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Tag: Florida Sports

  • Countryside High graduate Rocco Simonelli makes big splash in college diving

    Countryside High graduate Rocco Simonelli makes big splash in college diving

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    LARGO, Fla. — When Rocco Simonelli is diving, he says nothing else can compare to the thrill.

    “You’re just in a free fall. You can’t do anything except do what you know. It’s a fun rush,” Simonelli said.

    His mom, who’s a former collegiate diver and coach, introduced Simonelli to the sport at a young age.

    But for Simonelli it was just for fun. 

    “When I started diving, I was actually little, you know, going to a local pool,” Simonelli said. “We had fun on the dive boards. My mom was a coach, so she always got me to try something new every time we went.”

    It wasn’t until high school that he decided to pursue the sport.

    What You Need To Know

    • As a youth, Rocco Simonelli was the national champion in taekwondo. He represented team USA at the Pan-American games 

    • Simonelli started diving at a young age for fun, but didn’t pursue the sport competitively until high school 

    • The Countryside High graduate recently added another accolade. He’s the National Junior College men’s champion in the 1 meter 

    • This fall, he’ll continue his training at Florida Atlantic University 

    His first love was martial arts, where he racked up many medals and awards. 

    “As a youth, he was a national champion for taekwondo. He represented team USA at the Pan-American games in taekwondo,” Ann Simonelli said. “He’s been on USA national team, AAU national team and then he started with the diving and he’s won the county. He’s won districts.”

    Although Simonelli got a later start competing in diving, he quickly found success, and decided it was the sport for him. 

    “It was tough to see him step away from some of the other sports that he was also really excelling in and continue with the diving, but because he said this is what he was loving, this is what I had to let him do and he’s proven to me that this was the right choice,” his mother said.

    The Countryside High graduate recently added another accolade. He’s the National Junior College men’s champion in the 1 meter. 

    “It means a lot. It really shows to me that all the hard work really does pay off,” he said.

    This fall, he’ll continue his training at Florida Atlantic University. 

    He’s following in his mom’s footsteps, while making a big splash of his own.

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    Olivia Stacey

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  • Stetson taps experienced leader Ricky Ray as athletics director

    Stetson taps experienced leader Ricky Ray as athletics director

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    DeLAND, Fla. — Stetson has hired Ricky Ray, an experienced leader in intercollegiate athletics at William & Mary, as the Hatters’ new director of athletics, the university announced.

    What You Need To Know

    • Ricky Ray will be the new Stetson athletics director as of May 6

    • Jeff Altier is retiring after holding the position for 27 years

    • Ray has been executive associate athletics director for external operations at William & Mary

    • Stetson will welcome him to campus at 2 p.m. Friday in an event open to the public

    Ray, who has been the executive associate athletics director for external operations at the historic college in Williamsburg, Va., will start May 6.

    He replaces Jeff Altier, who is retiring after 27 years as the Hatters’ AD.

    Ray will be introduced to the campus community at 2 p.m. Friday at the Lynn Presentation Room in the Marshall & Vera Lea Rinker Welcome Center. The public is invited to attend.

    Stetson conducted a national search to select the person to lead its department of about 85 coaches and staff and more than 440 student-athletes on 18 teams, including its men’s basketball program that recently played in its first NCAA Tournament.

    “Obviously, the entire community saw what that kind of success can do for the institution as a whole,” Ray said. “Now is the time to build on that.”

    Ray has more than 20 years of experience in intercollegiate and professional sports and a doctorate of education degree from Marshall University in West Virginia.

    At William & Mary, Ray oversaw marketing, ticketing, creative services, communications and licensing for the college’s 23 NCAA Division I sports. He has set revenue records during his two years there and served as its interim chief financial officer.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Ricky Ray as Stetson’s athletics director,” Stetson President Christopher F. Roellke said in a statement. “An excellent fundraiser with considerable financial acumen, Ricky has accomplished so much in promoting student-athlete well-being, the fan experience and community engagement through athletics. I and the entire senior leadership team are looking forward to working with Ricky for years to come.”

     

     

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    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • Judge advances Florida State exit lawsuit against ACC

    Judge advances Florida State exit lawsuit against ACC

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    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Leon County Judge upheld Florida State University’s lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference on Tuesday, while also accusing the ACC of “forum shopping” against the Tallahassee-based school.

    What You Need To Know

    • FSU’s lawsuit in Florida against the ACC is moving forward

    • The judge denied the ACC’s motion to pause the case until a judge resolves their suit against FSU in North Carolina

    • The Leon County Judge accused the ACC of forum shopping

    • Forum shopping is the legal practice of targeting one court over the other in hopes of more favorable odds

    As FSU athletics seeks to exit the ACC, the two parties are feuding over a multi-million-dollar media deal and a roughly $130 million dollar exit fee — an amount hovering in the ballpark of $500 million.

    The high-profile disagreement resulted in two lawsuits: one filed by FSU against the ACC in Florida. The other filed preemptively by the ACC in its home state of North Carolina, which happened just days before the FSU board approved its plan to file suit.

    Attorneys for the ACC asked the judge Tuesday to pause or dismiss the case until their lawsuit in North Carolina is resolved. The court, however, denied the motion and accused the conference of shopping forums.

    Forum shopping is the legal practice of targeting one court over the other in hopes of more favorable odds.

    “There’s only one reason you would want to engage in forum shopping and that’s because the forum you just shopped is better than the other place,” said Second Judicial Circuit Judge John Cooper.

    FSU is accusing the ACC of financial mismanagement and a “draconian” exit fee, among other things, thus they should exit the conference without financial penalty.

    “This is Florida State’s money,” said FSU attorney Peter Rush. “This is Florida State’s team. This is Florida State’s media rights.”

    The ACC, meanwhile, is suing back in a North Carolina court, maintaining that their contract with FSU is binding. They also note that they sued first, which they claimed should place the case in North Carolina’s hands under Florida law.

    “We served first,” said ACC attorney Alan Lawson in his ending arguments. Lawson served previously as a Florida Supreme Court Justice.

    The cases’ outcome poses large implications for the ACC, among the largest collegiate conferences in the nation. It also comes as schools in recent years have begun gravitating toward conferences with more lucrative deals. 

    With both the Florida case and the North Carolina case in motion, questions remain about how the two parties may resolve their issues if the courts publish opposing opinions.

    The next hearing in Florida is scheduled for April 22.

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    Jason Delgado

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  • Orlando guard Kugel transfers from Florida to Kansas

    Orlando guard Kugel transfers from Florida to Kansas

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida sophomore guard Riley Kugel, who was benched for two games during the Southeastern Conference Tournament, is transferring to Kansas, he announced on social media.


    Kugel, a former standout at Orlando’s Dr. Phillips High School, announced his intention to enter the NCAA transfer portal on social media right after Florida’s 102-100 loss to Colorado in the NCAA Tournament. At the time, he said he had narrowed his options to Arizona, UConn, Houston and Kansas.

    “It’s been fun and I appreciate everyone who has supported me through thick and thin,” Kugel wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “I will always be thankful for the bond I have built with my teammates in my freshman and sophomore years.”

    A preseason all-SEC selection, Kugel averaged 9.2 points and 3.5 rebounds as a sophomore this season, with a season-high 25 points against Baylor on Nov. 23. The Orlando native averaged 9.9 points as a freshman and entered the season as an All-SEC preseason selection. He made 48 assists and had 63 turnovers this season. He scored 11 points, grabbed four rebounds and made three steals in the Gators’ 102-100 loss to the Colorado Buffaloes in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

    But he was so solid down the stretch last season — he averaged 17.3 points over Florida’s final 10 games — that he considered turning pro. He ended up returning to Florida with hopes of being the team’s go-to scorer.

    Instead, he often looked lost on the court and disengaged on the bench. TV cameras caught him brushing off teammates and coaches. Coach Todd Golden had him coming off the bench by the end of December and playing fewer and fewer minutes the deeper the Gators got into the season.

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    Associated Press

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  • Florida falls to Colorado at NCAA Tournament as shot at buzzer falls short

    Florida falls to Colorado at NCAA Tournament as shot at buzzer falls short

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    INDIANAPOLIS — KJ Simpson rattled in a tiebreaking jumper from the baseline with 2 seconds left, and 10th-seeded Colorado defeated seventh-seeded Florida in a 102-100 thriller on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

    What You Need To Know

    • KJ Simpson hit a jumper with 2 seconds left to lift Colorado over Florida 102-100 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

    • Walter Clayton Jr. threw up a half-court shot at the buzzer, but it didn’t hit the rim

    • Clayton, who finished with 33 points, led five Gators in double-figure scoring

    • Simpson led the Buffaloes with 23 points, and Eddie Lampkin Jr. added 21

    Simpson finished with 23 points as the Buffaloes (26-10) and Gators (24-12) put on the most impressive offensive display of this year’s March Madness. 

    Walter Clayton Jr. scored the last 16 points for Florida, including a 3-pointer to tie the score at 100 with 9 seconds left. The former Lake Wales and Bartow High standout finished with a career-high 33 points, but his half-court heave at the buzzer didn’t hit the rim.

    Five Gators scored in double figures. In addition to Clayton Jr., Will Richard added 15 points, Zyon Pullin had 13 points and former Dr. Phillips standout Riley Kugel and Tyrese Samuel scored 11 points each.

    Colorado extended its single-season school record for wins two days after beating Boise State in the First Four.

    The Buffs’ astonishing offensive totals: 34 of 54 (63%) from the field, 6 of 10 on 3-pointers and 28 of 33 (84.8%) on free throws. The Gators made five more 3s (11 of 25) and shot 51.5% overall (35 of 68) to keep pace.

    Colorado was all but unstoppable for a long stretch of the second half as it built a 94-81 lead with 4:28 remaining, but Clayton took over from there as the Buffs made mistake after mistake. He converted a three-point play with 1:12 left, buried a 3 with 37 seconds left to get Florida within 99-96, and then for the tying basket.

    Eddie Lampkin Jr. scored 21 points for Colorado. Tristan da Silva added 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, and J’Vonne Hadley had 16 as all five Buffs starters scored in double figures.

    The game was fast-paced from the start, and both teams went on strong scoring runs. Colorado battled back from a 10-point first-half deficit to tie the score at 45-all on Simpson’s step-back jumper at the halftime buzzer.

    The Buffs appeared to swing the game their way when Florida coach Todd Golden was called for a technical foul after Lampkin made a layup. Colorado converted that into a five-point play for an 82-72 lead with 7:44 to go.

    The Buffs advance in the South Region to face second-seeded Marquette on Sunday.

    The loss ended the season for the Gators.

    Florida’s players wore warmup shirts with injured teammate Micah Handlogten’s name and jersey number, 3, on the back. The 7-foot sophomore, who broke his left leg in last weekend’s Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game loss to Auburn, sat behind the bench.

    The Gators were playing in the city where they first reached the NCAA title game in 2000 and then won their first national title six years later. Former quarterback Anthony Richardson, now with the Indianapolis Colts, was in attendance, dressed in a bright orange shirt.

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    Associated Press

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  • Stetson’s 1st trip to the NCAA Tournament is a short stay

    Stetson’s 1st trip to the NCAA Tournament is a short stay

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    NEW YORK — Donovan Clingan scored 19 points and Cam Spencer added 15 as top-seeded UConn began defense of its national championship by overpowering 16th-seeded Stetson 91-52 Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

    What You Need To Know

    • Stetson falls to No. 1-seeded UConn 91-52

    • The Hatters, the Atlantic Sun champions, were making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament

    • Donovan Clingan scored 19 points to lead the Huskies

    • Senior guard Stephan Swenson led Stetson in scoring with 20 points

    The top-ranked Huskies (32-3) will face ninth-seeded Northwestern on Sunday in the second round of the East Region at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

    Stephan Swenson scored 20 points for the Hatters (22-13), the Atlantic Sun champions who were making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

    They never had a chance against UConn, which scored the first eight points and went on to its most lopsided NCAA victory since beating Chattanooga by 56 in the first round of the 2009 tournament.

    Less than a week after the Huskies won the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden, they were back in New York City, a few subway stops south in Brooklyn.

    Clingan slammed home an alley-oop from Tristen Newton to make it 8-0 with 17 minutes, 16 seconds left in the first half.

    Stetson got its first points with 15:33 to play in the first half when Treyton Thompson took a pass from Jalen Blackmon and dunked it.

    Stephon Castle made a 3 to push the lead to 20 with 9:06 left, and it was up to 31 when the 7-foot-2 Clingan got free underneath for another easy layup with 5:00 left.

    Newton’s straight-on 3 gave UConn 50 points with a little under two minutes left in the half.

    Newton, a first-team All-American, finished with 13 points and eight assists.

    At the half, UConn led 52-19. The Huskies had shot 68.8%, committed only three turnovers and outrebounded the Hatters 18-11 for good measure.

    Less than 20 seconds into the second half, Castle scored on a baseline drive and was fouled. He converted the three-point play to make it 55-19.

    The Hatters picked it up the rest of the second half and the Huskies cooled off, but still UConn — the most efficient offensive team in the country — reached 90 points for the ninth time this season.

    The Huskies have won seven consecutive NCAA Tournament games by double-digits after their dominant run to a title last year as a No. 4-seeded team.

    Milestones

    Stetson junior Jalen Blackmon, who scored 42 in the ASun title game against Austin Peay, became the program’s career leader with 744 points. He scored 14 against UConn. … The Huskies’ 32 victories are the second-most in program history behind the 2013-14 national championship team (33) and the most under sixth-year coach Dan Hurley.

    Up next

    UConn: The Huskies have never played Northwestern and last played a Big Ten team in the NCAA Tournament in 2021, losing to Maryland in the first round.

    Stetson: The loss ends the season for the Hatters.

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    Associated Press

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  • FAMU won’t renew contract of basketball coach McCullum

    FAMU won’t renew contract of basketball coach McCullum

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    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida A&M University is moving on from basketball coach Robert McCullum after seven seasons.

    Florida’s only public historically Black university announced Wednesday that it will not renew McCullum’s contract, which expires at the end of June.

    McCullum went 67-133 during his tenure with the Rattlers, including a 53-61 mark in conference play. The team finished 6-23 this past season. McCullum was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2021.

    “I want to thank Coach McCullum for his dedication to FAMU and our basketball student-athletes,” Athletic Director Tiffani-Dawn Sykes said in a statement. “He has led this program with integrity and has positively influenced countless young men, both players and coaches. We wish Coach McCullum and his family the very best in the future.”

    The school will form a committee to conduct a national search for FAMU’s next head coach.

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    Associated Press

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  • USF fends off 2nd-half UCF rally to advance to the 2nd round of the NIT

    USF fends off 2nd-half UCF rally to advance to the 2nd round of the NIT

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — The latest victory in the War on I-4 went to USF on Tuesday night.

    Selton Miguel scored 19 points off the bench to help the Bulls defeat the UCF Knights 83-77 in the first round of the NIT.

    What You Need To Know

    • USF hit a record 13 3-pointers to defeat UCF 83-77 in the first round of the NIT

    • The Bulls will face the winner of Villanova and VCU in the second round

    • The victory set a USF season record for wins with 25

    • Selton Miguel led the Bulls with 19 points, and Jaylin Sellers scored 24 for the Knights

    USF advanced to the second round and will next face the winner of Wednesday night’s Villanova vs. VCU matchup. The time, date and location of the next game will be announced after that game. The loss ended UCF’s season.

    “Really cool game to see two teams that compete at a high level with two passionate fan bases behind them,” USF coach Amir Abdur-Rahim said. “I’m just thankful that we came out victorious. Really proud of our group because coming on the road in a Big 12 environment and getting a win like this just continues to establish the things we want to do and who we want to be as a program.”

    The victory marked USF’s first in the NIT since a 75-59 victory against Coppin State in 1995 and its fifth all-time in the event. It also set a team record for wins in a season with 25.

    The Bulls unleashed a barrage of 3-pointers early and took a 49-35 lead heading into halftime. They finished with a program-record 13 3-pointers.

    “Seeing a team make nine 3s in the first half, they did a good job of moving the ball and sharing it, and playing off each other,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. “They made us pay when they got their looks.”

    The game got chippy in the second half, and the Knights fought back to close the Bulls’ lead to 57-55 with 12 minutes, 45 seconds remaining. But USF answered every UCF run. The Knights saw Ibrahima Diallo and guard Darius Johnson pick up their fourth fouls, and they could not get any closer.

    Miguel shot 5 of 11 from the field, including 4 for 8 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 6 from the line for the Bulls (25-7).

    Kasean Pryor scored 17 points while going 5 of 12 from the floor, including 3 for 6 from 3-point range, and 4 for 4 from the line and added eight rebounds. Jose Placer shot 5 for 6, including 3 for 4 from beyond the arc to finish with 14 points.

    Jaylin Sellers finished with 24 points, six rebounds and two steals for the Knights (17-16). Marchelus Avery added 19 points, nine rebounds and four steals for UCF. Johnson finished the game with 14 points and four assists after sitting out a chunk of the second half with the four fouls.

    Placer scored 12 points in the first half for USF, who led 49-35 at the break. Pryor led Bulls with 10 points in the second half.

    Abdur-Rahim said after the game that he thought it would be good for both teams and basketball in the state of Florida if the teams could continue to play and keep the in-state rivalry alive. But for now, he said he was happy for the team and its fans that the Bulls have bragging rights until they meet again.

    He added that the Bulls need to put their excitement over winning Tuesday night’s game behind them, however, and to refocus on preparation for their next NIT game.

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    Associated Press

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  • UCF, USF take War on I-4 into NIT on Tuesday night

    UCF, USF take War on I-4 into NIT on Tuesday night

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — While the First Four games tip off the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday night, UCF and USF are beginning their postseason with a War on I-4 matchup in the opening round of the NIT at 9 p.m. in Orlando.

    What You Need To Know

    • USF and UCF will meet in the first round of the NIT at 9 p.m. Tuesday

    • The Knights just completed their first Big 12 season

    • The Bulls won the AAC regular season

    • USF has won the past two meetings, but UCF has won eight of the past nine in Orlando

    The regular season was big for both teams this season — for completely different reasons. 

    The Bulls saw a major turnaround. After going 14-18 overall and 7-11 in the 2022-23 season, USF finished 24-7 and won the American Athletic Conference regular season 16-1 before falling to UAB 93-83 in the league tournament’s championship game. The Bulls even were ranked in the Top 25 for a time, and they had hoped to get an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament.

    “Basketball in March is not an easy thing to do, not an easy thing to accomplish, so the message to the group was we’re going to be grateful for the opportunity,” USF coach Amir Abdur-Rahim said. “Yeah, it’s not what we, in our opinion, what we earned or feel like we deserved, but instead of complaining about it, let’s be grateful for the opportunity to continue to go to battle with one another, to continue to grow, continue to get better.”

    The Knights played their first season in the Big 12, going 17-15 overall and 7-11 in one of the nation’s top college basketball conferences.

    UCF is no stranger to the NIT. The Knights are making their second appearance in a row in the NIT and their third overall under coach Johnny Dawkins, who won the event twice while coaching at Stanford.

    The teams have not played a non-conference game since 2013. The Knights have won eight of their past nine games against the Bulls in Orlando, although USF has won their past two meetings overall.

    But Dawkins is more focused on what the game means for the future of his program.

    “To be the first year in the Big 12 and to go to a postseason tournament, especially you couldn’t make the NCAA but you go to the NIT, it’s a really good first step for the group that we have in establishing the culture of playing beyond the regular season. It’s something that’s very important for us to establish here at UCF,” Dawkins said.

    Knights guard Darius Johnson sees the game as a chance to improve the way they end the season at home.

    “All eyes are on us now. We have another opportunity to play at home, in front of our fans,” Johnson said. “Last time, we went out we didn’t go out the way we wanted to, especially for our seniors, so I feel like we have another chance to prove our fans the right way. To continue on with the rivalry is huge. We have a lot of new guys on the team, so some of them don’t realize how big the rivalry is. So, I just try to relate to them about their high school rivalries, or their AAU rivalries that they had and translate it over to college.”

     

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    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • Florida, Stetson prepare to go dancing this week at NCAA Tournament

    Florida, Stetson prepare to go dancing this week at NCAA Tournament

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    The field is set for the men’s NCAA basketball tournament, which gets underway Tuesday.

    It begins with a play-in game Tuesday night between Wagner and Howard up until the national championship game in Glendale, Ariz., on April 8.

    The state of Florida will be well-represented.

    What You Need To Know

    • Two teams will represent Florida college basketball at the NCAA Tournament starting this week

    • Seventh-seeded Florida will play Friday against the winner of the Boise State-Colorado play-in game

    • The Gators will have to play without center Micah Handlogten, who broke his left leg in the SEC championship game 

    • Stetson, which advanced to its first NCAA Tournament, will take on No. 1 overall-seeded UConn Friday 

    The seventh-seeded Florida Gators will open NCAA Tournament play at about 4:30 p.m. Friday in the first round of the South Regional in Indianapolis against the winner of the play-in game between Boise State and Colorado.

    The Gators made a run all the way to the Southeastern Conference championship game before falling to Auburn 86-67 on Sunday.

    Florida will have to move forward without starting center Micah Handlogten, who went down early in the first half with what later was described by Florida officials as a left leg injury. He was trying to come down with a third rebound when he landed awkwardly on his left foot. He immediately went down in pain and rolled onto his side, putting his hands to his face. The sound of bone apparently breaking could be heard on TV, with blood immediately visible on the back of his calf.

    Play was stopped for several minutes before Handlogten was lifted onto a stretcher after medical staff stabilized his lower leg, and he was carried off the court. He then was transported to the Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville for further evaluation and treatment.

    Danielle and Benjamin Handlogten look on as medical personnel tend to their son, Florida center Micah Handlogten, after he broke his left leg during the Southeastern Conference championship game Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Handlogten was taken off the court on a stretcher. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

    Gators coach Todd Golden later confirmed that Handlogten broke his lower left leg.

    “You just hate to see it for him because he does everything the right way and works hard,” said Golden as he fought to control his emotions postgame. “That’s a super fluky injury, you know, that you don’t see very often in this game. Playing a big-time game like this, to go out that way, I just feel for him.”

    Handlogten came into this game ranked fourth nationally in offensive rebounding percentage. Forward Tyrese Samuel said Handlogten is so valuable to the Gators, and they tried to focus with a SEC title on the line.

    “Losing him really kind of affected us,” Samuel said. ”We’re going to go out there next week and keep on playing for him.”

    Walter Clayton Jr., out of Lake Wales and Bartow high schools, led the Gators with 23 points, Zyon Pullen added 15 points and Samuel had 12.

    Meanwhile, the 16th-seeded Stetson Hatters, who qualified for their first berth in the NCAA Tournament after winning the Atlantic Sun Tournament, are headed to Brooklyn at 2:45 p.m. Friday, when they will play defending champion and top overall seed UConn in the first round of the East Region.

    What a scene it was in DeLand on Sunday as cheerleaders, school officials, fans, the players and the coaching staff celebrated together at a watch party when the Hatters found out that they were playing Connecticut.

    “The excitement is incredible,” Stetson coach Donnie Jones said. “They said it couldn’t happen in DeLand. Why not Stetson?” Jones told the crowd who gathered Sunday to learn who the Hatters would face in the first round.

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    Associated Press

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  • Gators’ Golden agrees to 2-year extension that includes raise, AP source says

    Gators’ Golden agrees to 2-year extension that includes raise, AP source says

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    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida basketball coach Todd Golden has agreed to a two-year contract extension that includes a raise, a person familiar with negotiations said Thursday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Gators basketball coach Todd Golden has reached a two-year contract extension 

    • The new deal keeps him under contract with Florida through 2030

    • Golden is 37-27 in two seasons with the Gators

    • He has remade Florida into a high-scoring team since he signed in 2022

    The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the financial details still need to be approved by the university’s compensation committee. The additional two years would keep Golden under contract through 2030.

    Golden signed a six-year, $18 million contract in 2022, and made $3 million this season. He is 94-63 overall in five seasons, including three at San Francisco.

    The Gators (21-10, 11-7 Southeastern Conference) are the No. 6-seeded team at the league tournament in Nashville, Tenn., and play Georgia on Thursday night. Golden is 37-27 in two seasons in Gainesville and has Florida on the cusp of its first NCAA Tournament appearance in three years.

    Golden overhauled Florida’s roster before Year 2 through the transfer portal, adding first-team All-SEC point guard Zyon Pullin (UC Riverside) along with leading scorer Walter Clayton Jr. (Iona) out of Lake Wales and Bartow and big men Tyrese Samuel (Seton Hall) and Micah Handlogten (Marshall).

    Golden also found success on the recruiting trail with promising forwards Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh. Condon was named to the SEC’s all-freshman team.

    Under Golden’s direction, Florida has its highest-scoring team in program history. Pullin is on pace to post the SEC’s best assist-to-turnover ratio (4.38 to 1) in any season, and Clayton (17 points per game) is locked into one of the top-25 scoring seasons in program history, while hitting at least three 3-pointers in 12 of 18 conference games.

    The Gators open SEC Tournament play at 9:30 tonight against Georgia. 

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    Associated Press

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  • North Carolina dominates Florida State 92-67 in ACC Tournament quarterfinals

    North Carolina dominates Florida State 92-67 in ACC Tournament quarterfinals

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    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Armando Bacot scored 14 points and grabbed 10 of his team’s 48 rebounds to Florida State’s 22, and fourth-ranked North Carolina rolled into the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament semifinals with a 92-67 victory Thursday.

    What You Need To Know

    • North Carolina overpowered Florida State 92-67 in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals

    • RJ Davis scored 18 points and Armando Bacot had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Tar  Heels

    • The Seminoles’ Jamir Watkins, who scored 34 points Wednesday, was held to 12 points Thursday

    • Primo Spears led Florida State scorers with 17 points

    • North Carolina will play either Wake Forest or Pitt on Friday night

    Bacot got the double-double with a rebound on his final play before being pulled midway through the second half, and unanimous ACC player of the year RJ Davis scored a game-high 18 points.

    “Their effort, energy, attention to detail defensively was good,” North Carolina coach Hubert Davis said. “And for us to dominate the boards on both ends, I thought that was a huge key for us in allowing them to be successful out there.”

    Winning their sixth in a row, the Tar Heels flexed their muscles on the boards, at one point grabbing four offensive rebounds on the same possession late in the first half — a sequence Bacot described as “a ton of fun.” By halftime, the Seminoles had just six.

    “Rebounding is not about size and athleticism, it’s about heart and will and positioning,” said Harrison Ingram, who also had 10 rebounds. “We’ve been working on it every single day.”

    A combination of rebounding domination and some timely shooting — as Florida State went ice cold from the floor — helped UNC (26-6, 18-3 ACC) pull away. Four Tar Heels scored in double figures.

    Shooting for a No. 1-seeding in the NCAA Tournament, the ACC’s regular-season champions face Wake Forest or Pitt on Friday night with a spot in the final on the line.

    No. 11 Duke could be there for a rematch from last week and a third meeting between the Tobacco Road rivals in the past two months. UNC has not reached an ACC Tournament final since 2018 and hasn’t won it since 2016, when the event was also in Washington.

    “It’s something none of us have experienced other than the coaches,’ said Bacot, who’s in his fifth season in Chapel Hill. ”We feel like it’s right there for the taking, so that’s why we’ve been playing so hard.”

    FSU didn’t pose much of a challenge to UNC. The Tar Heels also got 14 points from Cormac Ryan, who went 3 of 4 from 3-point range fresh off his leading performance against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

    Primo Spears led ninth-seeded Florida State (17-16, 10-11) with 17 points. Spears did so in his old home arena after playing last season at Georgetown.

    Three Seminoles finished in double-figure scoring. Jamir Watkins, who scored 34 points Wednesday against Virginia Tech, had 12 points, five assists and four rebounds Thursday, and Jalen Warley added 10 points.

    “We got beat by a team that played better than us,” longtime coach Leonard Hamilton said. “They were much more aggressive, much more physical.”

    Big picture

    Florida State: Missing the NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive season could bring some questions about how the program is trending under Hamilton. The struggles came after the Seminoles reached the Sweet 16 twice and made one trip to the Elite Eight sandwiched around a successful 2019-20 season that would have brought a high seeding before the tournament was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    North Carolina: The selection committee is watching, and there’s no rust on a team that looks every bit like a national championship contender. The Tar Heels were sharp in their first game since Saturday, and even if they may need another top team to falter in its conference tournament, is on track to get a No. 1-seeding if they keep playing like this the rest of the week.

    Up next

    UNC: Is again expected to be a heavy favorite against Pitt or Wake Forest, with much more Carolina blue expected in the stands as the weekend goes on.

    FSU: An NIT bid is a possibility for the Seminoles.

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  • FSU’s 2nd-half surge fuels 86-76 victory over Virginia Tech at ACC Tournament

    FSU’s 2nd-half surge fuels 86-76 victory over Virginia Tech at ACC Tournament

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    WASHINGTON — Jamir Watkins scored 12 of his career-high 34 points in the final three minutes, Jalen Warley added 18 points and ninth-seeded Florida State pulled away in the second half to beat No. 8-seeded Virginia Tech 86-76 on Wednesday in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.

    What You Need To Know

    • FSU defeated Virginia Tech 86-76 Wednesday in the second round of the ACC Tournament

    • Jamir Watkins led the Seminoles with 34 points, a team record in the tournament

    • Next up for ninth-seeded FSU is top-seeded North Carolina at noon Thursday

    • Sean Pedulla scored 24 points for Virginia Tech

    Watkins was 9 of 15 from the field and 14 of 17 at the free-throw line to set a program record for points in an ACC Tournament game. He also had 11 rebounds and four steals. Warley made 8 of his 10 shots as Florida State shot 54% from the field.

    Virginia Tech was 4-of-17 shooting in the opening 17 minutes of the second half. The Hokies also finished with 13 turnovers, leading to 25 points for the Seminoles.

    Florida State (17-15) advances to play top-seeded and fourth-ranked North Carolina in the quarterfinals at noon Thursday. The Seminoles dropped both regular-season meetings with the Tar Heels, 78-70 on the road and 75-68 at home. Florida State hasn’t beaten North Carolina since the 2020-21 season.

    Tyler Nickel sank a long 3-pointer with 7 minutes, 28 seconds left to tie the score at 57, but Virginia Tech did not make another field goal until Sean Pedulla’s basket with 2:42 remaining to pull within 71-62.

    Florida State took advantage of back-to-back Virginia Tech turnovers with layups by Warley and Primo Spears to take a 63-58 lead with 5:01 left. Another steal under the basket led to Warley’s fast-break layup to make it 68-58 at 3:06.

    Each team turned it over on an inbounds play, and Watkins was fouled before making two free throws at 2:49. Watkins added two more free throws at 2:30 and had an alley-oop dunk at 2:11 for a 74-65 lead.

    Spears finished with 10 points for the Seminoles.

    Pedulla scored 24 points, Nickel added 18 and MJ Collins had 15 for Virginia Tech (18-14).

    Both teams shot 55% or better from the field in the first half. Virginia Tech shot 64% (16 of 25), despite going 4 of 11 from 3-point range, in the first half before finishing at 49%.

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  • BYU gets best of UCF again, knocks Knights out of Big 12 Tournament

    BYU gets best of UCF again, knocks Knights out of Big 12 Tournament

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    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — BYU coach Mark Pope was almost embarrassed to bring up what he viewed as a cosmic chain of events that began when his team was picked to finish 13th in the Big 12 and culminated with a victory over UCF in the Big 12 Conference Tournament on Wednesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Fifth-seeded BYU defeated 12th-seeded UCF 87-73 in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament

    • Darius Johnson hit six 3-pointers and scored 32 points to lead the Knights

    • UCF briefly cut BYU’s lead to 18 points midway through the second half

    • Fousseyni Traore had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Cougars

    After all, when Taylor Swift is mentioned in Kansas City, eyerolls often follow.

    “That’s Taylor Swift’s favorite number,” Pope said of the pop star, who is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce — as if anyone needed clarification. “This morning, I found out that our first game against UCF was on Jan. 13. Our second game was on Feb. 13. So we knew with our third game on March 13, the deck was stacked against these guys. It wasn’t even fair.

    “We’re in Kansas City,” Pope added. “I mean, what?”

    The win wasn’t a given. But the No. 20 Cougars, who are seeded fifth in the tournament, made it seem that way. They scored the first 14 points, used a 12-0 run in the second half when things got close and cruised from there to the 87-73 victory.

    “The focus if we were going to win this thing was on the defensive end,” the Cougars’ Richie Saunders said. “It was no different this game: getting stops in transition, protecting the ball and being strong with the ball.”

    Fousseyni Traore had 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead the way, while Saunders and Dalin Hall scored 13 apiece and Trevin Knell had 12, sending BYU (23-9) into a quarterfinal game Thursday against fourth-seeded and No. 25 Texas Tech.

    “BYU played a really good game,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. “They started off hot. Really shot the 3-ball well to start off, something they’ve done well all season. … For us, we have to get better at what we do, with execution defensively.”

    Darius Johnson did everything he could to keep No. 12-seeded UCF alive, hitting six 3s and scoring 32 points. But he didn’t have much help in the second half, when the Knights (17-15) briefly trimmed an early 18-point lead to just three midway through.

    BYU answered with a 12-0 run that gave it the breathing room it needed to coast into the next round.

    “Every second half, the focus is, ‘We’re going to win this thing on the defensive end.’ It was no different in this game,” Saunders said. “Getting stops in transition, protecting the ball, being strong with the ball.”

    The Knights made their Big 12 tourney debut Tuesday, when they ran roughshod through Oklahoma State. And they still might have been catching their breath when their second-round game tipped off because the Cougars ran right over them.

    The Cougars opened their first tournament in their new league by racing out to a 21-3 lead.

    The run by one of the nation’s prolific perimeter teams was fueled by 3-pointers, not surprisingly, along with some suffocating defense, which held UCF without a basket until Jaylin Sellers converted a three-point play about five minutes into the game.

    The Knights eventually found their footing, and despite a technical foul on their bench that gave BYU a couple of free points, they slowly trimmed their deficit to 47-38 by halftime. And when C.J. Walker got hot to start the second half, and Johnson hit 3s on consecutive possessions, the Knights had closed to within 59-56 with 13-1/2 minutes to go.

    That’s where the comeback fizzled.

    The Cougars started getting to the foul line, Saunders hit a 3 from the wing and Pope’s team unleashed that 12-0 run over the next four minutes. That pushed the lead back to 71-56 and effectively put the game away.

    “We were able to do what we do offensively,” Saunders said, “and either push in transition or get into our half-court sets, which — because people like Fousseyni were protecting the ball — we were able to get the open shots we thrive on.”

    Up next

    UCF: Probably will play somewhere in the postseason, thanks to the strength of schedule afforded by the brutal Big 12. But it won’t be the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in eight seasons with Dawkins on the sideline.

    BYU: The Cougars will play fourth-seeded Texas Tech at 12:30 p.m. Thursday. They lost to the Red Raiders on the road in their only regular-season meeting in January.

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  • Ellenton synchronized skating team grows in participation and success

    Ellenton synchronized skating team grows in participation and success

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    ELLENTON, Fla. — It’s another practice for Ellenton Epic Edge. Precision, speed and grace are perfected — every move in unison. 

    Head Coach Jade Fulton says it takes countless hours.

    “The more bodies you’re moving, the more difficult it is,” Fulton explained. “The unison, the timing, the speed. They have definitely thrived off gaining speed this season specifically. They’ve never moved so quickly and I think they’re so proud.”

    What You Need To Know

    • Synchronized skating is considered the fastest-growing discipline in U.S. Figure Skating

    • This sport isn’t going to be in the 2026 Olympic games, but it is under consideration for 2030

    • The Ellenton Epic Edge is a growing ‘synchro’ program in Tampa Bay and their preliminary team is making big strides this season

    Their pride reached a new level this season, skating in seven different competitions and recently earning national recognition. The team placed fourth in U.S. Figure Skating’s Eastern Sectionals. 

    “For this level, that is their final, that’s their nationals, that’s their qualifying event, that’s their Olympics and so they came fourth in the East Coast,” Fulton said. “And for U.S. figure skating and for synchronized skating, the East Coast is the mecca.”

    But before the medals, this team had to build a foundation. Figure skater Lucy Fulton says it’s a process, but a meaningful one.

    “It’s hard work to trust one another, but it’s such a fun time meeting new people,” she said.

    These moves may look effortless but can have serious consequences if not executed well, with trust being a major factor.

    Coach Fulton is a former professional figure skater and founded Ellenton’s synchronized skating program four years ago. 

    “I grew up skating in a program in Canada that was thriving so when I first came to Florida and I had this intention of starting a program,” Fulton said.

    The program has grown from nine skaters in its first year to four teams with 50 skaters. 

    It gives a unique opportunity in a sport that is widely known for its individual competition. 

    “The speed, the grace, the beauty of what synchronized skating has brought to maybe the kid that wasn’t going to thrive with a triple axel and it’s kept them in the sport,” Fulton said.

    They found their edge and they’re already setting goals for next season. Their friendship makes the success even sweeter.

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    Olivia Stacey

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  • UCF knocks out Oklahoma State in its 1st Big 12 Tournament game

    UCF knocks out Oklahoma State in its 1st Big 12 Tournament game

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    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ibrahima Diallo had 17 points and 11 rebounds, C.J. Walker added 12 points, and 12th-seeded UCF used an 18-1 run to start the second half and roll to a 77-62 victory over No. 13-seeded Oklahoma State to open the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • UCF advances to the second round of its Big 12 Tournament

    • Ibrahima Diallo led the Knights with 17 points and 11 rebounds in a 77-62 victory against Oklahoma State

    • C.J. Walker added 12 points, and Darius Johnson had 11 for UCF

    • The Knights will take on BYU in the second round at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday

    Darius Johnson also had 11 points for the Knights (17-14), who led 35-31 at halftime before cruising into Wednesday’s second-round game against 20th-ranked BYU, another Big 12 newcomer and the fourth-seeded team in the tournament.

    Javon Small hit five 3-pointers and scored 21 points for the Cowboys (12-20), who finished the season on a six-game losing streak. Eric Dailey Jr. added 12 points and Brandon Garrison had 10.

    UCF and Oklahoma State both got off to dreadful shooting starts, combining to go 5 for 25 from the field, and things never got a whole lot better, even as the Knights built a 35-31 halftime lead in their first game in their first Big 12 Tournament.

    The game plan for UCF was clear: use its size advantage to its benefit.

    The 7-foot Diallo had 11 points and seven rebounds by halftime, and the 6-8 Walker and 6-10 Omar Payne were active around the rim whenever the fifth-year senior from Senegal was able to catch a breather on the bench.

    UCF stuck with that plan in the second half, when Diallo and Walker joined Jaylin Sellers in scoring the first 13 points to stretch the lead to 48-31 with 15 minutes, 15 seconds to go. And when the Cowboys finally got a free throw from Dailey, the Knights scored five more to extend their run to 18-1 before Dailey finally got Oklahoma State’s first field goal of the half with 11:50 remaining.

    By that point, the Knights had pushed their lead past 20 and were coasting into the Big 12 tourney’s second round.

    Up next

    Oklahoma State: Must decide whether to keep coach Mike Boynton, who has three 20-win seasons but only one NCAA Tournament berth in seven seasons leading the Cowboys. They’ve also had just one winning record in conference play.

    UCF: Plays BYU in the second round at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.

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  • Florida’s college basketball teams to tip off conference tournament play

    Florida’s college basketball teams to tip off conference tournament play

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    FLORIDA — UCF begins play in its first Big 12 Tournament at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, needing to win the conference tourney championship to secure a spot in the men’s NCAA Tournament. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Most of Florida’s college basketball teams launch conference tournament action this week

    • Stetson already captured an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Atlantic Sun tourney

    • UCF will play Oklahoma State at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Big 12 tourney

    • Florida State faces Virginia Tech at noon Wednesday in the ACC Tournament

    • Florida has to wait to find out its opponent in the SEC tourney at 9:30 p.m. Thursday 

    • AAC regular-season winner USF doesn’t play until 1 p.m. Friday

    The 12th-seeded Knights (16-14 overall, 7-11 Big 12) will face 13th-seeded Oklahoma State (12-19, 4-14) in the first round at Kansas City, Mo. 

    Darius Johnson will lead UCF, averaging 14.8 points, 3.7 assists and 2.3 steals, and Jaylin Sellers is averaging 16 points over the past 10 games.

    The Knights rank third in the Big 12 at limiting opponent scoring, giving up 67 points, while holding opponents to 40.9% shooting.

    UCF’s average 6.6 made 3-pointers per game this season is only 0.1 more made shots on average than the 6.5 per game Oklahoma State allows. Oklahoma State averages 8.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.2 more made shots on average than the 6.9 per game UCF allows.

    Oklahoma State averages 12.4 turnovers per game and is 6-5 when committing fewer turnovers than opponents.

    The Knights defeated the Cowboys 77-71 on Feb. 28 in Stillwater.

    One Central Florida team already has punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Stetson defeated Austin Peay 94-91 on Sunday to win the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament and its auto-bid to the NCAA Tournament. It marks the first time the Hatters are headed to college basketball’s championship tournament.

    Jalen Blackmon scored a career-high 43 points, making 14 of 17 free throws for the Hatters (22-12). 

    Blackmon’s and-1 after a tough driving layup gave Stetson an 87-84 lead with 1:11 remaining. After a dunk by Austin Peay’s Sai Witt, Stetson went back ahead by three when Aubin Gateretse made two free throws.

    Dezi Jones missed a 3-pointer for the Governors and Austin Peay had to foul with 34 seconds left. Blackmon made both free throws and Witt answered with a three-point play to make it 91-89. Blackmon made 3 of 4 from the line in the final 13 seconds to send Stetson to the NCAA Tournament for the first time.

    Gateretse made 11 of 15 free throws and finished with 13 points along with seven rebounds. Stephan Swenson had 13 points and Alec Oglesby added 10 for the second-seeded Hatters.

    Witt had 28 points and 10 rebounds and Jones had 17 and 11 for the fourth-seeded Govs (19-15). DeMarcus Sharp scored 16 off the bench, Isaac Haney had 13 and Ja’Monta Black 11.

    At the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in Charlotte, N.C., 14th-seeded Miami (15-16 overall, 6-14) takes on No. 11-seeded Boston College (17-14, 8-12) at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

    Ninth-seeded Florida State (16-14, 10-10) doesn’t make its debut in this year’s ACC tourney until noon Wednesday, when it will face No. 8-seeded Virginia Tech (18-13, 10-10). 

    The Wednesday winners will advance to play the tournament’s top four seeded teams on Thursday in the quarterfinals.

    In the Southeastern Conference Tournament, sixth-seeded Florida (21-10, 11-7 SEC) doesn’t begin competition in Nashville, Tenn., until the second round at 9:30 p.m. Thursday. The Gators will face the winner between 11th-seeded Georgia (16-15, 6-12) and 14th-seeded Missouri (8-23, 0-18), which will be played Wednesday.

    At the American Athletic Conference Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, USF (23-6, 16-2 AAC) is seeded No. 1 and can spend its time preparing because it doesn’t have to play until 1 p.m. Friday. The Bulls will face the winner of eighth-seeded East Carolina (11-9, 7-11) and No. 9-seeded Tulsa (14-4, 7-11). 

    The winners of the conference tournaments receive automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, which begins March 19.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • Pacers beat Orlando, close within a game of Magic in Eastern Conference

    Pacers beat Orlando, close within a game of Magic in Eastern Conference

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — Once the Indiana Pacers started running, they were hard to stop.

    Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam each scored 20 points, and the Pacers beat Orlando 111-97 on Sunday night to close within a game of the Magic in the Eastern Conference standings.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Pacers came back on the Magic in the second half and won 111-97

    • Tyrese Halliburton and Pascal Siakam both scored 20 points for Indiana

    • Paolo Banchero had 19 points for Orlando, and Cole Anthony added 16

    • The loss was the second in a row for the Magic against teams with which they’re battling for a playoff spot

    Paolo Banchero had 19 points for Orlando, Cole Anthony added 16 and Wendell Carter had 13 points and 15 rebounds.

    Indiana fell behind by 15 points early, but the game changed abruptly when T.J. McConnell and Obi Toppin came off the bench. They scored 17 points each for the Pacers. McConnell also contributed six assists.

    “T.J. McConnell gave us a great lift when he came into the game because we were struggling to score,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “He got to the rim a few times and really boosted our energy from there.”

    The highest-scoring team in the NBA, Indiana, had only 18 points in the first quarter. Haliburton’s basket with 6 minutes, 49 seconds left in the second quarter marked his first points of the game and the Pacers’ only 3-pointer of the first half. After making only seven of their first 23 shots, the Pacers finished the game at 49.4%.

    “We understand that we’re one of the best teams in transition, and the only way we can get transition buckets is getting stops,” Toppin said. “I felt we locked into getting those stops, which allowed us to get a lot more transition points.”

    The Pacers moved ahead for keeps on a 3-pointer by Aaron Nesmith early in the second half. They led by 15 by the end of the third quarter, and Toppin’s layup early in the fourth gave Indiana its biggest lead of the game, 99-83.

    “We just didn’t do a great job of having that sense of urgency, to sprint back,” Anthony said. “I know Toppin had five or six layups where he just outran everyone down the court. That can’t happen. That’s their style. They’re comfortable in it. We let them play their game.”

    The Magic have dropped two in a row for the first time since Jan. 22-26. They shot 37.5% after scoring 128 and 117 points in victories at Indiana in November and December.

    “We’re a very good running team, and that’s well-documented,” Carlisle said. “What we needed tonight was a much higher level of determination than we had in the first two games against these guys.”

    The Pacers played for the first time since learning that Bennedict Mathurin will miss the rest of the season after having shoulder surgery.

    The Magic played without Jalen Suggs (thigh contusion) and Markelle Fultz (left knee strain). Caleb Houstan started in place of Suggs and did not score in 22 minutes.

    The Magic had won 13 of 17 and were beginning a stretch of games in which they will have played 10 of 11 at home. They scored a then-NBA season-low 74 points in a loss at New York on Friday night.

    “That’s part of this league. Once you get comfortable, you can get knocked right off your feet, and I think that’s what’s happened to us these last two games,” Anthony said.

    Up next

    Pacers: At Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.

    Magic: Host Brooklyn on Wednesday night.

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  • Florida knocks off No. 16 Alabama 105-87

    Florida knocks off No. 16 Alabama 105-87

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    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Two weeks after getting bullied by Alabama, Florida refused to let it happen again. Not at home. And not on senior night.

    Will Richard scored 23 points, Walter Clayton Jr. added 22, and the Gators handled No. 16 Alabama 105-87 on Tuesday night to stay in contention for a top four seeding in the upcoming Southeastern Conference Tournament.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Gators win their home finale against the No. 16 Crimson Tide 105-87

    • The victory keeps Florida in contention for a top 4 seeding in the SEC Tournament

    • Will Richard scored 23 points and Walter Clayton Jr. had 22 for the Gators

    • Florida took 21 more free throws than Alabama

    Florida (21-9, 11-6 SEC) made 40 free throws — the program’s most since December 1998 — and won for the 10th time in 13 games. The Gators finished 14-1 at home this season, and equally important to coach Todd Golden, they moved a step closer to potentially landing a double bye in the league tournament.

    “We were very physical,” Golden said. “We did what we needed to do to beat the best offensive team in America.”

    Tyrese Samuel and Zyon Pullin chipped in 19 points and six rebounds apiece after being honored before their home finale. The graduate transfers helped Florida avenge an overtime loss at Alabama last month and hand the Crimson Tide (20-10, 12-5) a third loss in four games.

    “I thought Tyrese was a monster,” Golden said. “And ZP was just a calming influence out there. Both those guys were just a huge, huge reason as to why we won.”

    Samuel made all nine of his shots from the charity stripe, and Pullin went 8-for-8.

    Florida took 21 more free throws than Alabama and made twice as many.

    “It’s not a recipe for winning games when you get doubled up at the free-throw line,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said.

    The biggest surprise was how easily the Gators controlled the rematch. They opened up a double-digit lead late in the first half, extended it to 20 midway through the second and never let up.

    It was a huge sigh of relief for a team that hadn’t shown a knack for delivering knockout punches. Florida had lost five games after leading at the break, and several of those included double-digit advantages.

    “It’s definitely not a good feeling letting a team come back on you,” Clayton said. “We just got to be mentally tough, go up 10 and get your foot on the gas and not let up.”

    Added Richard: “I don’t think we let ourselves off the hook (this time). I feel like we can get lazy once when we get up on a team. For us, it’s just staying disciplined.”

    Mark Sears led Alabama with 33 points, including 29 in the second half. Aaron Estrada added 17 points, and Grant Nelson chipped in 12 before fouling out late.

    Alabama’s Rylan Griffen was helped off the floor and to the locker room with 4 minutes, 15 seconds remaining after colliding with Florida’s Richard. Oats, who drew a technical foul while arguing it should have been a foul, said Griffen has a calf injury that will require more tests Wednesday.

    “They were very physical with us,” Oats said. “We had some offensive frustrations and some defensive letdowns.”

    Poll implications

    Florida should have a chance to move back into the next AP college basketball poll.

    Wrightsell returns

    Alabama guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. returned after missing the past four games following a concussion. Wrightsell finished with two points in eight minutes.

    Senior night

    Pullin and Samuel were among five players recognized in pregame ceremonies that included family, friends and framed jerseys. The other three were walk-ons Jack May, Alex Klatsky and Bennett Andersen. May’s father is current Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May.

    Big picture

    Alabama: The Crimson Tide lost consecutive games for the first time since dropping three in a row in early December. This was the first unranked team Alabama has lost to since Clemson upset the Tide in late November.

    Florida: The Gators have been close to unbeatable at home, with the lone loss coming against Kentucky to begin 2024. They closed the season with eight consecutive wins in the O’Connell Center but will need to bottle that energy and take it on the road for the postseason.

    Up next

    Alabama wraps up the regular season at home against Arkansas on Saturday.

    Florida ends the regular season at Vanderbilt on Saturday.

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  • UCF makes 2nd-half run to top Oklahoma State for its 2nd Big 12 road win

    UCF makes 2nd-half run to top Oklahoma State for its 2nd Big 12 road win

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    STILLWATER, Okla. — Darius Johnson scored 17 points, Jaylin Sellers scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half, and UCF defeated Oklahoma State 77-71 on Wednesday night for its second Big 12 road victory in eight attempts this season.

    What You Need To Know

    • UCF came from behind in the second half to beat Oklahoma State 77-71

    • The victory marked the Knights’ second on the road in the Big 12

    • It also was the first time UCF has won back-to-back conference games this season

    • Darius Johnson and Jaylin Sellers led the Knights in scoring

    UCF (15-12, 6-9), coming off a 75-61 win over No. 23 Texas Tech on Saturday, won back-to-back conference games for the first time this season.

    Johnson sank a jumper early in the second half to give UCF its first lead of the game at 43-42. Ibrahima Diallo added a dunk on the Knights’ next possession for a 7-0 start to the second half.

    Diallo made a putback with 2 minutes, 41 seconds left to extend the lead to 70-63 following a 6-0 run.

    Oklahoma State guard Quion Williams had a layup attempt roll off, and C.J. Walker grabbed the defensive rebound before making 1 of 2 free throws with 35.8 seconds left for a 71-67 lead. Marchelus Avery came up with an offensive rebound on the missed free throw, and Johnson sealed it with two free throws with 26.2 left.

    Shemarri Allen also scored 12 points, including eight of his team’s 27 made free throws, and Walker added 10 points for UCF. Walker, who entered with two made 3-pointers on the season, made back-to-back shots from distance to pull UCF within 38-33 late in the first half.

    John-Michael Wright scored 22 points and made five 3-pointers for Oklahoma State (12-16, 4-11). Eric Dailey Jr. added 15 points and Javon Small scored 13.

    Wright made four 3-pointers in the opening six minutes of the game to give Oklahoma State a 16-11 lead. Wright finished the half with 15 points, and Dailey added 13 as the Cowboys held a 42-38 lead at the break. Oklahoma State was 4 of 13 from 3-point range in the first half, with nine attempts coming from Wright.

    Up next

    UCF: Returns home to face No. 8 Iowa State on Saturday

    Oklahoma State: Plays at Texas on Saturday

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