1 » After losing its opening match, the No. 4 Florida Gators gymnastics team (2-1, 2-0 SEC) won its second straight contest of the season Friday. Florida traveled to face the No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats (3-2, 1-2 SEC) in Lexington, KY, and took home a 196.05-195.35 victory at Memorial Coliseum. Freshman sensation Ashanée Dickerson won her third-straight all-around competition with a total of 39.25. Overall, the Gators finished the day with at least a share of four of five event titles. Florida continues its streak of facing ranked SEC opponents when it hosts the No. 16 LSU Tigers on Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. for the fourth annual Gators Link to Pink meet in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center to raise awareness about breast cancer.

Learn about three more big Gators victories, injury updates on a football and basketball player and David Lee’s season-high night after the jump…
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Gators take home four wins Friday

Tags: Alexandre Lacroix, Antoine Benneteau, Ashanée Dickerson, Auburn Tigers, Central Florida Knights, Claudio Romano, Conor Dwyer, David Lee, Dee Finley, diving, gymnastics, Kenny Kadji, Kentucky Wildcats, Linder Stadium, Marc Rocafort, Memorial Coliseum, NBA, New York Knicks, Omar Pinzon, O’Connell Center, Ring Tennis Complex, swimming, tennis

Sophomore point guard Erving Walker turned in a career-high 27 points to lead the Florida Gators (13-5, 2-2 SEC) over the Arkansas Razorbacks (8-10, 1-2 SEC) 71-66 on the road at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, AR. Walker began the game by hitting his first five shots (four from downtown) and finished 7-of-12 (5-of-6) on the night.

Junior forward Alex Tyus started 0-for-5 but finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds for the eighth double-double of his career. Tyus hit the boards hard in the second half, as did fellow junior F Chandler Parsons who left with 11 rebounds but only six points on 1-of-8 shooting after initially going 0-for-7. Razorbacks’ guard Courtney Fortson completed a double-double of his own with 14 points and 11 assists, while G Rotnei Clarke led Arkansas with 17 points shooting 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.

The Gators started the game 2-of-12 from the field and 0-for-3 from downtown until Walker made a three to tie it up at 11. He finished the half with 15 points while the rest of the team was only 4-of-25 from the field and 0-for-6 from three for 11 total points. Walker continued his dominance in the second half with an opening trey, a shot that gave him Florida’s last 10 points on both sides of the break.

A 10-2 run by the Razorbacks would tie the game, and a three-point play by Fortson gave Arkansas the lead back for the first time in the second half. Clarke would go on to score 11-straight points for the Razorbacks including a three that put Arkansas back up 56-55 with 6:40 remaining. However, the Gators countered with a 9-0 run, would eventually take a game-high nine-point lead and were able to hold on from there.

Freshman G Kenny Boynton contributed 13 points but was only 1-of-7 from beyond the arc. Senior F Dan Werner and freshman F Erik Murphy were a combined 0-for-7 from the field; Werner was ineffective throughout the contest while Murphy was tentative in the paint and missed a number of easy layups and put-backs.

Florida was able to out-rebound Arkansas 42-29. The Gators only shot 35.5 percent from the field compared to 44.2 percent by the home team, but made 21-of-26 free throws against Arkansas’ 12-of-17 from the charity stripe.

The Gators return home to face the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
——-
The Florida women’s basketball team (10-9, 3-3 SEC) lost 82-58 on the road in Tuscaloosa, AL, to the Alabama Crimson Tide (9-10, 1-5 SEC) at the Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide were previously winless in conference play before absolutely throttling the Gators Thursday night. Florida’s 24-point loss was their worst this season. Tierney Jenkins led Alabama with a double-double on 28 points and 12 rebounds while Celiscia Farmer and Ericka Russell added 19 and 18 points, respectively. Senior forward Sharielle Smith was the Gators’ most productive player with nine points and nine rebounds.

Photo Credit: Associated Press

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Alex Tyus, Arkansas Razorbacks, Bud Walton Arena, Celiscia Farmer, Chandler Parsons, Coleman Coliseum, Courtney Fortson, Dan Werner, Ericka Russell, Erik Murphy, Erving Walker, Kenny Boynton, Rotnei Clarke, Sharielle Smith, Tierney Jenkins, women's basketball

1 » In a news item that OGGOA broke early Thursday evening via Twitter, Florida Gators four-star defensive tackle commitment Leon Orr (New Port Richey, FL) may be forced to leave Gainesville, FL, and return to Gulf High School for the spring semester. Orr is waiting to hear back from the NCAA Eligibility Center which informed him that some of his high school credits may not have transferred correctly. Should he have to return home to take a class, Orr would come back to Gainesville after graduation for the beginning of the summer session. This, however, remains to be seen, and OGGOA will keep you updated on Orr’s eligibility.

2 » The Florida volleyball team completed a terrific 25-6 run in 2009 and expected to come into the 2010 season with little turnover aside from graduating seniors libero Elyse Cusack and middle blocker Kristina Johnson. Instead, head coach Mary Wise learned this week that starter sophomore outside hitter Colleen Ward and junior setter Brynja Rodgers have decided to transfer. “[Ward] misses home and didn’t feel like she totally fitted in here,” Wise told The Gainesville Sun Thursday. “It was a total shock. We didn’t see it coming and neither did her teammates. With Brynja, the scholarship helped because she would have had to pay her way through her junior year at New Mexico State. She played very well for us, but it wasn’t a surprise that she was leaving.”

Tags: Brynja Rodgers, Colleen Ward, Elyse Cusack, Gulf, Kristina Johnson, Leon Orr, Mary Wise, NCAA Elegibility Center, volleyball

1 » Playing college football at the University of Florida is not the only thing five-star safety Matt Elam (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) and former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow have in common anymore. Elam, like Tebow in 2005, has been named Mr. Football for the state of Florida. He will be presented the award at halftime of the Florida vs. South Carolina Gamecocks basketball game on Saturday at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, FL.

2 » Averaging career-highs in minutes (34.4), field goal percentage (.584), free throw percentage (.754), rebounds (9.7) and points (13.7), former Gators forward/center Al Horford is tearing it up in the NBA for the Atlanta Hawks. He has already compiled six 20-point games in 2009, and his coaches believe that much of his success can be attributed to the extra work he puts in at practice. “He’s one of those guys that’s going to continue to work and add something to his game every year,” head coach Mike Woodson said. “When you do that, that’s when you become an All-Star and a player in this league that everybody respects.”

3 » The Florida club ice hockey team took home the Thrasher Cup this past weekend after defeating both the Georgia and Florida State club teams. Standing at 8-4 on the season, UF’s squad won the Savannah Tire Hockey Classic in Savannah, GA, for the first time in team history. The club team competes in Division III in the American Collegiate Hockey Association.

4 » Though, as OGGOA previously reported, four-star safety commitment Demar Dorsey (Lauderdale Lakes, FL) has plans to visit both the Florida State Seminoles and USC Trojans over the next two weekends, he told Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel that he is just doing his due diligence. “I’ve been to Florida several times on unofficial visits,” Dorsey said, “but I figured I’d take a couple of visits just to make sure Florida is where I want to go to school. [The Gators are] still on top, they’re still my No. 1. They aren’t going anywhere. I’d say right now they’re about 90-95 percent.”

Tags: Al Horford, American Collegiate Hockey Association, Atlanta Hawks, Demar Dorsey, Florida State Seminoles, hockey, Matt Elam, Mike Woodson, Mr. Football, NBA, O'Connell Center, Savannah Tire Hockey Classic, Thrasher Cup, Tim Tebow, University of Florida, USC Trojans

A staff report from The Gainesville Sun states that University of Florida network coordinator Steve Babik, who has been with the school and athletic department for two decades, has been charged in federal court with receipt, distribution and possession of child pornography.

Babik, 50, was the host of the TailGator Pre-game Show and the Urban Meyer Post-Game Show. He also reported from the sidelines during Florida Gators football broadcasts and held play-by-play duties for a variety of Gators sports airing on Sun Sports, Fox Sports Florida and local radio.

The University Athletic Association released a statement about Babik on Tuesday: “We were made aware of the investigation in late November and immediately suspended Steve Babik from his work responsibilities. Now that he has been charged, his employment has been terminated. We are deeply disturbed by the charges.”

If convicted of all charges, Babik could receive a combined maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, lifelong probation and a $500,000 fine. He entered a plea of not guilty, was released on $100,000 bond and has a trial set to begin Mar. 1 in Gainesville, FL.

The Sun has more details on this breaking story, and OGGOA will update this post with any additional relevant information.

Tags: Steve Babik, University Athletic Association, University of Florida, Urban Meyer

1 » The Florida Gators’ pairing of senior Antoine Benneteau and junior Alexandre Lacroix took home the doubles title at the SEC Indoor Championships with an 8-5 win over the Georgia Bulldogs’ pair of Nate Schnugg and Jamie Hunt. The duo of Benneteau and Lacroix is now 13-1 overall with four double titles to their credit since September. The No. 10-ranked pair will lead the No. 11 Gators men’s tennis team as dual match season gets underway.

2 » In a prediction he admitted had no source or foundation, Sports Illustrated‘s Peter King has guessed that former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow will end up with the San Francisco 49ers as the No. 13 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. “The Niners gave a tepid endorsement to Alex Smith as their quarterback of 2010 after the season; and Mike Singletary didn’t draft him; and Singletary is going to fall in love with Tebow once he meets him after the season; and Tebow is the kind of winner that Singletary has preached he wants since he took the job from Mike Nolan in mid-2008,” King wrote. “After Singletary meets Tebow at the Scouting Combine, this is my prediction of his reaction: He’ll turn to GM Scot McCloughan and say, ‘That’s my guy. We’ve got to have him.’”

3 » Speaking of Tebow, OGGOA has been told by more than one source that the Super Bowl XLIV advertisement in which he is a spokesperson for Focus on the Family may eventually be pulled by CBS. This move would not be without precedent; networks airing major sporting events have yanked similar ads before, though it is safe to say that none featured a celebrity of Tebow’s stature.

4 » Though he came back from a trip to the Michigan Wolverines still committed to the Gators, four-star defensive back Demar Dorsey (Lauderdale Lakes, FL) has decided to add a surprising final visit to his docket. Previously scheduled to end his travels in Gainesville, FL, this weekend, Dorsey will now fly out to visit the USC Trojans on Jan. 29. Dorsey was always interested in USC and had previously planned to visit the Tennessee Volunteers when Lane Kiffin was head coach. “I consider myself committed to Florida, but things are still up in the air,” Dorsey told Gerard Martinez of USCFootball.com. “Signing day is Feb. 3, so…”

Tags: Alexandre Lacroix, Antoine Benneteau, Demar Dorsey, Focus on the Family, Georgia Bulldogs, Indoor Championships, Jamie Hunt, Lane Kiffin, Michigan Wolverines, Nate Schnugg, SEC, Super Bowl XLIV, Tennessee Volunteers, Tim Tebow, USC Trojans

1 » Football has the Swamp Things, basketball has the Rowdy Reptiles and baseball’s student section’s name is down to these five finalists: Bleacher Creatures, Left Field Lizards, McKethan Maniacs, Raucous Reptiles and The Screwballs. The baseball team is set to throw its first pitch of the 2010 season in one month on Feb. 19, and the University of Florida is prepared to have the student body vote on what to name McKethan Stadium’s student section. The winning entry will receive a baseball autographed by head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, Nike Gators gear and the opportunity to throw out a first pitch before a game. Voting begins on Jan. 19, and an announcement will be made on Jan. 25. Students can also register to be an official part of the 2010 student section and receive some special benefits. Check out GatorZone for more!

OGGOA has decided to officially endorse “Left Field Lizards” as the student section’s new name. “Bleacher Creatures” is a slang term that should have been noticed, “Raucous Reptiles” is too close to “Rowdy Reptiles,” “The Screwballs” is not specific enough to the Gators…and we just don’t like “McKethan Maniacs.” If you are a UF student and loyal OGGOA reader, fight the good fight for “Left Field Lizards!”

2 » Florida basketball fans may be growing impatient with senior forward Dan Werner, but head coach Billy Donovan and Werner’s teammates have nothing but respect for the four-year player. “Sometimes I don’t think people understand Dan and what he brings to the team,” Donovan told the Orlando Sentinel’s Jeremy Fowler. “He’s an incredible help defender, he’s very, very smart, you can put him in any position on the floor and he knows what’s going on. People tend to focus on his shooting, but there are so many things that he can do. He is a little limited athletically.”

Wondy Pierre-Louis UPDATE » Joseph Goodman of The Miami Herald is reporting that Pierre-Louis’ bond has been set at $85,000 by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. The former Gators cornerback has not yet turned himself over to authorities.

Tags: baseball, Billy Donovan, Dan Werner, Kevin O’Sullivan, McKethan Stadium, University of Florida, Wondy Pierre-Louis

1 » Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow, linebacker Ryan Stamper, defensive end Jermaine Cunningham and kick returner Brandon James have received invites to the 2010 NFL Combine. Juniors who have declared for the 2010 NFL Draft have yet to receive invitations, but fans can expect DE Carlos Dunlap, cornerback Joe Haden, tight end Aaron Hernandez and safety Major Wright to participate in the event from Feb. 24 to March 2 in Indianapolis, IN.

2 » Three-star athlete Marcus Smith (Columbus, GA) had an outstanding scholarship offer from Florida and was prepared to take it…that is until Louisville Cardinals head coach Charlie Strong came calling. “If Louisville would have never been in the mix, I would have probably went to Florida,” Smith told the Courier-Journal. “But I’m glad Louisville came into the mix. I like coach Strong a lot, and I really wanted to play for coach Strong. Louisville is a great program. He wants me to play quarterback, he established that during our talk this morning. To tell you the truth, I just want to play, so I am good wherever he wants me.” Upon taking his position with the Cardinals, Strong said he would not poach recruits the Gators were interested in unless they initiated contact.

3 » The Gators hosted their biggest remaining recruiting weekend the past few days and a number of both committed and undecided prospects came away impressed. Four-star running back Mack Brown (Lithonia, GA), who at one point was wavering after head coach Urban Meyer announced his leave of absence, solidified his recruitment after getting extensive time with new running backs coach Stan Drayton. Brown also told Adam Gorney of Rivals that Meyer may return as soon as March. “He looked pretty fine to me,” Brown said. “He looked healthy. I know he wants to coach, so I know he’s going to be there. He’s going to take a couple weeks off in February, but he’ll be back.” Fellow four-star recruits offensive tackle Chaz Green (Tampa, FL) and wide receiver Christian Green (Tampa, FL) raved to numerous sources about their respective experiences.

4 » Coming off of a heartbreaking loss to the No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers with just two seconds remaining in the game, the Florida women’s basketball team gained a bit of revenge by taking down the Mississippi State Bulldogs 55-52 on the road on Sunday afternoon at Humphrey Coliseum. Sophomore guard Trumae Lucas scored seven points off of the bench in the waning minutes while senior forward Sharielle Smith led the Gators with 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting while also grabbing seven boards.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Brandon James, Carlos Dunlap, Charlie Strong, Chaz Green, Christian Green, combine, Draft, Humphrey Coliseum, Jermaine Cunningham, Joe Haden, Louisville Cardinals, Mack Brown, Major Wright, Marcus Smith, Mississippi State Bulldogs, NFL, Ryan Stamper, Sharielle Smith, Stan Drayton, Tim Tebow, Trumae Lucas, Urban Meyer, women's basketball