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  • MBB: Gators hold off Vanderbilt, 78-71

    Photo by Matthew Maxey / Getty Images


    Scotty Pippen set a new career-high with 32 points on Billy Donovan Court Wednesday night, but it wasn’t enough to lead the Commodores to an upset win over the Gators as Florida came away with a 78-71 final victory.

    The story of the first half was Florida’s flaming hot hand from beyond the three-point line. The Gators made seven of their first 11 shots from range, including a pair of threes from both Tre Mann and Noah Locke. Mann recorded two fouls in the first five minutes and was forced to sit the remainder of the half but not before knocking down a pair of deep shots.

    Scottie Lewis, who hadn’t played since a Jan. 9 loss, came into the game as Mann sat and provided an immediate spark, scoring 10 points on six shots in his first nine minutes of action in two weeks.

    Scotty Pippen Jr., who averaged 20.6 points per game coming in, was not just the engine of Vanderbilt’s offense in the first half, he was the entire car. He either directly scored or assisted 22 of the Commodores’ 29 first-half points. No one else from Vanderbilt had more than four points, however, and after a final Pippen shot fell empty to the court, the Gators went to the locker room with a 37-29 advantage.

    The Gators, who didn’t shoot a free throw in the first half, kept the hot play going in the second half, starting the final twenty minutes on an 18-6 run. Mann had nine points in the second-half, finally free of foul trouble, on his way to leading Florida in scoring for the second straight game.

    Colin Castleton, who had his breakout 23-point game in the SEC opener against the same Vanderbilt team last month, was kept scoreless in the first half but had 12 points on six-of-seven shooting. The Gators opened up a 22-point lead with 9:56 left in the game, a seemingly comfortable advantage to just coast to the final buzzer.

    Vanderbilt would not lose quietly, however. Dylan Disu scored seven straight points, part of 14 second-half points, to begin to cut into the margin before Pippen came alive again. Vanderbilt’s star scorer made three late baskets, including a huge three to bring the Commodores as close as four points away in the final two minutes before a wild Disu pass out of bounds and some late Florida free throws solidified the final seven-point margin. Pippen and Disu, who finished with 18 points of his own, combined for 50 of Vanderbilt’s 71 points.

    Florida finished with five players in double-digits, including Locke, Mann, Castleton, Lewis and a 12-point performance from Tyree Appleby, and shot 52% (28-52) from the floor and 43% (10-23) from range, although only three of the Gators final twelve three-point attempts found home. The Gators, one of the best blocking teams in the country, tallied five more swats tonight.

    Vanderbilt won the rebounding battle, 35-29, and dwarfed Florida in second-chance points, 14 to two, two areas that kept the Commodores in the game much later than coach Mike White would have liked.

    The Gators, who are now 9-4 on the year and 6-4 in conference after winning three of their last four games. They take the court Saturday against No. 14 West Virginia as a part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

  • Florida OC Brian Johnson Headed to the NFL

    Florida OC Brian Johnson Headed to the NFL

    Photo by Andrew Ivins / 247Sports


    The Florida Gators coaching staff has another open spot for 2021. This time it’s a big one.

    Dan Mullen will hang a “Now Hiring” sign for a new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. Florida’s current OC Brian Johnson is headed to the NFL. He’s slotted to serve as the quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles.

    https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1354486436255379468?s=19

    Johnson played at Utah and learned from then-Utes QB coach Dan Mullen his freshman year. Mullen even offered that scholarship. After some time as the offensive coordinator/QB coach at Utah, the young Johnson reunited with Mullen at Mississippi State to run the quarterback room.

    Johnson then came with Mullen to Florida in 2018 where fans saw a return of offensive prowess and great quarterback play. Florida promoted Johnson to OC in 2020 and Florida’s offense lit up the scoreboard with Kyle Trask at the helm. The Gators averaged nearly 40 points and over 500 yards per game in 12 games with Johnson at OC.

    https://twitter.com/Zachattacks_/status/1354495106502569986?s=19

    Regarded as a top assistant, the 33-year-old Johnson’s been a hot commodity this offseason. He interviewed for several positions including the head coach jobs at Boise State and South Carolina.

    Now, he’ll lead a room featuring Carson Wentz —who is looking to right the ship on his young career— and former Alabama and Oklahoma standout Jalen Hurts.

  • WBB: Smith’s 25 leads Gators past Ole Miss

    WBB: Smith’s 25 leads Gators past Ole Miss

    Photo by Benjamin Fox / ChompTalk.com

    Despite head coach Cameron Newbauer being stuck in Gainesville due to the SEC’s health and safety protocols, the Gators were in good hands under the guidance of associate head coach Kelly Rae Finley. Florida traveled to Oxford, Mississippi and earned a hard-fought, 78-68 victory over the Rebels on Sunday.

    Florida point guard Kiki Smith set a career high on the road by scoring 25 points on 8-15 from the floor. Sophomores Lavender Briggs (16) and Nina Rickards (10) were the other two Gators in double digits.

    Both teams entered with a week off and the first quarter played sloppy as a result. Florida trailed at the first media timeout 6-4 but were able to make an 8-2 run and close the opening period with a 13-10 advantage.

    The second quarter was played at a much faster pace as the two teams combined for 47 points. The Rebels took a 37-33 lead into the break largely due to outrebounding UF, 20-15 (11-3 in the second).

    The Gators came out of the intermission charged up, scoring the first ten points of the third, eight by Smith. Once Florida grabbed the lead, they refused to let go. Ole Miss tied it at 45 midway through the third, but the Gators began to pull away. The UF lead swelled to as many as 15 with 3:35 to play after a Briggs layup.

    For the game, Florida shot 48% and made 8-16 from the three-point line. Additionally, the Gators made 16-19 from the charity stripe, good for 84%. Florida also edged Ole Miss on the glass, 32-30.

    Rickards contributed a team high nine rebounds while freshman Jordyn Merritt added seven points off the bench.

    Finley made her collegiate head coaching debut in the win.

    The Gators are now 9-6 on the season and 2-5 in SEC play. Florida is scheduled to face Missouri on Thursday with a 6:00 PM tip.

  • The Gridiron Growl Podcast: Jules Montinar Hired and More

    The Gridiron Growl Podcast: Jules Montinar Hired and More

    Check out the latest episode of The Gridiron Growl Podcast as David Soderquist, Brian Fox, and Jake Hitt discuss a number of topics Gators and SEC related.

    The trio open by discussing Florida’s hiring of defensive back’s coach Jules Montinar before moving into a conversation about the arrest of a former player at a bar in Midtown Gainesville. They then address the situation at Tennessee as the Volunteers have fired Jeremy Pruitt amid serious recruiting violations.

    Click play on the following audio player to listen to this week’s episode of The Gridiron Growl Podcast:

    You can also follow The Gridiron Growl Podcast on the following platforms:

  • MBB: Florida dispatches Bulldogs in Georgia behind offensive explosion

    MBB: Florida dispatches Bulldogs in Georgia behind offensive explosion

    Photo by Michael Reaves / Getty Images


    The Gators followed up on the momentum of a landslide victory over Tennessee with a 92-84 road win against Georgia after the Bulldogs had no answer for them in the paint.

    The game, which tipped off just after 2 p.m. Saturday, got off to a breathless opening. The Bulldogs controlled the pace in transition, leading 14-9 after the opening four minutes after going six-of-seven from the field and making both shots from three.

    The Gators weren’t far behind Georgia’s pace, however, and it didn’t take Florida long to heat up. Junior sharpshooter Noah Locke was firing early and often from three, pulling the trigger with more confidence than he’s had all season on his way to a trio of first-half threes and a game-leading 13 points at the half. Both teams started a combined 22-38 from the floor on an Athens afternoon in which defense was scarce and both teams ended the day shooting north of 50% from the court.

    Both teams had their own struggles on the defensive end. While Georgia outmatched the Gators in transition and seemed to outrace Florida across the floor more than a few times, the Bulldogs were porous defending the interior. Florida’s guards had no issue driving to the basket and the Bulldog defense seemed to lose Colin Castleton and Omar Payne down low several times leading to easy baskets. Florida dominated the points in the paint and rebounds all day, displayed at the end of the first half when Omar Payne found a hole in the Georgia defense and put a missed shot back up for two more points just before the backboard turned red to take a three-point lead into the locker room.

    The Gators really came alive to start the second half, going on a 20-7 run out of the locker room to open a 16-point lead, the largest of the game. Georgia went on a short run of its own to pull back within nine with 11 minutes to go, but the game was not as close as the final score indicated. Georgia didn’t get any closer than nine points away until the final seconds as Florida kept their rivals at arms length for the remainder of the contest by outshooting the Bulldogs on all three areas of the court.

    Sophomore Tre Mann lead the way offensively, scoring 17 of his career-high 24 points in the second half including five free-throws to salt away the final minute. All three of Florida’s starting guards finished with double-digits points, with Locke finishing with 16 and junior transfer Tyree Appleby contributing 14. The trio also combined for eight of the Gators’ ten steals, with Appleby providing a game-leading four.

    Payne impressed in a second consecutive start, just missing a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds to go with a pair of blocks, and fellow big man Colin Castleton contributed 14 points off the bench after missing the Tennessee win to rest an ankle injury. Florida finished with 41 rebounds as a team, 14 more than Georgia, and had all five blocks Saturday in a game that was clearly lopsided in the frontcourt.

    The Gators, now 8-4 and 5-3 in the SEC, will take the court again Wednesday night to try and extend the winning streak to three against Vanderbilt, against whom Castleton had his breakout game almost a month ago.

  • SB: Florida Releases 2021 Non-Conference Schedule

    SB: Florida Releases 2021 Non-Conference Schedule

    Photo by Brian Fox / ChompTalk.com


    After the SEC announced Florida’s 24-game conference schedule on Jan. 15, the Gators revealed their preceding 17-game non-conference slate Friday.

    Opening Weekend

    Florida will open its 2021 season in Tampa on Feb. 13 in a double-header against USF. The Gators topped the Bulls last season, 6-1.

    The Gators will then return to Gainesville where they’ll face Jacksonville in their home opener on Feb. 17. Florida shutout the Dolphins last year by eight runs.

    Bubly Invitational

    Two days later, Florida will kick off the Bubly Invitational at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium against Georgia Southern before playing double-headers the following two days. The Gators will face both Georgia Southern and Charlotte on each day. In 2020, Florida swept the Bubly Invitational, compiling a 6-0 record.

    On Feb. 24, Florida will travel to Jacksonville for its second away game of the season versus UNF. Last season, the Gators dominated UNF at home by a score of 10-2.

    Florida will return home for a two-game series on Feb. 27-28 where they’ll take on Louisville. Shortly after the second game concludes, the Gators will host McNeese State to complete a Sunday double-header.

    March

    To open up a busy March schedule, Florida will host New Mexico State on March 3. From March 5-6, the Gators will play Florida State in a home-and-home series beginning in Gainesville and ending in Tallahassee. At the conclusion of last year’s shortened season, the Seminoles ranked just three spots behind Florida at No. 10 in the country. In last year’s solo contest between the two rivals, the Gators prevailed at home, 5-2.

    Florida will cap off its non-conference slate with two home night games against South Dakota on March 8 and Kennesaw State on March 10.

    Conference Schedule

    Florida will kick off its 24-game conference schedule on Mar. 12 in a three-game home weekend series against Kentucky. The Wildcats finished the 2020 season ranked No. 11 in the nation.

  • WGYM Liveblog: No. 1 Florida at No. 8 Arkansas

    WGYM Liveblog: No. 1 Florida at No. 8 Arkansas

    Tonight, the Gator gymnasts take on Arkansas, looking to continue their winning streak. Florida has toppled two formidable SEC opponents so far this season in Auburn and Georgia, and though Arkansas has looked close to an upset against its past two opponents, it hasn’t been able to seal the deal, so it’s likely to become Florida’s third victim.

    Last week was a step back for the Gators in some aspects, and a step forward in others, but overall, they’re still No. 1 in the nation. Junior Nya Reed won her second consecutive Specialist of the Week honor in the SEC, and despite a fall last week, classmate Trinity Thomas is still ranked in the top 10 on vault and bars and No. 13 in the all-around. Other standout routines to look for include Megan Skaggs on vault, Savannah Schoenherr on bars, Ellie Lazzari on beam, and Payton Richards on floor, though choosing one routine for each event is almost impossible considering the strength and depth of this team. Alyssa Baumann, Sydney Johnson-Scharpf, and Leah Clapper will also be standouts on several events.

    Arkansas, too, has athletes in the top 10 on vault and bars, as well as floor, so expect them to put a fight. Highlights will come from Amanda Elswick and Sarah Shaffer on vault, Maggie O’Hara on bars, and Sophia Carter on floor, and Kennedy Hambrick will be Thomas’s main competition in the all-around. The Gymbacks are led by second-year head coach and 2012 Olympian Jordyn Wieber, with 2016 Olympian Chris Brooks and former Nebraska standout Catelyn Orel on her staff, so the training pedigree is equally as high as that of the Gators. Expect big things out of this team – they’ve been close to upsetting LSU at both back-to-back meets with the Tigers, but don’t expect it to happen this week against the Gators.

    7:57pm: Just waiting for the broadcast to start! Glad we were able to get video for this – big thanks to Sydney McGlone and whatever other powers that be were involved in getting this on SECN+ tonight!

    8:02pm: Finally! Getting underway in Barnhill.

    Pennese, VT: FTY, weirdly off to the side, but lovely height, step back.

    Richards, UB: A little form is funky in the Maloney to bail, she’s still working that back. DLO has some leg sep, just rides the elevator up and down in place on the mat.

    8:04pm: Johnston, VT: FTY, some leg sep, college stick but showed little control as she stepped back into her salute.

    Gallentine, UB: first handstands are good, legs glued together in Maloney, pak is good. Last handstand is good, DLO good, step back. Glad to see her staying in this lineup.

    8:06pm: Olszewski, VT: FTY, good amplitude, little shuffle back.

    Skaggs, UB: Looks like we’re leaving Lazzari out again. Hmm. Tkachev to pak, good. Lovely last handstand! DLO, a little soft and slow to rotate, leg sep, slide back. Not her best.

    Skaggs in the AA tonight according to commentator McGlone!

    8:08pm: Shaffer, VT: Yhalf, less common. Gorgeous form in the air, a little hop to the side.

    Schoenherr, UB: Great first handstand and blindchange. Jaeger is a little closer than usual maybe, bail is great. Gorgeous last handstand. Double front half out, tried to fight for the stick but hopped forward.

    8:10pm: Hambrick, VT: Y1.5, kinda off kilter and too high on her block, had to stagger backward to stay on her feet.

    Thomas, UB: Lovely first handstand, Maloney to uprise is great. Pak had a little leg sep. Good low bar work, van Leeuwen is great. Last handstand is great. DLO STUCK! A queen. Team chanting for a 10.

    8:12pm: Elswick, VT: FTY, floats it and sticks it, wow! Really fought for it.

    Clapper, UB: Commentator is saying Lazzari but McGlone corrects him. Good handstand work, releases are good. Giant full is better this week. Double tuck is stuck! Her best bar routine in college so far.

    8:14pm: Hickey, VT exh: FTY, another off to the side, big hop back. Nice form though.

    Lazzari, UB: Not sure why she’s not in the lineup and is exhibiting instead, but oh well. Tkachev is great. Pak a little funky but masked it well. Great last handstands, and only the double tuck dismount, that must be why she’s not in lineup.

    AFTER ONE: UF 49.4, ARK 49.2

    Thomas leads for the bars title at 9.975, and Johnston leads the vault standings with 9.875.

    https://twitter.com/samisadancer/status/1352786452376150024?s=20

    8:21pm: Richards, VT: Still just the FTY, lovely form, little bounce on the landing. Good start for the Gators.

    Lovett, UB: Enormous Ray, wow! Bail didn’t make it all the way to handstand. Great last handstand and giant full though. Open double tuck dismount stuck! A great start for Arkansas too.

    8:23pm: Lazzari, VT: FTY, gorgeous form in the air. Missed the landing and they didn’t replay it for whatever reason.

    Gianfagna, UB: Good first handstand. Ray to immediate shootover, avoids the handstand issue but I hate how it looks. Short on last handstand. Full in is stuck! Arkansas working on those landings, man.

    8:25pm: Skaggs, VT: FTY, little leg sep as she flares out, little slide back. Still will be a good score.

    Scalzo, UB: Releases were good but double tuck dismount, legs buckle and she sits her dismount.

    8:27pm: Schoenherr, VT: Y1.5, just the smallllest of shuffles, but a GREAT showing for her. Legs just glued together in the air, less knee bend than usual for her too.

    Shaffer, UB: Lovely first handstand work. Big Maloney, bail hits handstand fine. Last handstand looked a hair short from this angle but it’s not a good angle. DLO, slide back. A good reset for them, she’s a rock for them on this event.

    8:29pm: Reed, VT: Y1.5, big step forward, looked like she chucked it more this week than last. Would rather her overdo it than underdo it, but it won’t be as good as last week.

    Hambrick, UB: Good first handstand. Piked Jaeger maybe a little conservative straight to overshoot, which is fine I guess. Full in stuck! Good for her.

    8:31pm: Thomas, VT: Y1.5, just a slide forward. Still working on dialing that in.

    O’Hara, UB: Jaeger is lovely. Bail is dead on. Great last handstand! DLO stuck cold, so glad to see her thriving here at Arkansas.

    8:32pm: No exh for Florida on vault, hmm.

    Rutz, UB exh: Rushed a first handstand. Tkachev was good. Short on her clear hip, bail a little loose. Good last handstand. Double tuck slide back, a good backup in the arsenal for them.

    AFTER TWO: UF 98.775, ARK 98.525

    Surprisingly close going into the second half of the meet. Schoenherr will take the vault title with a huge 9.95! And Thomas maintains her grip on the bars title at 9.975.

    https://twitter.com/samisadancer/status/1352789720884011009?s=20

    Okay, y’all, time to light your prayer candles to make sure this next tweet doesn’t continue into our meet:

    They’re referring to several high-profile meets across the country tonight where top-ranked teams have had to count falls on beam and floor very uncharacteristically. Hoping for a clean meet for both teams here in Barnhill.

    8:39pm: Here we go with the third!

    Gianfagna, BB: Bhs loso, solid. Full turn from standing, such a weird technique but she works it. Cat leap to front toss, a little hesitation there between elements. Beat to straddle half, fine. Roundoff 1.5, just slides her feet together.

    8:41pm: Skaggs, FX: YES! So excited to see her back. She’s using her routine from sophomore year, which I adored. Rudi to split jump, biiiig air and little bouncy on landing. Love showcasing her flexibility and lines in the dance her. Split positions are gorgeous as usual. 1.5 to front lay, great control. She’s so happy! I’m so happy for her, that’s a great return to this event after nearly two years.

    8:43pm: Lovett, BB: Candle mount! Love! Full turn is gorgeous. Switch to split, good. Front aerial to loso, a little hesitation in between and a small bobble on landing. Side aerial back full stuck! Good for her to fight for every tenth in there.

    8:45pm: Richards, FX: Big cheers for AC/DC from the few fans here. DLO, legs a little loose but keeps control of it. A little piked at the end in slow mo. 1.5 to front lay, dances right out. Good positions on her dance elements. Double tuck to finish, well controlled lunge. Another strong showing!

    8:47pm: O’Hara, BB: Side aerial bhs, that’s a fun series and she nails it. Split to ring stag, pretty! Backward shoulder roll, ooh!. Cat leap side aerial back full!

    8:49pm: Johnson-Scharpf, FX: double arabian, great control out of that. 1.5 to front lay, a little whippy but stays in control. Great splits in switch to Popa and shushunova. Bringing the drama in this choreo section. Double tuck to finish, maybe a liiiittle short but covers well. She has so much energy finishing she can barely hold her finishing pose!

    8:51pm: Shaffer, BB: Switch to straddle 1/4, little arm swing but keeping it small. Bhs loso, a little lean to the side but hangs onto it with just the smallest adjustment. Front aerial, another little bobble. Full turn, solid. Cat leap to side aerial back full, little shuffle. I know she can get really nervy on beam from past interviews with her, so this is great to see.

    8:53pm: Taylor, FX: Baumann is a scratch??? I’m concerned. Double tuck to open for Taylor, very clean. Combo pass is good, she’s handling this really well for a last minute addition. Split positions were good in dance elements. Double pike, a few steps back there but stayed in bounds from what I could see.

    8:55pm: Carter, BB: Bhs loso, leans to the side, doesn’t dip her shoulder though, good for her. Beat to ring stag, gorgeous. Front aerial to sissone, nice. Full turn is gorgeous, no hesitation going into it either. Side aerial back full stuck!

    8:57pm: Reed, FX: DLO is huge and perfectly controlled into that lunge. Front lay to Rudi, a good fight but I see a liiiittle foot slide. Split and wolf positions are perfect in dance elements. Killing it out there in this choreo section. Double pike to close, so well controlled that she can immediately come out of the lunge into her dance. Another stellar routine for her!

    8:58pm: Hambrick, BB: Bhs loso, solid, that’s nice to see. Switch to switch half, hesitations in strange places, almost waited in the air at one point. Split to straddle 3/4, solid. Full turn is good. Cartwheel gainer full stuck!

    9:00pm: Thomas, FX: DLO, knew exactly where she was in the air and jumped out into the lunge instead of stepping back. Front full to front lay to stag, gorgeous control. Tour jete to straddle full, gorgeous oversplits everywhere. Overcooks the double pike and it’s bouncy, luckily keeps it in bounds this week.

    9:02pm: Johnston, BB exh: Balance check on her series, but she fights for it. Switch to switch half, good not great. Roundoff 1.5 stuck!

    AFTER THREE: ARK 147.875, UF 147.825

    Not sure how Florida slipped behind by 0.05, but here we are. Hoping that scoring stays fair across the board, and that Baumann is fine despite being scratched from floor.

    Wait…

    https://twitter.com/mycluttereddesk/status/1352799186144604160?s=20

    AFTER THREE (adjusted): UF 148.0, ARK 147.875

    O’Hara currently leads beam with a 9.925, and Reed leads floor with the same score.

    This is indeed what happened, as the amount Florida’s score increased is the difference between Taylor and Thomas’s scores.

    9:09pm: Fourth rotation let’s go!

    Richards, BB: Full turn, a little unsteady but fine. Bhs loso loso, she looked off from this angle but if she was, she corrected well. Switch to straddle, solid. Side aerial to back full, went off to the side and stepped behind herself to steady herself. Saved that.

    9:10pm: Johnston, FX: Double tuck to start, great height and control. Whip half to front full, that’s fun, and dances right out. Gorgeous positions in her dance elements. A little short on the double pike but covers well, and finishes using the same pose as her coach Jordyn Wieber used in the 2012 Olympics. Brb crying, this is adorable!

    9:12pm: Johnson-Scharpf, BB: I just adore the confident attitude she approaches the beam with. Punch front, small adjustment there. Bhs loso, break at the hips but doesn’t bend her shoulders down. Full turn is fine. Switch half to beat, solid. Handstands to loso back full, stuck! Love it!

    9:14pm: Hickey, FX: Oooh, love the drama this starts with. Double pike to open, big lunge back. Straddle positions are good in the air. 1.5 to front lay, a little crooked but lands it cleanly. Fun choreo in here! Double tuck, a little crunchy looking in the front ankle, but a solid performance overall.

    9:16pm: Lazzari, BB: Bhs loso loso, SO solid. Switch to split, can’t see her back leg from this angle. Front aerial, little arm swing but didn’t bobble. Full turn, good. Side aerial back full, shuffle back. Another great one for her, that should keep her in the top 10 this week.

    9:18pm: Lovett, FX: DLO, just a little shuffle back, no lunge. Punch front lay to front full, dances right out. Lovely splits! Double back, good control. Calypso turn, love that, and she’s so stoked. A great routine for her!

    9:20pm: Skaggs, BB: LOVE seeing her back in this lineup. Single wolf, great. Switch to split, gorgeous toe point and great 180 position. Bhs loso, super steady. Front aerial, little bobble at the hips but keeps it small. Cat leap switch side, good. Sider aerial back full STUCK! What a strong AA showing from her tonight, I’m so glad to see her back on all four.

    9:22pm: Hambrick, FX: Double tuck, great amplitude and solid control. Rudi to back layout to stag, lots of bounce but comes down pretty controlled. Not as much amplitude in that second straddle as I normally expect from her. Double pike stuck COLD but looked like a little crunchy on the ankles. They are fighting for this one!

    9:24pm: Baumann, BB: Good to see she’s okay! Bhs loso, nails it. Switch to split, perfect positions in the air. Front aerial, no hesitation. Full turn, great. Switch half, so solid. Roundoff 1.5, college sticks it but I think the judges will see through it.

    9:26pm: Carter, FX: Double tuck, little short, tried to open too early to stick and ended up crunching her chest down. 1.5 to front full STUCK wow. Switch to split full, gorgeous splits there. Showcasing flexibility and showmanship throughout this choreo section, love. Double pike to close, chest a little low but overall an electric routine.

    9:28pm: Thomas, BB: Switch to split leap to open, but she’s ditched the switch leap mount. One arm bhs loso, breaks at the hips and grabs the beam. Stays on but she’s gotten in her head, damn. Korbut is good. Finishes it out cleanly but that opens the door.

    9:30pm: Pennese, FX: Rudi to straddle to front tuck, that’s a fun pass! Second pass a little crooked and skids a little on the landing. Love the worm and the creative choreo in this section. A little short on the double tuck last pass, but good for her for stepping in for Shaffer last minute.

    FINAL: UF 197.425, ARK 197.25

    Megan Skaggs will win the beam title! With a massive 9.95! Lovett and Reed will tie for floor with 9.925s. And in her first AA appearance in nearly two years, SKAGGS wins the All-Around! She scored a stellar 39.5 – that sounds like she’ll be doing AA more this year.

    https://twitter.com/poeticdiction/status/1352805074230272000?s=20
    https://twitter.com/samisadancer/status/1352807979184218112?s=20

    Thanks everyone for joining me tonight! I have a few questions to hopefully ask in media availability later this weekend or next week, so make sure you follow me on Twitter @mycluttereddesk to see when I’m taking question suggestions! See you all next week for Missouri at Florida, 7pm on SECN.

  • Gators add DE Dylan Meeks from Akron via Transfer Portal

    Gators add DE Dylan Meeks from Akron via Transfer Portal

    Photo by Isaiah Hole / 247Sports

    The Florida Gators have been active in the transfer portal attempting to build depth along the offensive line. Earlier this month, Florida added a pair of defensive tackles from power-five programs. On Wednesday, the Gators also added a defensive end to the roster as Dylan Meeks has enrolled at UF. Thomas Goldkamp was the first to report Meeks being on campus.

    Meeks was a three-star recruit out of Dr. Phillips High in Orlando before signing with Akron in the 2017 cycle. He also had offers from Navy, South Florida, Syracuse, among others.

    As a junior in 2019, Meeks recorded 47 tackles (second on the team) and 0.5 sack. He sat out the 2020 season while seeking a transfer. Meeks is listed at 6’2 and 240 lbs.

    The Gators have been incredibly active in the transfer portal and have turned a perceived weakness (depth along the offensive line) into a possible strength.

    The Gators have added RB Demarkcus Bowman (Clemson), DT Antonio Shelton (Penn State), DT Daquan Newkirk (Auburn), and K Jace Christmann (Mississippi State).

  • Lavender Briggs named SEC Player of the Week

    Lavender Briggs named SEC Player of the Week

    Photo by Benjamin Fox / ChompTalk.com

    Florida guard Lavender Briggs was named the SEC Player of the Week, the conference announced on Tuesday. Briggs averaged 29.5 points over two games, including a 41-point effort against Arkansas on Thursday.

    The honor is the first such for Briggs and the first for any Florida player since January 2018 (Haley Lorenzen).

    The sophomore from Provo, Utah, scored the fourth most points in a game in program history and became only the fourth player across the NCAA to reach 40 points this season. More importantly, she kept her team in striking distance of No. 17 Arkansas.

    Briggs then scored 18 points in Florida’s win against Auburn on Sunday.

    Florida’s contest at Vanderbilt, scheduled for Thursday, was cancelled as the Commodores have shut down the program for the remainder of the season. The Gators will travel to Ole Miss on Sunday. Tip-off is slated for 3:00 PM.

  • MBB: Shorthanded Gators destroy No. 6 Volunteers

    MBB: Shorthanded Gators destroy No. 6 Volunteers

    Photo by Mary Holt / Getty Images


    Florida may not have had Keyontae Johnson, Scottie Lewis or Colin Castleton Tuesday night, but they had enough to take down the sixth-ranked Tenneessee Volunteers at home, 75-49, behind big performances from Omar Payne and Tyree Appleby.

    After speculation about whether Lewis would return against the Volunteers after a COVID-19 exposure, it was Castleton who wound up making waves with his availability. Less than an hour before tipoff, it was announced the Michigan transfer, who had scored 16 or more points in four of six conference games and amassed 14 blocks the last two contests, would sit to rest an ankle injury.

    Florida took the court undermanned and outgunned by a 10-1 No. 6 Tennessee team, not to mention having lost three of its last four games. So the team promptly responded with its best performance of the season and sent the Volunteers home with a 26-point loss.

    The Gators took the lead in the opening two minutes and never trailed the rest of the game. Florida scores 11 of the first 16 points of the game, then went on a 10-3 run midway through the first half to take a 27-17 lead with 5:50 remaining in the first half. The Gators kept Tennessee at arms length for the rest of the first half to go to the locker room with a 38-27 lead.

    After a slow start to the second half that had the Volunteers trailing only seven, Florida went on another run, this time 15-2, to open up a deficit that Tennessee couldn’t make a dent in for the rest of the game. The Gators outscored their opponents by 15 in the second half to finish of the statement victory.

    Omar Payne, called into the starting lineup with Castleton’s absence, responded with one of his best games since his impressionable double-double against Auburn a year ago. He scored nine points and the Gators shot defense didn’t miss a beat as he swatted a staggering five blocks of his own. He and junior transfer Osayi Osifo finally let Florida establish itself on the glass, especially offensively as the two had nine and six respectively including nine on the offensive end between the two of them as the Gators won the rebounding battle, 44-36.

    Tyree Appleby shined on both ends of the court tonight. The Cleveland State transfer, forced to take the brunt of running point for Florida’s offense after Tre Mann was in foul trouble early, was a menace on both ends of the court for Tennessee. With three steals, including multiple in the backcourt that seemingly always led to easy baskets as Florida won the turnover margin, 18-15. On the offensive end, Appleby shot 5-9 from the field on the way to 13 points and a game-leading seven assists.

    Mann and Noah Locke, the starting staples all year long, were not to be forgotten on the offensive end either. Mann had 12 points, four rebounds and three assists of his own despite the limited minutes as well as shooting 6-11 from the floor. Locke had a team-high 14 points that included a pair of threes.

    The Volunteers, whose athletic department has had a rough week, only had one double-digit scorer (senior forward John Fulkerson with 15) as the team shot 29.3% (17-58) from the floor, 16.7% from three (3-18) and 48% from the free-throw line (12-25). They never led after the opening basket and never got closer than 11 points away in the final 16:30.

    Florida, who is now 7-4 for the year and 4-3 in the SEC, will take the court again Saturday as they go on the road to take on the rival Georgia Bulldogs at 2 p.m.