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  • Staff Picks: Gators at LSU

    Staff Picks: Gators at LSU

    COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 14: Graham Mertz #15 of the Florida Gators plays against the South Carolina Gamecocks during their game at Williams-Brice Stadium on October 14, 2023 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

    Florida and LSU renew their rivalry in Baton Rouge Saturday. Florida enters the contest seeking a win to reach bowl eligibility.

    The following are our staff’s predictions for Florida vs LSU:

    Carson Euverard – After a disappointing win last week the road will only get tougher for Billy Napier and the Gators. Shamar James’ absence was clear against Arkansas, as first time play-caller Kenny Guiton led the Razorbacks to 481 yards on offense. The defense will have their hands full in Death Valley whether Jayden Daniels or Garrett Nussmeier plays. The defense still has growing pains to work through.

    The offense has run well with Graham Mertz but I don’t see them winning a shootout. Tigers win at home 38-23.

    Alyssa Britton-Harr – Florida looks to make a comeback this week after their tough loss to Arkansas in overtime last week. The Gators are known to struggle on the road and with the teams previous two losses both sides of the ball have not been played as expected. LSU fans will for sure bring the heat Saturday in Death Valley. UF has a tough schedule the next three weeks and it’s crucial for the Gators to run the ball more effectively. On the defensive side, Florida needs to focus on protecting Mertz and find ways to adapt with either man or zone coverage for what works best against the Tigers. A matchup against a highly ranked team is always exciting, but I believe LSU will take the win Saturday. LSU 40-24.

    Hugh Green – Coming off a disappointing loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks last week, the Gators will now get into what is probably their toughest three-week stretch of the season that starts with a trip to Death Valley to face LSU. The Tigers come into this week’s game at No. 19 in the College Football Playoff rankings with a 6-3 record. LSU fell at Alabama last week, so both teams will be looking for a bounce back in Baton Rouge.

    LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is listed as probable this week after sustaining a head injury in the second half against the Crimson Tide. If he is able to go, Florida will have to look out for Daniels becoming a dual threat. He currently leads the Tigers in rushing yards with 684 and has six rushing touchdowns to go along with his 27 passing touchdowns. After giving up just under 100 rushing yards to KJ Jefferson last week, this will be something that Billy Napier’s defense will have to clean up against Daniels.

    This will be a tough matchup for the Gators in all facets of the game, and a night game in Death Valley is something opposing teams never look forward to. LSU 37-27.

    Regan Roberts – The 5-4 Gators are in need of 1 more win to become bowl eligible, but in their way are 3 opponents that will give the Gators a tough time. Both Florida and LSU are coming off of losses, Florida in a tough overtime to Arkansas and LSU to Alabama in a game that many thought would be closer than the final score showed. 

    Mertz didn’t perform his best last game, but it wasn’t awful, going 26 for 42 on passes, throwing for 282 yards. The Gators run and pass game will need to be complete for any chance at LSU. As well as their special teams who cost them last week’s game, although they will have learned their lesson from last week and won’t be a problem this week.

    The Gators will put up a decent fight, but LSU will just be too much to handle for the Gators who just can’t seem to look like a complete team recently. LSU 42-10.

    Brian Fox – Florida’s defense has struggled mightily in SEC play. Saturday, they face one of the top offenses in the nation. Regardless of who is playing quarterback for the Tigers, Florida will have to score, score, and score some more. This game has shootout written all over it. Can the Gators keep up? I don’t think so, LSU, 44-24.

    …

    Florida and LSU are scheduled to kickoff at 7:30 PM with the game being broadcast on SEC Netwoek.

  • VB: Gators sweep conference foe LSU 3-0

    VB: Gators sweep conference foe LSU 3-0

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    The Florida Gators Volleyball team played host to conference foe LSU Friday at the O’Dome. UF has suffered significant injuries to key players this season which has hindered their success. Despite the challenges the team has faced, they were able to rally for a sweep of conference rival LSU.

    Freshman Kennedy Martin has now recorded the most kills from any freshman after 21 matches in the history of Florida Gators Volleyball.

    The Gators started off strong in the first set earning a 7-5 lead. Two kills apiece from Gabrielle Essix and Kennedy Martin extended UF’s lead to 13-10 in set one. Seniors AC Fitzpatrick and Sofia Victoria displayed their defensive talents while each tallying a block to help the Gators lead reach 19-14.

    An ace from Victoria forced set point and Florida came out victorious 25-17.

    In set two, Florida looked to keep their momentum going. It was a back-and-forth affair as the teams were all squared at 5-5. An ace by Emily Canaan gave the Gators an 11-7 lead and forced an LSU timeout.

    The set remained competitive until Florida posted a 23-19 lead after a kill by Okammor. LSU showed no signs of quit as they responded with a 4-0 run to tied the set. The home crowd came to life with the set on the line as the Gators won the next two point to take a 2-0 advantage in the set.

    Moving to the third set, Florida was looking for a sweep. Martin tallied a block at the net that was followed by an ace from Trinity Adams. The 7-3 Gators lead forced an LSU timeout. The break was not enough to slow down Martin as she slammed a kill to the ground after the timeout.

    Later in the set, fifth year Kennedy Muff caught the LSU defense slipping with a dump over the net giving the Gators a 14-8 lead. Florida saw their lead grow to eight after Trinity Adams tallied an ace to give Florida a 19-12 lead coming down the stretch.

    Matin capped off a victory for the Gators on the final rally to secure the sweep with a 26-16 victory in set three.

    Florida moves to 15-7 on the season and 7-6 in conference play. The Gators will be back in action Sunday as they hit the road to travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to battle the Crimson Tide. First serve is slated for 5 p.m. and will be available on SEC+.

  • WBB: Gators Defeat Bethune-Cookman; Improve to 2-0

    WBB: Gators Defeat Bethune-Cookman; Improve to 2-0

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    The Florida Gators (2-0) beat the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (0-2) 83-69 Thursday in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

    Florida fell short offensively at moments with several turnovers but was able to persevere and come out of the game with a win.

    “Learning how to come back with the ball, with spacing and different things like that, it is something that we’ll work on and continue to as the season goes on,” Florida head coach Kelly Rae Finley.

    Florida struggled with a slow start in the first quarter, with Bethune-Cookman taking the lead with the first two points after a UF turnover. The Gators quickly found their groove to put up six points off of rebounds from seniors guard Aliyah Matharu and center Rae Shaya Kyle.

    The Gators led 10-4 with four minutes left in the first quarter. Matharu drilled a three-point jumper to push Florida’s lead to 14-8.

    The Wildcats fought defensively to stay alive and come within reach of the Gators, but a personal foul from Bethune-Cookman D’Shante Edwards allowed UF to take advantage.

    Alexia Dizeko made the buzzer shot to give Florida the 19-10 lead over Bethune-Cookman headed into the second quarter.

    Martharu drilled the first two baskets of the second quarter with back-to-back layups. The Wildcats continued to fall behind with personal fouls and loss of control of the ball out of bounds.

    An assist from UF senior guard Leilani Correa to Kyle upped the Gators lead to 30-18 as Bethune-Cookman trailed by twelve. UF graduate student guard Kenza Salgues made two consecutive three-pointers to fire up the Gators. With four seconds left in the second quarter, Bethune-Cookman made two free throws, but it wasn’t enough to make a comeback and outscore Florida.

    Florida led 36-29 to close out the half.

    A Florida turnover gave Bethune-Cookman the advantage early into the second half, but a steal from Correa turned into a fast break layup to provide UF with a 38-32 lead over the Wildcats in the opening frame.

    Court violation from Bethune-Cookman gave possession of the ball back to the Gators. UF freshman Laila Reynolds scored both free throws after being denied a layup shot.

    Matharu drilled a three-pointer to extend the Gators lead to 49-34. She scored another layup after a quick, fast break down the court. Bethune-Cookman climbed its way back on the scoreboard but, with limited time left in the third quarter, the Wildcats failed to make crucial points as they continued to put the ball out of bounds.

    An aggressive Bethune-Cookman offense forced a Florida turnover with 40 seconds left in the third quarter. Salgues closed out the third quarter with a three-pointer that had Gator Nation on their feet with excitement. The Gators took the lead 62-47 as they headed into the fourth.

    The Wildcats claimed two points off free throws, which led to a spark in the Bethune-Cookman offense as they landed on a seven-point scoring streak. They brought the game within ten with five minutes left in the fourth quarter.

    A Bethune-Cookman turnover allowed the Gators to regain possession of the ball. Kyle and Matharu both made layups to bring Florida back to life. Florida powered through in the final moments, and a Salgues three-pointer closed the game out with an 83-69, Florida victory.

  • MBB: Gators Land Commitment From 7’6 C Olivier Rioux

    MBB: Gators Land Commitment From 7’6 C Olivier Rioux

    Photo by Travis Branham | 247Sports

    IMG Academy center Olivier Rioux announced his commitment to the Florida Gators via Instagram on Wednesday.

    Rioux is listed at 7’6 and 300 lbs. He holds the Guinness Book of Records title for “world’s tallest teenager.”

    Rioux is rated a three-star prospect by On3, the number 147 overall recruit in the nation after reclassifying to the 2024 class (from 2025).

    Rioux chose the Gators over Florida Atlantic, Stetson, and Coastal Carolina, among other programs. It is not yet known if he will be on scholarship or join as a preferred walk-on.

    Rioux is attending IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

  • WBB: Gators Sign Pair of Top Prospects on NSD

    WBB: Gators Sign Pair of Top Prospects on NSD

    Photo by Eakin Howard | Getty Images

    Florida women’s basketball acquired the signing of Alivia McGill Wednesday afternoon. McGill made Florida program history when she officially became the highest-ranked recruit to sign a national letter of intent.

    McGill sits as the seventh-best women’s basketball recruit in the country. The 5’9 commit from Minnesota is a two-time Adidas All-American Player. She averaged 14 points per game, three assists and two steals per game during her high school career at Hopkins.

    McGill has also helped play a pivotal role in leading her team to the state championship finals. In 2022, she won the Class 4A state championship title.

    “Having known Liv since 6th grade, it has been a joy to watch her develop both on and off the court. I truly believe that her best is yet to come, and we are excited to be on this journey together,” Florida head coach Kelly Rae Finley said.

    The signing of McGill also marks the second consecutive year that Finley has recruited a five-star recruit.

    Kylee Kitts also signed with the Gators on Wednesday. The top-25 recruit currently attends Hagerty High School but attended Faith Christian Academy for her 2022-2023 season, where she averaged 13 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks per game.

    Last season, Kitts helped pave the way for her team in the Florida High School Sports Athletic Association state championship. Kitts recorded ten points, ten rebounds and three blocks during the game. Kitts and her team defeated the three top-ranked teams to win the school’s first state championship.

    “Her athleticism, basketball IQ, and versatility are a perfect fit for our program, and we can’t wait to see her in Orange and Blue,” Finley said.

    The Gators will play Bethune-Cookman at 6 p.m. Thursday.

  • MBB: Gators Start Fast, Race Past Greyhounds in Opener

    MBB: Gators Start Fast, Race Past Greyhounds in Opener

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    The Florida Gators improved to 2-0 in season openers under head coach Todd Golden with a 93-73 win over Loyola (MD) Monday.

    The Gators stormed out to an early 16-0 lead and cruised to victory over the Greyhounds. Sophomore Riley Kugel led Florida in scoring with 23 points while Micah Handlogten (16), Tyrese Samuel (15), and Alex Condon (13) all ended up in double digits.

    The 16-0 run was highlighted by a Walter Clayton three and a Will Richard dunk to put the crowd into a frenzy early.

    For the Gators, it didn’t matter who was on the floor, the matchups favored Florida. As a result, ten Gators saw action, eight of which played for at least 16 minutes. In total, the Florida bench scored 27 points in the game.

    By halftime, Florida possessed a 42-30 advantage thanks to 52% shooting.

    Somehow, the Gators were even hotter in the second half as they scored 51 points and made 63% of their attempts in the final period.

    Kugel finishes his night 10-15 from the floor and added three rebounds and four assists to his statline as well. Clayton totaled nine points, eight rebounds, and five assists in 33 minutes of action as the team’s point guard.

    Florida shot just 6-16 from three-point range and made just 15-30 from the free throw line.

    The Gators will step up in competition on Friday when they take on ACC stalwart Virginia in Charlotte, NC. The game is scheduled to get underway at 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on ACC Network.

  • WBB: Gators Defeat North Florida in Season Opener

    WBB: Gators Defeat North Florida in Season Opener

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    The Florida Gator women’s basketball team defeated the North Florida Ospreys 82-64 at home in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center for their season opener.

    UF senior forward Faith Dut won the tipoff for Florida, and senior guard Leilani Correa scored the first points for the Gators. Offensively, Florida found its groove and weighed in with a 9-6 lead early in the first quarter.

    “Scoring is important, but there’s so many other factors in the game of basketball,” Correa said. “Wins come out of rebounding steals, assists and getting your teammates the ball.”

    A fast break layup from UF senior guard Aliyah Matharu pushed the Gators’ lead to 13-7 after a line of defensive errors allowed the Ospreys to take advantage.

    A Florida turnover brought an offensive explosion for North Florida, which they were able to respond from their deficit with a play that the Gators could not catch onto, and brought their score within four, 17-13, to close out the first quarter.

    UF dominated the second quarter, leaving North Florida in an eight-point deficit. A steal from UF senior center Ra Shaya Kyle regained possession of the ball for the Gators. A jumper from UF junior forward Eriny Kindred upped Florida’s score to 29-18.

    North Florida struggled in the second quarter against the Gators’ quick defense mechanisms. However, the Ospreys responded with a fast break down the court and a layup with hopes to outscore Florida.

    A tired Florida offense allowed North Florida to gain possession of the ball with seven seconds left in the second half, but with the clock ticking, the Ospreys could not score.

    The Gators led 32-26 heading into halftime.

    Matharu drilled a 3-point jumper to open the third quarter. North Florida responded with a defensive rebound and a 3-point jumper by Ospreys freshman guard Alexa Washington. Kindred, with a jumper, pushed Florida’s score to 47-38.

    The Gators battled through the third quarter and increased their lead by almost double that of North Florida. In the final moments, Correa scored hit a buzzer-beater to push Florida’s lead to 59-42.

    UF continued to pave the way offensively with a 3-point shot from junior guard Alberte Rimdal. Correa brought the momentum as she made a pivotal steal on a fast break to score.

    Florida remained on an eleven-point scoring streak in their 72-50 lead. As North Florida powered through, working their way back, the Gators continued to hold them down into a double-digit deficit.

    The Ospreys fought to stay alive in the game with back-to-back layups. Florida banked at an 82-64 lead in the final moments of the game.

    Final plays from North Florida did not cut a fierce Florida offense, as they failed to get within reach of the Gators.

    The Gators will take on the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at 6 p.m. Thursday.

  • BSB: Florida Gators 2023 Fall Ball Takeaways

    BSB: Florida Gators 2023 Fall Ball Takeaways

    Photo by Jay Biggerstaff | Getty Images

    After the Gators’ historic 2023 campaign, there is speculation if they will be a similar team this season.

    In Sunday’s exhibition game against Stetson, there were signs of that same successful team from last year. Here are some takeaways about what to expect this upcoming season.

    • Consistency will be key. Offensively, the Gators have many weapons. That’s no secret. At his first at-bat, the very first pitch he saw, Jac Caglianone hit a 448 foot homerun. The Gators have the strength and talent through the whole lineup, but it’s a matter if they can stay consistent enough to close out teams. On Sunday, the Gators got up early, 3-0, in the first inning, but didn’t score again until the 6th off of an 2-RBI double from Caglianone. The Gators will need other people to step up more often in the lineup to produce runs.
    • Pitching roles to fill. With 2 out of the 3 weekend starters in Brandon Sproat and Hurston Waldrep drafted to the big leagues, that only leaves Caglianone as the remaining weekend starter. Through one inning on Sunday, Caglianone threw 16 strikes in 27 pitches thrown with 1 hit and 0 runs scored. The Gators will need consistent strikes thrown from Caglianone this season. The Gators will most likely look to sophomore Cade Fisher to fill another weekend spot. Fisher did not have the best outing Sunday with 2 runs scored against him, but after seeing what he was capable of in big situations in the World Series last season, there’s little doubt that he will will be in the weekend rotation this season. As for the 3rd weekend spot, the Gators will have many options. Bradon Neely could move into a weekend rotation spot, but it’s unlikely given his role as a closer last season. He was named second team All-American as he was one of the best closers in the game last season. The Gators also have a lot of talent in freshman pitchers in Luke McNeillie, Frank Menendez, and Robert Satin, but it’s unlikely a freshman will fill this role. Most likely, the Gators will look to veteran Ryan Slater to take the last spot.
    • The Gators added a lot of talent in the offseason that will fill in for a lot of the drafted talent. Alabama transfer Colby Shelton will take over at shortstop this season. In his freshman year, he hit 25 homeruns, setting the Alabama record for homeruns by a freshman. The combination of Shelton and Caglianone back-to-back in the lineup will be a nightmare for opposing pitchers. Virginia Tech transfer Brody Donay adds depth at the catcher position. Freshman year, Donay put up 12 homeruns and 38 RBIs, a solid addition to the Gators offense. Another catcher transfer from Coastal Carolina, Tanner Garrison, will look to be a contributor this season as well. The Gators will have lots of options at catcher this season with Heyman, Donay, and Garrison. Another addition for the Gators was Landon Russell. Russell originally was committed to Auburn but enrolled at Golf Coast Community College. Russell started at right field for the Gators on Sunday but could be used as a utility player this season as the starting right fielder will most likely be Ty Evans.

    The Florida Gators will officially open their 2024 season Friday, February 16th at home against St. John’s. The Gators will have similar expectations to last season’s team and have the ability to make a deep run into June.

  • WBB: Gators Open Regular Season Monday vs North Florida

    WBB: Gators Open Regular Season Monday vs North Florida

    The Florida Women’s basketball team will make its season debut on Monday, Nov. 6, against North Florida in their home arena, the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

    The Gators brought in the new addition of Atlanta Dream Guard Rhyne Howard onto the coaching staff as the assistant coach. Howard returned home to her mother’s alma mater, where her mother, Rhyvonja Avery, played for Florida from 1987 to 1991. Avery was captain of the team her senior year and still to this day ranks in the top 10 in several categories, which includes career steals at 192 and a field goal percentage of .521.

    The former Kentucky Wildcat was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA draft. Howard averaged 16.2 points as a rookie with the Atlanta Dream, which further led her to being named the 2022 WNBA All-Star team and Rookie of the Year.

    Howard and the team’s first contest occurred Wednesday, Nov. 1, against Florida Southern in an exhibition game. The Gators showcased their 93-43 offensive skills, and with a slow start in the first half, UF shot 32 percent from the court.

    The Gators led by double in the second quarter as they outscored the Mocs 22 to 8. UF fueled in the final 50 points to close out the second half.

    Texas transfer senior guard Aliyah Matharu made her Gator debut, scoring a team-high 20 points in Wednesday’s exhibition match. UF senior guard Leilani Correa, a transfer from St. John’s, was welcomed by Gator Nation in the 2022 season and played a crucial role in Florida’s success last season.

    Correa played in 27 games in her first year in the swamp. She became a pivotal player for Florida when she earned a career-high as a Gator in a single game to score 24 points; she hit this record twice during the season.

    Correa proved to be healthy for the season and ready to dominate as she recorded 18 points against the Mocs, which included her shooting 7 for 12 inside the arc. Florida proves to be on the right foot for the season with healthy players and a fired-up Gator Nation.

  • VB: No. 20 Florida Falls to Kentucky 3-1

    VB: No. 20 Florida Falls to Kentucky 3-1

    The Gators hosted their second SEC opponent of the weekend Sunday. UF battled the Kentucky Wildcats but fell 3-1. Florida moves to 14-7 in regular season play and 6-6 in conference action.

    Kentucky came out victorious in a highly competitive first set 25-23. The Gators fought back in the second frame to even the match after a 25-20 win. Kentucky answered with a 25-21 win in set three and capped off their road victory while cruising to a 25-18 win in the fourth set.

    Freshman Kennedy Martin continued her dominant play offensively for Florida. Martin posted her second consecutive 25+ kill match. She tallied 27 total kills for the Gators.

    Senior Sofia Victoria followed Martin’s lead on the offensive side of the net with nine kills of her own. Gabi Essix rounded out UF’s offensive attack with seven kills respectively.

    Grad transfer Kennedy Muff facilitated the Gators offense dishing out 47 assists in Sunday’s matchup. Muff led the team to a .229 hitting efficiency.

    Florida put on an impressive display defensively. The team tallied 13 blocks at the net with Essix leading the way with seven blocks. AC Fitzpatrick was just behind her with six and Nnedi Okammor had five.

    The backcourt for the Gators was led by Senior Elli McKissock who posted a team-high 19 digs.

    The Gators will continue their SEC slate as they host the LSU Tigers Friday, Nov. 10. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida.