clutch routine on bars for Michigan State – 9.925!

    Sikon, VT: Another Yfull, a little hop.

    Sallee, FX: Front double full to front tuck stuck! That’s a way to start! Dance series a little rough, first split was not 180 and lots of flexed feet. Rudi to back full, that’s unusual, but clean.

    Harkness, UB: Only saw the dismount but gorgeous and stuck!

    Wong, BB: We come in at her acro series – bhs loso, locks it in. Full turn is clean. Such precision and elegance throughout her choreo. Gainer tuck full off the end for her dismount this year – sticks it!

    Spence, VT: Y1.5, little hop forward, definitely some knees there though.

    Abney, UB exh: Ray to overshoot, a little wild in the legs on the transition there. Clean final handstand work. Double tuck stuck! Solid, but probably doesn’t compete with this stellar lineup.

    Harris-Miranda, BB: Acro series is a lil wobbly, there. Gotta get used to this equipment and arena, I suppose. Switch to split, good split positions, some feet. Full turn had a bobble. Front toss is powerful, stands it upright. Roundoff 1.5 stuck!

    Frost, VT exh: Yfull-on pike off – oh god! Crashes it and falls off the mat! She looks okay, but that was scary.

    McCusker, BB exh: Love her opening low beam choreo. Double wolf turn, very steady. Side aerial loso, bobbles but saves it. Switch to split, incredible. Korbut, lovely. Front aerial, snaps those arms down to not bobble. Stuck the landing!

    Anderson, FX: Front lay to Rudi, very low chest but controlled landing. Front double full, stumbles back but stays upright.

    Nickle, FX exh: Front double full, almost doesn’t make it around, stumbles into her crossover step. Front lay to front full, leg form was all over the place.

    AFTER THREE: UF 148.025, MSU 147.35, NEB 146.65, NIU 143.25

    8:47pm: Last one, let’s go!

    White, NIU VT: Yfull, small hop on the landing.

    Kalefe, MSU BB: Bhs loso loso, absolutely gorgeous. Dance series is so crisp! Gainer full off the side is stuck! A strong lead for the Spartans.

    Nguyen, UF FX: Really serving drama in her choreo this year! Front double full to sissone, a good one. Jeremy Miranda really outdid himself with this one. 1.5 to front lay, well controlled into an arabesque. Love it.

    Harbeck, VT: Yfull, some loose body position and a big bounce backward.

    Duplissis, BB: Acro series is solid. Full turn is a little loose but gets through it. Beat to split 3/4, positions a little muddy in the air.

    Simpton, UB: Gorgeous final handstand, releases were clean. Double lay, single step forward.

    Sallee, VT: Yfull, another small hop back.

    Lazzari, FX: Front double full, and sits it. Feet slipped out from under her, ouch. Triple dance series, good positions in the air. 1.5 to front lay to stag jump, gorgeous.

    Misenheimer, BB: Hitting a strong routine on beam for the Spartans as Lazzari goes. Gorgeous split positions in the air. 1.5 dismount is stuck!

    Sikon, UB: Tkachev to overshoot, again legs a little wild. Can’t stand that skills. Full pirouette to double tuck, step back.

    Sissi, VT: Yfull, hop back. Twisting technique was interesting, she twists opposite to what we typically see I think.

    Blakely Sr., FX: Full in, YES so much better, just a little bounce. Gorgeous splits in her dance series. Really bringing the sass in her choreo, playing to the crowd. 1.5 to front full, almost sticks but well controlled still. Ends it with the chomp – incredible.

    Zsarmani, BB: Great acro series. Splits are super clean. Sticks her roundoff 1.5!

    O’Shea, VT: Yfull, big bounce back. Maybe some more height on that one? Hard to tell from this angle.

    Clark, FX: Double lay is INCREDIBLE, great height and body position. Killing it in this choreo, hitting all her musical moments. Dance series so crisp. Front through to double tuck to finish, well controlled. A fakeout ending, closes it with the Gator chomp. EASILY the best of the night!

    Smith, BB: Great bhs loso, lots of amplitude. Dance series is killer, she gets such height off the beam. Double tuck dismount, just a small step. I’m always so impressed that she sticks with that difficulty!

    Brenner, VT: Yfull, quite a bit off to the side.

    Gibson, UB exh: Overall pretty loose, not a fan of the overshoot. Dismount pretty loose too.

    Stephen, BB: Standing back pike? Wow. Bhs loso, gorgeous. Double full dismount, stuck!

    Wong, FX: Double lay to start things off, glad we’re sticking with that. Dance series is so quick and clean. Double Gator chomp on the “Ra Ra” of Ra Ra Rasputin, hilarious and incredibly timed. Jeremy Miranda, an artist. Whip half to front lay to finish, well controlled. That’s gonna bring the house down as the season goes on.

    Harkness, exh BB: Bhs loso is excellent. Switch to another switch, good split positions. Side aerial, so steady. Cat leap to side aerial to back tuck 1.5 dismount – that could easily slot in.

    Brubach, FX: Rudi to start, I think she was OOB there. A big country flavor to this routine, that’s kinda fun. Dance series is a little loose? Double tuck – crunched her ankle, and maybe put a knee down? That’s not great, that will mean the Gators count a fall. Rowland maybe reconsidering having taken Pilgrim out now?? Not sure if the Gators will still win this, honestly, Michigan State has had a great meet.

    Disidore, FX exh: Front double full, overcooks it, you can tell she’s training something bigger. 1.5 to front lay, much better.

    FINAL: UF 196.675, MSU 196.65, NEB 195.6, NIU 191.95

    In terms of event winners, Wong and Blakely went 1-2 in the AA at 39.725 and 39.5 respectively – Wong’s mark ties Aleah Finnegan for best in the nation so far this season! Ferris wins vault with a 9.95, and Wong wins the rest of the events with the same score.

    That was… a little close for comfort. Some bright spots – Skye Blakely in bars feels great, Harris-Miranda getting used to competing as a Gator is starting to look pretty good, and Ferris being comfortable on vault at that level is excellent news. There are definitely more things to work on, though, and I personally would reconsider Lazzari in some events – her consistency issues have not been fixed with time off, unless we’re just chalking this up to first meet jitters, which you don’t love to see from a fifth-year vet anyway. McCusker’s bars also concern me, I really had hoped she had fixed that dismount situation. A lot of tonight’s mistakes will need to evaporate quickly if the Gators are going to have a chance in Baton Rouge next week.

    Speaking of which, I am not certain whether I will be able to cover that meet – I am still working out plans for next weekend, but hopefully I will see you all then! Thanks for being here tonight, and as always, Go Gators.

  • WGYM: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back – Can The Gators Finally Get There? 2025 Season Preview

    WGYM: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back – Can The Gators Finally Get There? 2025 Season Preview

    2024 was another year of “close, but no cigar” for Gator Gymnastics under Jenny Rowland, making it to Four on the Floor but ultimately coming in fourth. While it was definitely a year to be proud of, especially given that several expected Gators were absent or limited due to injury or Olympic pursuits, that national team title still eludes Rowland, and this season will mark 10 years since Florida’s last time at the top.

    The question lingers… how long can you dance around the podium without climbing it before you are pushed out of position?

    Certainly, we’ll expect them to remain in contention this season, although maybe not as strongly as we once would have hoped. If you had asked a Gators fan this time last year, they would have said 2025 would be the year – Skye Blakely and Kayla DiCello back from their Olympic attempts, Riley McCusker back from injury, Lily Bruce and Taylor Clark joining the squad? A recipe for a golden year, for certain.

    But things have not exactly turned out as planned. Blakely and DiCello both tore their Achilles tendons in pursuit of their Paris dreams, just one day apart during Olympic Trials. Both have had six months to heal, but DiCello just had another surgery on her other leg in late December, and Blakely has only been seen training a few scarce landings. However, the Gators have also gained a few assets – UCLA transfer Selena Harris-Miranda should be a weekly AA threat, and recent commit Ly Bui has joined a year early. A former U.S. junior national team member, Bui will be a tremendous value-add, particularly on bars.

    McCusker’s healing is maybe one thing that has gone to plan – she doesn’t just have bars under control now, but she’s upgraded her entire routine, both releases and dismount. She also looks confident enough to slot right back into the beam lineup.

    There are still a few question marks – can some of the vets get past their hiccups and yips from last season, particularly on bars? Has Danie Ferris healed enough to meaningfully contribute on more than just vault? How will Harris-Miranda mesh with the culture at Florida? Let’s take it event by event and break down what to expect from the Gators this season, and the signs to look for to measure their progress.

    Vault

    2024 Postseason Lineup: Draser, Nguyen, Pilgrim, Ferris, Wong, Lazzari
    Other Contributors: Blakely Sr., Edwards
    Potential Additions: Harris-Miranda, Clark, Bui
    Outside Chance: Disidore

    Once again, 2025 should be the year of the Gator vault. It was one of the team’s best events in 2024, ranked No. 3 at the end of regular season, although there were some consistency issues. For much of the season, some of the Yurchenko 1.5s were a little too shaky to really benefit from having a full lineup of 10.0 start value vaults, but this year, they’re looking much stronger, especially Ellie Lazzari. There will be more options this year, though, with more Y1.5s coming in from Harris-Miranda and Bui and a spectacular front handspring pike half from freshman Taylor Clark. The two freshmen may rotate in and out to figure out who’s more consistent, or Bui may wait a few more weeks to get used to the college routine before she competes at all, since she only just arrived in Gainesville.

    Victoria Nguyen is still having some trouble dialing in her landings, and Bri Edwards still can’t seem to stick her Yfull in competition, though I’ve seen her stick it many times in warmups. Expect the two of them to be on the outside looking in here, at least for the start of season. Ferris also did not compete vault at Hype Night in December – could have just been a precautionary hold out, but if she’s nursing something, she may also stay out of the lineup in early weeks. Gabby Disidore also had an interesting Hype Night showing: she competed a Yfull, but did a half turn hop on her landing, and associate head coach Adrian Burde was heard saying it will eventually be a Y1.5. In time for this season? Only time will tell.

    Leanne Wong is the other wildcard I’d keep an eye on, and that may seem strange to say, as she’s often the team’s rock in consistency. But she’s had a long year – no summer break like her teammates had, but harder and more frequent training instead in an attempt to qualify to the Paris team. Rowland may rotate her out more often than we’re used to in order to keep her healthy for postseason, since that’s when her scores will be most important.

    Skylar Draser and Anya Pilgrim feel like easy locks for this lineup after their performances last season. Draser proved herself in the leadoff spot many times, often setting the tone with a stick right off the top, and Pilgrim only scored below a 9.875 three times – one of which was at nationals with six judges.

    2025 Lineup Prediction: Draser, Wong, Bui/Clark, Pilgrim, Harris-Miranda, Lazzari; alt Blakely, Nguyen, Ferris if healthy

    In terms of watching vault progress over the course of the season, landings are not going to be dialed in the first meet. The Gators will be bouncy, they will overcook or undercook it just a little bit as they get a feel for competition again in the new year. What we want to see starting out is good amplitude – sizable height and distance proportional to each other, you don’t want just one and not the other. Body shape is also important. For most of these vaults, the Yurchenko 1.5s, their position is a layout, so think stretched from head to toe, legs glued together, as little leg or feet crossing as possible. For Wong and Clark, whose vaults are different but based on the same shape, we want to see them hit strong, clear pike positions in the air – think 90 degree angles – but keep their toes pointed and knees straight. If the mechanics are good to start with, the landing will come. If the mechanics are giving the athlete a tough time, the landing is always going to be a crapshoot.

    Bars

    2024 Postseason Lineup: Blakely Sr., Nguyen, Lazzari, Pilgrim, Draser, Wong
    Other Contributors: Disidore
    Potential Additions: McCusker, Harris-Miranda, Bui, Arana, Ferris, Bruce, Blakely Jr.

    The biggest problem with bars last season was the veterans suddenly having consistency issues with skills they’ve been doing forever – in sports, we call this the yips. Several athletes were ill at the beginning of season, but the problem persisted even into postseason and jumped from veteran to veteran, as Sloane Blakely, Lazzari, and Nguyen were all affected throughout the year. Our best hope this season is that they’ve changed things up enough in the offseason, and now in the gym, that that won’t happen again. But if it does, there are more options waiting in the wings.

    McCusker will almost certainly slot back into the lineup regularly, as will Harris-Miranda, and I think it would be a mistake not to let Alyssa Arana have another go after a tough first outing last year with a nasty fall. It’s also unclear why Disidore came out of the lineup last season in favor of Draser; they scored around the same and Disidore didn’t seem to be having any trouble or injury concerns, but they could have been kept under wraps.

    I can’t say who I would necessarily take out – the six for postseason were a great six – but expecting those first three veterans to rotate more frequently feels like a safe bet. Nguyen is training a new release combination that is still looking a little messy, so it may not be ready for competition if that’s what she wants to throw this year. Lazzari has had some problems with inconsistency even before last season, and bars is not necessarily Blakely’s best event.

    Bui seems the likeliest of the freshmen to contribute, as bars was a strong event for her in elite, though I do expect her to hold off for a week or two to start the season. Ferris showed a strong bars set at Hype Night, although maybe not strong enough to contend with the others listed here. And Lily Bruce and the younger Blakely are working their ways back from lower body injuries, so bars is the likeliest place they will start to contribute. The team would benefit greatly from at least one of them being ready by postseason.

    2025 Lineup Prediction: Disidore, Bui, Harris-Miranda, Pilgrim, McCusker, Wong; alt Draser, Blakely Sr., Arana/Blakely Jr. if healthy

    Measuring progress on bars is all about angles and flow. How vertical are the handstands? Are the pirouettes fully completed before the athlete keeps swinging? Are releases completed in the right body position at a good distance above the bar, and does momentum continue out of them? Are bar-to-bar transitions well-rotated and smoothly swung? It won’t all be perfect the first week, but again, the bones should be there already. If they can stick dismounts, even better, but that will come if the dismount is timed right and well-positioned in the air. If you’re worried about a gymnast hitting her head on the bar, or the dismount goes way far away from the bars, she’s mistimed letting go for the dismount.

    Beam

    2024 Postseason Lineup: Draser, Blakely Sr., Pilgrim, Nguyen, Wong, Lazzari
    Other Contributors: Arana
    Potential Additions: McCusker, Harris-Miranda, Clark, Bui, Bruce, Disidore, Brubach

    Beam was the Gators’ best event last season statistically, but it didn’t come without its challenges. Consistency was not the team’s strong suit on any event last season, but they always seemed to find a way to pull it out in the end. This year, they’ll want to remedy that with a more consistent, confident six, and the solution to that may actually be more rotation, not less. If an athlete starts to have trouble with an element, rotating them out for a week until they feel more comfortable with it while another gymnast has an opportunity to compete feels like an overall net positive. Not every athlete will handle that the same way, so it may not be how Rowland chooses to handle things, but just some food for thought.

    That said, I’d be surprised if last year’s six weren’t all at least in the mix. Draser and the elder Blakely would both make good leadoff choices for their consistency, Nguyen and Lazzari are both a little inconsistent but have gorgeous technique and high score ceilings, and Pilgrim and Wong are rocks you can count on. In terms of other contenders, McCusker really showed that she’s ready to slot back in at Hype Night, and Harris-Miranda had a good set as well. Clark really surprised with a strong beam set – she wasn’t exactly known for beam in Level 10 competition, so seeing a rather unorthodox set of skills and a calm confidence from her was really encouraging.

    Bui and Bruce could also come in as contenders, although beam was never Bui’s strong suit in elite and Bruce is still recovering from surgery. Disidore and Brubach also showed beam at Hype Night, but both were full of bobbles and form breaks; they’d both have to make significant progress to compete with the rest of their teammates for time in this lineup. Arana’s form last year allowed her a chance to sub in for a meet, but a fall at Hype Night doesn’t bode well for her chances this year.

    2025 Lineup Prediction: Blakely Sr., Nguyen, McCusker, Pilgrim, Wong, Harris-Miranda; alts Draser, Clark, Lazzari

    Here in the early weeks of season, watch for steadiness and flow on beam: you want to see the athletes moving through their skills as though the beam were eight or twelve inches wide, not four. As I used to tell the gymnasts I coached, the beam can smell fear, so if an athlete isn’t confident in the skills in their routine, they will be off balance, and it will turn into a bobble. More experienced veterans can finesse some of those bobbles away or correct issues mid-air, but better not to have them in the first place. Hesitations between skills are also now deductible by the judges, so ideally, athletes are only putting skills into their competition routines that they are confident enough in to connect to choreography or other skills, with as little pause as possible. Technique will also be a telltale sign if an athlete is comfortable with their skills – if the split does not reach 180, they should be doing an easier split skill where there aren’t as many other factors preventing them from reaching that necessary angle.

    Floor

    2024 Postseason Lineup: Nguyen, Lazzari, Pilgrim, Blakely Sr., Ferris, Wong
    Other Contributors: Draser, Brubach, Bluffstone
    Potential Additions: Harris-Miranda, Clark, Bui, Disidore

    Floor is where the team loses the most options from 2024, with Payton Richards graduated, Morgan Hurd now medically retired into a creative position with the team, and Kaylee Bluffstone recently injured and likely out for 2025 all rotating in during last season. Still, none of those were nationals routines, and the team is definitely adding some heavy hitters.

    Nguyen and Lazzari’s routines are similar to last year – elegant with a touch of sass, each featuring a front double full. Pilgrim has both the double layout and a new full-in available to her, and if she competes both, she’d only need to do two passes in her routine as long as she did a punch front through to one of them. Senior Blakely has also found a full-in as her new E pass, and it looks much more comfortable than her double arabian has in years. Her routine should bring the house down as usual.

    Ferris and Wong didn’t go full out at Hype Night – the former only doing a dance-through and the latter opting to skip her first pass – but both have double layouts available to them, and Wong has a whole bevy of other options should she need to shift away from a pass that’s so hard on her body. Draser and Brubach are also solid, reliable options for when folks may need resting.

    The real showstopper additions here will be Harris-Miranda and Clark, who both have tons of power in tumbling and stellar performance quality. There’s no question both of these athletes will have the O-Dome on their feet week after week.

    Bui should also be an option, but again, I expect her a few weeks down the road, and Disidore is also training a routine with a tucked double front that no one was expecting. It doesn’t quite look competition ready, but it would be fantastic to see that variety of tumbling in the Gator lineup.

    2025 Lineup Prediction: Lazzari, Wong, Harris-Miranda, Clark, Blakely Sr., Pilgrim; alts Bui, Nguyen, Draser/Ferris if she’s healthy

    The progression we want to measure over the course of the season on floor is control. How well are the gymnasts gauging their tumbling landings ahead of time and controlling them on contact? Does their front foot slide when taking a lunge out of a pass, or does it stay put? Are they precise with the rotations and positions of their dance elements, or do they bounce all over the place? All of that comes down to controlling the momentum that they build throughout the routine, both physically and mentally, and meting it out in appropriate doses.

    Conclusion

    I’d like to circle back to the question I originally asked – how long can the Gators stay competitive? For what it’s worth, I think the answer, in this case, is at least several more years. Florida has no shortage of strong commits, this year’s freshman class included. Even with the setbacks for the younger Blakely and DiCello, this team is putting together another strong campaign, and I think it will be among the top competitors again as usual.

    Looking ahead, the program has what young student-athletes want: a chance at winning, a positive team culture, world-class coaches and facilities, a solid NIL track record, and academics to back it all up. But it’s that chance at winning piece that gets chipped away at bit by bit each year that they keep coming up short. It’s not something I’m concerned about in the immediate, but a trend to keep an eye on as the seasons come and go.

    As this season begins, let’s cross our fingers, don our orange and blue, and hope that they make it a moot question altogether by taking it all. If they can, we’ll be right here covering it when they do.

  • MBB: Gators Throttle No. 1 Tennessee, 73-43

    MBB: Gators Throttle No. 1 Tennessee, 73-43

    Photo by James Gilbert • Getty Images

    Led by their stellar backcourt and their forwards’ prowess on the glass, Florida torched No. 1 Tennessee, 73-43, Tuesday night in Gainesville.

    The Gators opened the game with a 12-0 lead and limited Tennessee’s open opportunities throughout the first half. The Volunteers finally got on the scoreboard nearly seven minutes after the opening tip, from a Felix Okpara free throw. Florida would stretch the lead to nineteen at the halftime break at 34-15.

    Tennessee made just four of twenty-nine field goal attempts in the opening twenty minutes. Additionally, the defense forced the Vols to shoot 0-14 from beyond the three point arc in the opening period of play.

    Tennessee’s knack for hot shooting forced the Gators to come out strong and not give an opening to UT. The team came out strong and built on an already large lead. Before the first media timeout of the second half, Florida had built it’s lead up to twenty-five at 43-18. From there it became a matter of how many field goals the Gators would surrender to Tennessee and if the Vols would surpass double-digits.

    With 1:39 remaining in regulation, Igor Milicic knocked down a three for Tennessee’s tenth made basket of the contest. It made the score 67-39.

    The Gators knocked off the final unbeaten team in division one by limiting Tennessee to just 21% from the floor and 4-29 from deep. Meanwhile, Florida shot 40% overall and 30% from three.

    This was the first time the Gators had beaten the nation’s number one ranked team at home in program history.

    Alijah Martin finished with a team high 18 points. Denzel Aberdeen added 16 points off the bench. The front court duo of Alex Condon (12 points, 12 rebounds) and Rueben Chinyelu (4 points, 15 rebounds) combined for ten offensive boards that extended many possessions. The Gators outrebounded Tennessee 55-38.

    Florida did exactly what they needed against the nation’s No. 1 ranked team. They managed a 1-1 record against the cream of the SEC crop in Kentucky and Tennessee. The Gators return to action on Saturday against Arkansas.

    The Razorbacks are 0-1 in SEC play after falling to Tennessee 76-52 on Saturday. Arkansas will face No. 23 Ole Miss Wednesday before hosting Florida. The game will air on ESPN with tipoff schedule for 4:00 PM.

  • WBB: Gators Dominate Georgia for First SEC Win

    WBB: Gators Dominate Georgia for First SEC Win

    The Bulldogs opened the game with a 4-3 lead just over a minute into the ballgame before Ra Shaya Kyle sank a jump shot to put Florida ahead. The Gators would never trail again en route a 73-57 win.

    Florida improved to 1-1 in conference play and 10-6 overall with the win.

    Kyle led the Gators with 18 points and grabbed five rebounds. Liv McGill added 15 points, six boards and dished out six assists while Laila Reynolds chipped in thirteen points.

    Florida went on a 13-3 run over the final 4:16 of the first quarter to stretch the lead to 25-10. The Gators and Bulldogs largely traded scores in the second quarter with Florida building the advantage to as many as twenty (on a McGill triple) at 35-15 just over midway through the period. Florida entered the halftime intermission with a 44-27 lead.

    An 8-0 run in the beginning of the third quarter put the Gators up by 25 just past the midpoint of the quarter. Florida entered the fourth quarter with a 60-38 lead before cruising to the win.

    Florida shot 48% from the floor and made 6-15 from beyond the three point line on the day. The UF defense limited Georgia to 42% and 22 turnovers in the effort.

    Florida will take on Kentucky Thursday evening with the game slated to start at 5:00 PM at Exactech Arena. The Wildcats are 13-1 overall and 2-0 in league play.

  • MBB: Kentucky Outlasts Florida in SEC Opener

    MBB: Kentucky Outlasts Florida in SEC Opener

    Photo by Michael Hickey • Getty Images

    Despite thirty-three points from guard Walter Clayton, the Gators suffered their first loss of the year in a 106-100 contest at Kentucky to open SEC play.

    Kentucky’s senior sharpshooter Koby Brea finished with 23 points and made seven of his first eight three-point attempts.

    Florida utilized a 18-9 run late in the second half to cut the deficit to just two at 89-87 but left senior Lamont Butler open for a three with just under four minutes remaining.

    Alijah Martin scored twenty of his twenty-six points in the second half and was key to Florida keeping it close in the early minutes of the second half.

    Florida started the game hot, getting all the looks they wanted and by the midpoint of the first half, the Gators led by as many as eleven. Center Rueben Chinyelu was a major factor as he collected five offensive rebounds in the opening twenty minutes.

    Kentucky, however, wasn’t done. A 16-0 Wildcats run put the game back in UK’s favor. By halftime, the Gators eleven point lead had turned into a ten point deficit.

    Thomas Haugh (11) and Chinyelu (10) were the other double-digit scorers for Florida. Overall, Florida shot 55% from the floor but allowed the Wildcats 58% including 14-29 from beyond the three point stripe.

    The Gators will have to turn it around quickly as the road doesn’t get any easier moving into conference play. Florida will face No. 1 Tennessee (14-0) Tuesday evening in Gainesville. Tennessee opened SEC action with a 76-52 win over No. 23 Arkansas.

  • WBB: Gators Drop SEC Opener vs Alabama

    WBB: Gators Drop SEC Opener vs Alabama

    Florida was unable to overcome a slow start in their SEC opener as Alabama defeated the Gators 79-69 Thursday. Florida fell to 9-6 overall on the season.

    The Gators were led by freshman Liv McGill for the eighth time this season with 18 points while senior Ra Shaya Kyle recorded her ninth double-double of the year with 11 points and 13 rebounds.

    Florida got down early and were unable to climb all the way back. Alabama had 7-0 and 19-5 leads and the Gators never got closer than six points midway through the second quarter. By halftime the Crimson Tide commanded a ten-point advantage.

    Alabama extended their lead throughout the third quarter, leading by as many as 20 with 3:45 left in the period before ending the period up by sixteen. Florida didn’t let up in the fourth, cutting the deficit to single digits at 74-65 with 3:40 remaining.

    The Gators shot 46% from the field and outrebounded the Tide 35-32. Florida also connected on 50% from three-point range.

    The Gators return home for their conference home opener against Georgia on Sunday. UGA is 8-7 on the season and dropped their conference opener against Vanderbilt, 108-82. The game is scheduled for 12:00 PM Sunday afternoon from Exactech Arena.