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  • MBB: Andrew Nembhard hits from deep, likely sends Gators to NCAA Tournament

    MBB: Andrew Nembhard hits from deep, likely sends Gators to NCAA Tournament

    Photo by Andy Lyons / Getty Images

    The Florida Gators got the signature win they needed in the SEC Tournament.

    But it didn’t come easy for this group of Gators. Florida squaked by #1 seeded LSU with a 76-73 win on Andrew Nembhard’s last second trey.

    Florida started slowly with LSU opening with a 5-0 advantage that forced UF head coach Mike White to call an incredibly early timeout. By the first media timeout the Tigers had stretched their lead to 13-5.

    Despite being thoroughly dominated for much of the first half, the Gators were still in contention and trailed by only ten after the opening period of play, 35-25.

    Florida started the second half as slowly as they started the first, trailing 42-29 with 16:30 left in regulation.

    Keyontae Johnson managed a monster alley-oop from Andrew Nembhard that closed the gap to 46-38.

    Florida got to within one at 48-47 with 11:33 remaining, but LSU’s Javonte Smart knocked down a 3-pointer to extend the Tigers lead.

    The Gators finally took their first lead of the contest on a pair of Jalen Hudson free throws with 6:05 that made it 58-57.

    With the score tied and 3:45 to play Keyontae Johnson nailed a three pointer as Kevarrius Hayes was fouled while providing a screen near the top of the circle. LSU’s interim head coach Tony Benford was irate that the shot counted, arguing that the foul was committed prior to the shot (it was), and was T’d up as a result.

    KeVaughn Allen made both free throws and Hayes made 1-2 for what was essentially a six point swing and put Florida on top 66-63.

    After a pair of free throws, the Tigers decided to press and KeVaughn Allen turned the ball over giving Skylar Mays a free layup for a 67-66 LSU advantage.

    Florida turned to Nembhard in the final minutes. Nembhard made a running layup with 2:00 to play and flowed that with an assist on Kevarrius Hayes’ mid-ranfe jumper that put the Gators up 70-67.

    The Tigers wouldn’t go down easy though.

    Naz Reid made two three-pointers that tied the game in the final minute and set the stage for Nembhard’s heroics.

    With 13 seconds on the clock, Nembhard carried the ball up the court and dribbled around before passing to Johnson. Johnson returned the pass to an open Nembhard who connected with one second left on the clock and likely clinching a Florida berth into the NCAA Tournament.

    Fast stats:

    • Andrew Nembhard finished with 20 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds.
    • Keyontae Johnson added his second straight double-double (third of the season) with 16 points and 10 boards.
    • All five Gators starters finished in double figures scoring.
    • Florida shot 26-56 from the field, good for 46%.
    • The Gators made 16-26 (62%) from the charity stripe.

    What’s next:

    Florida will face the winner of the #4 South Carolina and #5 Auburn in the SEC Tournament semifinals on Saturday at 1:00 PM.

  • MBB: Gators survive Arkansas, move to SEC Quarters

    MBB: Gators survive Arkansas, move to SEC Quarters

    Photo by Andy Lyons / Getty Images

    The Florida Gators faced the real possibility of missing the NCAA Tournament. Many prognosticators had determined UF needed to win against Arkansas in the second round of the SEC Tournament.

    Facing a must-win scenario, the Gators did just that.

    Florida earned a 66-50 win over Arkansas that was much closer than the final score indicates, thanks to a 12-2 run over the final 4:12 of the game.

    At halftime the Gators held a slim two-point margin at 30-28, but defensive intensity and the strong post-season debut of Keyontae Johnson pushed the Gators to the victory.

    Florida held a ten point lead with 3:21 to play before freshman Andrew Nembhard drained a three to put the final nail in the Arkansas coffin.

    Johnson finished with a career high 20 points on 8-14 from the field and also contributed a team high with 12 rebounds. Little Rock native KeVaughn Allen added 17 points to the effort.

    Allen will finish his career with a 7-1 mark against his home town team, whom he averaged 15.9 points per game against.

    Florida’s defense only allowed the Razorbacks to shoot at a 37% clip and limited them to 4-16 from beyond the three-point line.

    Fast stats:

    • The Gators made 21-55 from the field for 38% and connected on 8-22 (36%) from deep.
    • Florida outrebounded Arkansas 40-26 and grabbed 18 offensive boards.
    • Senior Kevarrius Hayes added 8 points and 7 rebounds
    • Andrew Nembhard scored six points, collected 8 assists, and only turned the ball over once.

    What’s next:

    Florida will face #1 seed LSU at 1:00 PM on Friday. LSU is currently going through the adversity of their coach being suspended as the FBI investigates potential recruiting violations.

  • SB: Gators top UCF in midweek action, 5-0

    SB: Gators top UCF in midweek action, 5-0

    Photo by Benjamin Fox / ChompTalk.com

    Final: Florida 5, UCF 0

    The Florida Gators defeated UCF 5-0 in midweek action ahead of a key SEC series against LSU.

    Kelly Barnhill pitched a complete game while scattering five hits and led Florida to their 11th shutout of the season.

    2B Hannah Adams started the scoring in the first inning when she singled with the bases loaded to score DP Kendyl Lindaman.

    The Gators added three runs in the third frame. Jade Caraway singled to score pinch runner Lily Mann, and Jordan Matthews scored when Alex Voss was hit by a pitch with the sacks full. Caraway scored on a passed ball during Amanda Lorenz’ at-bat.

    Danielle Romanello provided the last piece of insurance in the sixth inning with a solo homer to right-center.

    The Gators are now 23-4 on the season and a Saturday, Sunday, Monday series in Baton Rouge looms.

    Fast stats:

    • Kelly Barnhill’s final line: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 8 K, 1 BB
    • Danielle Romanello reached base three times in her four plate appearances. (She was hit by a pitch and walked).
    • Sophia Reynoso was the only Gator to record multiple hits.
    • Florida went 3-14 with runners in scoring position.

    Quotable:

    • Head coach Tim Walton: “Just like Sunday, the bottom of the lineup propelled us to victory tonight.”
    • Pitcher Kelly Barnhill: “I’ve felt really good the last two games, but I’m still working on (being my best).”
    • Danielle Romanello on playing at LSU: “I’ve heard it’s a fun place to play, especially a Saturday, Sunday, Monday series.”

    What’s next:

    The Gators travel to Baton Rouge to face LSU. The Tigers are 22-5 and 2-1 in league play after taking two of three from Texas A&M last weekend.

  • MBB: What does Florida have to do to make the NCAA Tournament?

    MBB: What does Florida have to do to make the NCAA Tournament?

    Photo by Dylan Buell / Getty Images

    Heading into the season, the Gators had high expectations, however they didn’t live up to the hype. Now, going into SEC tournament play, the Gators are 17-14 and according to ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi, Florida is projected as an 11-seed in the NCAA tournament.

    Leading up into Wednesday’s match up with Arkansas, we will walk through the different scenarios and options the Gators have to reach the big dance.

    Florida v. Arkansas game preview:

    First and foremost, beating Arkansas is absolutely a must-win for the Gators.

    Florida, the 8 seed in the SEC tournament, is set to take on 9th seeded Arkansas for a chance to play the regular season conference champions, LSU. In their first meeting meeting back in January, the Gators beat Arkansas 57-51, behind an 18 point effort from KeVaughn Allen.

    Coming into the game, both teams are 17-14, and neither of them are a lock for the big dance, making this eight-nine match-up a must with for both teams. The Gators are currently on a three game skid while the Razorbacks are winners of the previous three games.

    Florida’s Resumé:

    The Gators have a very interesting resumé, with a record of 17-14, and 9-9 during SEC play. According to CBS Sports. The Gators rank 28th in strength of schedule, and tied for 67th with an RPI rating of .5589. RPI stands for Rating Percentage Index, which calculates teams record and Strength of Schedule for the sake of rankings. Both numbers are good enough for Florida to be a bubble team, as an at large bid is still as possibility. When taking on ranked opponents this season, the Gators are 1-7, with their only signature win coming in Baton Rouge, against 9th ranked LSU.

    What do the Gators have to go to go dancing?

    There is only one thing Florida can do to guarantee themselves a spot in the tournament, and that’s by winning the SEC tournament.

    That all starts with a must win game against Arkansas on Wednesday. Then the Gators would have to beat LSU for a second time giving them another signature win against a top 25 team.

    Even if they lose in the conference semifinals, a 19-15 record (with two wins against LSU) could get them in. Vanderbilt did made the 2017 NCAA tournament with a 19-15 win-loss record. Mike White and company have Gator nation biting their nails as they begin postseason play on Thursday. First tip is set for 1:00 PM but could be pushed back due to the earlier game.

    What about the rest of the NCAA:

    If you are a Florida fan, you have to be rooting for top seeds in the tournaments around the country. On Tuesday, St. Mary’s defeated Gonzaga to steal a bid, which only hurts Florida’s chances at an at-large bid.

    Let the March Madness begin!

  • BSB: Mike Martin’s nightmare continues against Gators

    BSB: Mike Martin’s nightmare continues against Gators

    Photo by Cyndi Chambers / AP Images

    Final: Florida 20, Florida State 7

    Florida came up to bat in the fifth inning trailing their rival 6-0. The momentum sided with the Seminoles as they had just crushed a grand slam off the scoreboard in right.

    But then something strange happened.

    The Mike Martin nightmare against the Gators rebirthed itself in the form of an epic comeback by the team clad in the orange and blue jerseys.

    Martin, the winningest head coach in college baseball history, was at the will of the Gators as Florida manufactured five runs in the fifth to put UF within one.

    Jacob Young led off the fifth by reaching on an error. Kendrick Calilao singled up the middle to plate two runs. The Gators added two runs via wild pitches by Clayton Kwiatkowski. McMullen completed the scoring with a single that brought Wil Dalton home.

    FSU added a run in the top of the sixth but the Gators answered in a big way.

    Florida scored eight runs in the bottom of the sixth. Chase Haney hit the first two batters of the inning, and the next hitter, Calilao doubled in McConnell from second base. Dalton followed with an RBI single.

    Austin Langworthy then laid down a sac bunt that was thrown into right field and allowed Calilao to score. Freshman Jud Fabian singles to bring Langworthy home. After Fabian stole second and third, Brady Smith tripled to right.

    The Florida pitching staff went into cruise control with a 13-7 lead. Ben Specht came on in the seventh and threw two scorless innings in relief.

    But the Gators weren’t done yet.

    Florida added seven more runs in the eighth highlighted by Calilao’s grand slam to right. Blake Reese added a two-out, two-run bomb to give the Gators a 20-spot.

    __________

    Florida has now won 9 straight against the rivals from Tallahassee. Mike Martin’s team has also lost 14 of the last 15 against the Gators.

    The Gators (14-5) open SEC play against Mississippi State on Friday. Florida State (13-2) dropped just their second game of the year, but have benefitted from an incredibly weak schedule early on.

  • WBB: Delicia Washington to transfer from UF

    WBB: Delicia Washington to transfer from UF

    Photo by Benjamin Fox / ChompTalk.com

    Delicia Washington was supposed to be the senior leader on a young Florida women’s basketball team next year.

    Washington, who was instrumental in the team’s first round SEC victory over Ole Miss just five days ago announced via Twitter that she intends to transfer from the Florida program on Monday.

    Washington was the SEC Co-Freshman of the Year in 2017 as she averaged 11.1 points and 5.3 boards per game.

    As a junior, the Macclenny native averaged 10.5 points and 7.6 rebounds.

    According to a February 2018 report by the Alligator, Washington considered transferring after her freshman campaign when former coach Amanda Butler was fired.

    Butler is now the head coach at Clemson University where former Gator Simone Westbrook has joined her for her senior season (where she has averaged 13.4 points and 4.1 rebounds).

    Where Washington will land is unknown at this point, but she did tell the Alligator that she had come to Florida for Amanda Butler and her staff, not for the school.

  • BSB: Gators sweep Yale, move to 13-5 on season

    BSB: Gators sweep Yale, move to 13-5 on season

    Photo by Cliff Welch / Getty Images

    Gainesville, FL – The Gators baseball team hosted the Yale Bulldogs in a three game set over the weekend and came away with a series sweep, winning all three games. With the series, Florida improves to 13-5 on the season.

    The weekend began when Tommy Mace (4-0) continued his hot start, gaining his fourth win of the season. Mace was solid through six innings but Kevin O’Sullivan called on Hunter Ruth to relieve the sophomore after Yale’s Griffin Dey hit a two-run double in the seventh.

    Ruth did quite well in limited action as he retired each of the five batters that he faced before handing it over to Nolan Crisp, who went on to earn his seventh save of the season, in the ninth.

    Brady McConnell went yard in the bottom of the seventh, extending the Gators lead just enough to remain beyond the reach of Yale’s comeback rally. The moonshot went beyond the wall in left center field and extended McConnell’s hitting streak to twelve games.

    Nelson Maldonaldo recorded a two-run homer in the third inning, his first of the season. It was his first at bat that was the most significant, however. Although the RBI single may not get quite the same crowd response as the homerun, it marked his 200th career hit. This capped a pretty good night for Maldonado as he went 2-for-4 at the plate and brought in three RBI’s.

    Coach Sully was quick to heap praise on his senior standout, saying, “We won by one run, every run counts. Nelly’s been a really good hitter for us for three-plus years now. I’m excited for him. I’ve got to congratulate him on his 200th hit. Like I said, all the at bats matter and you never know which one is going to come back to help you, or not help you, when the final out is made.”

    In all, the Gators recorded twelve hits and two errors on their way to a hard fought 6-5 victory in game one.

    __________

    Game two wasn’t as competitive as the first with the Gators cruising to a 15-1 win. Jack Leftwich improved to a perfect 4-0 on the year, giving up eight hits and striking out five through five innings.

    For the second game in a row, Nelson Maldonaldo recorded a homerun, helping the Gators to an early lead in the second. Not to be outdone, Jud Fabian also went yard, extending the lead to three while also remaining as the team’s homerun leader with three.

    Freshman Roberto Peña recorded the first RBI single of his career, in the third inning as the Gators added to their lead.

    In the fifth inning, Yale finally got on the board when Mason LaPlante reeled off an RBI double. Leftwich however, limited the damage, escaping the inning having allowed only the lone run.

    It was in the bottom of the fifth that Florida exploded for eight runs and blew the game wide open. Eight of nine batters got on base and scored for the Gators, including Jacob Young, Jordan Butler, and Austin Langworthy.

    In the past two weeks, Nelson Maldonaldo has a .500 batting average and has struck out only twice in thirty-five plate appearances during that time. Meanwhile, Florida’s offense recorded thirty hits in the first two games of this weekend series.

    __________

    Game three proved to be another tough out for the Gators but they managed to pull it out once again, winning 4-3. Throughout the series, Yale never had a lead on Florida.

    Tyler Dyson (2-0) is credited with the win and was relieved in the sixth by Hunter Ruth. Ruth earned his first save by striking out the side in the ninth inning.

    Freshman Jud Fabian hit a pair of homeruns and Jordan Butler recorded a two-run double to account for Florida’s offensive production on the day.

    The Gators will take on Florida State this week, before opening their SEC schedule against Miss State over the weekend.

  • SB: Gators salvage run-rule win against Tennessee despite series loss

    SB: Gators salvage run-rule win against Tennessee despite series loss

    Photo by Anthony Peña / ChompTalk.com

    The Florida Gators earned a run-rule victory over Tennessee in the SEC opening weekend finale on Sunday.

    While Florida’s bats got going, Kelly Barnhill was back to her dominant self in the circle.

    Barnhill struck out the side in each of the first four innings and finished with 13 k’s on the day.

    The Florida offense finally broke through in the third inning when DP Kendyl Lindaman “scorched” a two-run homer over the left field fence, as head coach Tim Walton described the homer.

    In the fourth inning LF Jade Caraway beat out an infield single with two outs to extend the inning. The next hitter, Amanda Lorenz capitalized by sending an opposite field shot to nearly the same place as Lindaman’s homer.

    Florida (22-4, 1-2 SEC) scored four runs in the sixth inning, all with two outs. Jade Caraway once again played catalyst, beating out another infield single which gave way to Amanda Lorenz to crush a three-run blast and extend the lead to seven runs.

    Jaimie Hoover then singled and reached second on an error. Hannah Adams’ double to the gap sent Hoover home for the walkoff.

    Fast stats:

    • Kelly Barnhill’s final statline: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 13 K, 1 BB
    • Amanda Lorenz finished 3-3 with 2 HR, 3 R, 5 RBI, and a walk.
    • Jade Caraway went 2-3 in her first appearance in the series.

    Quotable:

    • Head Coach Tim Walton on Jade Caraway: “was the key to the game… she’s starting to get comfortable.”
    • Amanda Lorenz: “Super pumped about Kendyl’s home run…credit to Jade for both of my hits..”
    • Kelly Barnhill on the difference between her performance Sunday vs Friday: “I was hitting the spots and moving the ball around more.”

    W: Barnhill (13-2)

    L: Caylan Arnold (7-2)

  • MBB: Gators fall to Kentucky in regular season finale

    MBB: Gators fall to Kentucky in regular season finale

    Photo by Dylan Buell / Getty Images

    Final: Kentucky 66, Florida 57

    What looked so promising just two weeks ago, has completely fallen apart. The Gators men’s basketball team completed the regular season on Saturday with a 66-57 loss at Kentucky.

    Florida hung tough and even possessed a 40-39 lead with less than 14 minutes left in regulation.

    However, as we’ve seen all season, the Gators let their opponent go on a huge run and put the game out of reach.

    This time it was a 15-2 run over the next 9 minutes of play that haunted Florida. Over that time frame the Gators shot just 1-10 and 0-1 from the free throw stripe.

    Florida would get no closer than the eight point spread the final score would indicate the remainder of the contest.

    With the loss, Florida drops to 17-14 on the season and 9-9 in SEC play. The Gators enter the SEC Tournament on a three game losing streak and will likely need a win or two to play their way into an NCAA bid.

    Fast stats:

    • Kevarrius Hayes had a solid day finishing with 19 points on 8-9 from the floor and grabbed five boards.
    • Jalen Hudson added 13 points, after earning the start.
    • Florida made 3-18 from 3-point range.
    • Kentucky made 26-32 from the charity stripe. The Gators made 6-11 from the line.

    What’s next:

    Florida will enter the SEC Tournament as a formidable underdog.

    Keep posted for a preview of each (hopefully) matchup the Gators face in the postseason.

    UPDATE: Florida has clinched the #8 seed in the SEC Tournament. The Gators will face the winner of the Alabama-Arkansas game that takes place on Saturday night.

  • WGYM: Gators Soar on Senior Night, Break 198

    WGYM: Gators Soar on Senior Night, Break 198

    Photo by Brian Fox / ChompTalk.com

    ++In perhaps their best meet of the season, the Gators went lights out to defeat Penn State and honor their graduating seniors last night, earning a 198.025. Reaching the 198 mark is a coveted achievement by the top teams in the nation: it has only been reached 110 times in the history of NCAA gymnastics, and just 19 times in Gator Gymnastics history. To put that number in context, a 200 would be a perfect team score, where every routine on every event scores a perfect 10.0. This means that as a team, the Gators only incurred 1.975 in deductions in last night’s meet. **-

    At the center of the action was senior Alicia Boren, who earned a share of both the beam and floor titles and reached a 39.725 mark in the all-around – which didn’t even earn her the title! When asked what was different about tonight, she said it was all to do with the team dynamic. “I think they really rallied behind us. We went out there and they were like, ‘Do it for the seniors, do it for Bailey, do it for Gator nation!’ and that’s what we did.” Her ‘us,’ of course, refers to her and Amanda Cheney, the seniors being honored at their last home meet of their careers. Boren and Cheney both competed on all the events they train, though Cheney’s two routines were exhibition only, meaning they couldn’t count toward the team total.

    Where vault has been a weakness in past weeks for Florida, it was the spark that kickstarted the fire night the team was about to have. Megan Skaggs returned to the vault lineup for the first time since last season to lead off with a Yurchenko full that she stuck cold, and Sierra Alexander followed her with essentially a carbon copy vault, including the perfect landing. Both were rewarded with 9.875s for their efforts, earning and matching their collegiate best, respectively. Nya Reed struggled on her Yurchenko 1.5, but Trinity Thomas set the team back on track, setting her collegiate-best mark at 9.95. Savannah Schoenherr hit her 1.5, and Boren closed out the lineup by tying her season-best at 9.925. All told, the vault squad earned a 49.475 for their efforts, with coach Rowland saying that she “finally saw the team go out there and do what they do every day in the gym.”

    Though the team finally found their landings on vault, bars was a different story. Everyone had trouble sticking, costing the Gators valuable tenths here and there. Still, with strong handstand form and high-flying releases, Florida earned four scores of 9.9 or higher. Amelia Hundley had the lone truly stuck dismount of the bunch, earning her a 9.925 and the bars title for the meet. Rachel Gowey also returned to the lineup this week after sitting out the last three meets resting an old back injury. Though she only earned a 9.825, it was nice to see her back in the mix.

    Beam saw a little lineup shakeup, as it seems Rowland may be anticipating having to field a beam squad sans Gowey. Hundley led off, scoring a 9.85 despite a bobble on her series. Skaggs was moved to the second slot, earning her collegiate best of 9.925. Boren remained in the three spot, matching Skaggs’s score with one of her strongest routines of late. Leah Clapper found her new home in fourth position, showing nerves of steel as she locked her triple acro series into place, not showing any sign of shakiness for a 9.875. Thomas and Alyssa Baumann were the 5-6 punch to close it out, attacking the beam and showcasing the confidence it takes to anchor the Gator beam lineup for 9.925 and 9.9, respectively. Both have had to make adjustments to their very difficult routines to ensure consistent hits, but said adjustments have paid off and haven’t affected their scoring ability at all.

    All night, it felt like things were leading to floor. This is truly where the Gators have shined all year, and last night was no different. Skaggs, in her first floor performance this season, led the lineup off with a huge 9.9 for her jazzy routine. Hundley followed, but she overdid it on her opening double pass and ended up having to roll backwards and out of bounds to avoid injuring herself. In the three spot, Reed was clearly thinking about what had just happened to her teammate, as she stepped out of bounds on her double layout and her performance quality was not quite as electric as usual. Still, she hit the reset button for the team and earned a 9.8 for her efforts. Thomas slid down to the fourth spot this week, but it didn’t limit her scoring potential, as she earned a 9.975 for her spectacular tumbling and elegant dance. Baumann, still doing her easier double tuck as her opening pass instead of her double layout, danced her way to a 9.875, and then it was Boren’s turn. Finally getting to anchor after being used as a score-building routine all season, Boren turned it up to 11 on her performance. Her tumbling was powerful and clean, her presence lit up the arena from top to bottom – she was absolutely on fire. Unfortunately, only one judge rewarded her with perfection, so she ended up with a final score of 9.975.

    Still, it was just enough to put the Gators over the 198 mark, which will boost their qualifying score for Regionals. This is especially important considering Florida only has one more meet to improve its RQS, which is calculated by averaging certain scores, and it still trails both UCLA and Oklahoma, who both have more 198s than Florida this season. Still, it’s ultimately the score on the day of that determines the national champion, and if Florida can keep doing what it did here, it might actually have a shot at the title again.