No. 7 Florida Gators basketball (6-0) blew out the Marquette Golden Eagles (5-2) in the 2012 SEC/BIG EAST Challenge at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, FL on Thursday. Florida head coach Billy Donovan met with the media and shared some of his thoughts after the game.

HISTORY / STREAKS / STATS

» Florida is now 2-2 all-time against Marquette and 17-10 against Big East teams under Donovan (1-2 in the regular season games played as part of a challenge or invitational).
» The Gators’ defense continues to dominate. UF has only given up 26 or more points in a single have twice in 12 halves played this season.
» Six Florida players scored in double figures, the most this season.
» The Gators are 31-1 since the beginning of the 2011-12 season when holding opponents under 71 points in a game.
» Marquette reserves were averaging 35 points and 22 rebounds per game; those players registered just 19 points and five boards on Thursday.
» Florida has 16 assists on 28 made baskets and turned the ball over just eight times. UF forced 14 turnovers in the game.
» The Gators won the rebounding margin 37-23 and shot well in all three phases of the game including 50.9 percent from the floor, 37.5 percent from downtown and 85.0 percent from the free throw line.
» 20 NBA scouts were in attendance, according to UF.

PLAYER NOTES

» Freshman guard Michael Frazier II came off the bench to score a team- and career-high 17 points. He made five treys in eight attempts and was 6-of-9 from the floor.
» Junior center Patric Young came off the bench in both halves but still led the way with a game-high 10 rebounds. He matched a career-best with six offensive boards and finished with a double-double as he posted 10 points.
» Redshirt senior G Mike Rosario, junior forward Will Yeguete and junior F Casey Prather scored 11 points each. Yeguete added seven rebounds and a block while Rosario and Prather combined for six boards and three dimes. Senior F Erik Murphy also chipped in 10 points.
» Senior G Kenny Boynton notched a game-high five assists while only turning the ball over once but struggled to find the bottom of the net. He went 2-for-11 from the field and 0-for-5 from downtown to finish with just six points. Boynton also passed Eddie Shannon for sixth all-time on the school’s career minutes list.
» G Vander Blue was the only Marquette player that truly came to play. He scored a game-high 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting and was the only one on his team to score more than six points.

Read the rest of what Donovan had to say…after the break!
Continue Reading » 11/29: Florida vs. Marquette post-game report; Patric Young responds to coming off bench

Tags: Big East, Big East/SEC Challenge, Casey Prather, Erik Murphy, Kenny Boynton, Marquette Golden Eagles, Michael Frazier, Mike Rosario, Patric Young, SEC, Stephen C. O'Connell Center, Will Yeguete

Hosting the Marquette Golden Eagles (5-2) on Thursday evening as part of the 2012 SEC/BIG EAST Challenge, the No. 7 Florida Gators (6-0) put together another complete performance, running the visitors out of the building with a big 82-49 victory at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, FL.

Florida improved to 31-1 since the beginning of the 2011-12 season when holding an opponent under 71 points in a game. The Gators had six players score in double figures and used their stellar defense to hold an advantage all game long, never giving up a lead that appeared to increase with each passing minute.

Both teams were cold out of the gate with each going 3-for-11 from the field to start the game. Redshirt senior guard Mike Rosario scored six of Florida’s first 10 points, but it was back-to-back threes from freshman G Michael Frazier II that fueled a 13-4 run and propelled the Gators ahead of the Golden Eagles 23-13 midway through the half.

Frazier got hot again just before halftime, once again nailing consecutive treys as part of an 8-0 run that put UF on top of MU by 16 with a minute to play until the break. Florida senior forward Erik Murphy followed suit by scoring five-straight as part of a 9-0 run that opened the second half and gave the Gators a 23-point lead.

CLICK TO EXPAND and read the rest of this game story.

Tags: Big East, Big East/SEC Challenge, Billy Donovan, Casey Prather, Erik Murphy, Kenny Boynton, Marquette Golden Eagles, Michael Frazier, Mike Rosario, Patric Young, SEC, Stephen C. O'Connell Center, Will Yeguete

Event: SEC/BIG EAST Challenge
Location: Stephen C. O’Connell Center – Gainesville, FL [Capacity: 12,000]
Time: 9:00 p.m. EDT

TV: ESPN2/ESPN2HD (Dave Pasch, Fran Fraschilla)
SiriusXM: 113/191 | Radio: Gator Radio Network [Affiliates]
Online Video: WatchESPN.com | Mobile Video: WatchESPN app
Live Updates: @OnlyGators on Twitter and SportsYapper app

Odds: Florida -11 | O/U 137.5

HISTORY / STREAKS / STATS

» Florida is 1-2 all-time against Marquette, earning its first victory just last season in the Sweet 16 round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament. UF is 16-10 all-time against the Big East under Donovan but 0-2 in scheduled non-conference regular season games against the league with a pair of losses to Syracuse (2009, 2011).
» Four Gators starters are averaging double figures.
» Florida has held three of its five opponents to 45 points or fewer. The Gators have only given up 26 points or more in a single half twice so far this campaign.
» UF dominated in its season opener, holding Alabama State to just nine first-half points and setting a school record in the shot clock era for fewest allowed in a half.
» Florida is 30-1 since the beginning of the 2011-12 season when holding opponents under 71 points in a game.
» The Gators were just 3-5 against top-25 opponents last season with all five losses coming to top-three teams. UF is currently scheduled to take on seven top-25 opponents as part of the 2012-13 campaign and is already 1-0 in such games.
» Florida is second nationally in scoring defense (48.4 points) and ninth in both scoring margin (+23.8 points per game) and field goal percentage defense (.337).
» The Gators are 174th nationally in assists, dishing just 13 per game.
» The Golden Eagles are ranked in the top-25 nationally in both assists (17.7) and overall field goal percentage (.491).
» Marquette has received huge contributions from its bench this season. Reserves are averaging 35 points and 22 rebounds per game while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from downtown.
» The Golden Eagles have 10 players averaging double-digit minutes.
» Marquette is 75-7 since 2008-09 when out-shooting its opponent from the field.

Read the rest of the Florida-Marquette preview…more information after the break!

Continue Reading » Gameday: (7) Florida Gators vs. Marquette

Tags: Big East, Big East/SEC Challenge, Billy Donovan, Buzz Williams, Davante Gardner, Kenny Boynton, Marquette Golden Eagles, SEC, Will Yeguete

With the No. 7 Florida Gators set to play a tough opponent in the Marquette Golden Eagles on Thursday as part of the SEC/BIG EAST Challenge, head coach Billy Donovan met with the media Tuesday to discuss his team’s 5-0 start and how it has been playing so far this season.

NO CHANGES TO STARTING FIVE

Junior point guard Scottie Wilbekin may have had a career game coming off the bench against UCF, but his performance in that game or anything he has done in practice has not led Donovan to decide that inserting him back in the starting lineup is the best thing for the team at this time.

Though Donovan said Wilbekin is no longer being punished for the offense that got him suspended – and said offense will not restrict his playing time or anything else going forward – he has simply not seen a good reason to make a lineup change at this time.

“I’m not worried about that right now. There’s nothing that he needs to do. I look at things a little bit differently,” he explained. “I think there needs to be, right now, just a level of appreciation for someone like Will Yeguete, who has basically got put into a very difficult situation with Scottie’s suspension.”

Wilbekin being suspended, Donovan decided to move senior guard Kenny Boynton over to point guard and redshirt senior G Mike Rosario (who spent the summer learning to play the small forward spot) back to his more natural position of two-guard, opening up a spot in the lineup that Florida was not ready to fill.

Read the rest of this post…after the break!
Continue Reading » 11/27: Wilbekin still a reserve, Prather protected

Tags: Big East/SEC Challenge, Billy Donovan, Casey Prather, Kenny Boynton, Marquette Golden Eagles, Mike Rosario, Patric Young, Scottie Wilbekin, Will Yeguete

Florida Gators basketball on Tuesday announced the times for all of the team’s non-conference games this season, officially completing the 2012-13 schedule. Florida will face a total of nine opponents who took part in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. The Gators will also participate in three events within the state – Navy/Marine Corps Classic, SEC/BIG EAST Challenge and Orange Bowl Basketball Classic.

UF will take on their permanent rival of Kentucky twice as part of the Southeastern Conference‘s new 18-game schedule; Florida begins its annual rotation facing Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi State and Missouri twice each.

The Gators start their SEC slate with four of their first six games on the road but will then have four of their next five at home concluding with Kentucky on Feb. 12.

Florida will play one game on CBS, 17 on ESPN networks, two on the NBC Sports Network, four on the SEC Network, seven on Sun Sports/FOX Sports Network and one on Comcast Sports South.

During non-conference and SEC competition combined, the Gators will play 20-of-31 games on national television including the conference’s season finale.

Below is the official 2012-13 schedule:

CLICK TO EXPAND and see the entire schedule.

Tags: basketball, Big East/SEC Challenge, Navy/Marine Corps Classic, Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, SEC

Florida Gators basketball announced the team’s 2012-13 schedule on Thursday. The Gators will face nine opponents who took part in the 2012 NCAA Tournament while also participating in three events within the state of Florida – Navy/Marine Corps Classic, SEC/BIG EAST Challenge and Orange Bowl Basketball Classic.

Florida will also take on their permanent rival of Kentucky twice as part of the Southeastern Conference‘s new 18-game schedule and will begin their annual rotation facing Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi State and Missouri twice each.

The Gators will begin their SEC slate with four of their first six games on the road but will then have four of their next five at home concluding with Kentucky on Feb. 12.

Florida will play one SEC game on CBS, 11 on ESPN networks, four on the SEC Network and one each on CSS and FSN. Most of the non-conference game times and network affiliations have not yet been released.

Below is the official 2012-13 schedule with SEC games added:

Click to expand and see the entire schedule.

Tags: Big East/SEC Challenge, Navy/Marines Corps Classic, NCAA, NCAA Tournament, SEC

Florida Gators basketball announced the team’s 2012-13 non-conference schedule on Tuesday. Florida will face five opponents who took part in the 2012 NCAA Tournament while also participating in three events within the state of Florida – Navy/Marine Corps Classic, SEC/BIG EAST Challenge and Orange Bowl Basketball Classic.

“This is as challenging a non-conference schedule as we’ve had during my tenure at Florida,” head coach Billy Donovan said in an official school release. “We’ve made deep runs in the NCAA Tournament each of the last two years and a schedule like this helps expose us to a number of different styles of play that we could see later in the season, and also does a great job preparing us for SEC play.”

Below is the official 2012-13 non-conference schedule:

SCHEDULE NOTES

» The Gators will play four games in the state of Florida but outside of Gainesville for the second-straight year (Jacksonville, Tampa, Tallahassee, Sunrise).
» Twelve teams each from the SEC and Big East will each compete in the SEC/BIG EAST Challenge from Nov. 29-Dec. 1. Florida last faced and defeated Marquette 68-56 in the Sweet 16 round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
» Senior forward Erik Murphy will be able to play in front of friends and family during UF’s road game against Yale. He is from South Kingstown, RI.
» Florida will announce its 18-game conference schedule at a later date.

Tags: Big East/SEC Challenge, Billy Donovan, Global Sports Shootout, Navy/Marines Corps Classic, NCAA, NCAA Tournament, Orange Bowl Basketball Classic

ESPN officially announced the field for the 2012 SEC/BIG EAST Challenge on Friday, and the Florida Gators are set to play the Marquette Golden Eagles at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, FL on Nov. 29 as part of the three-day event.

Undergoing a format change in 2011, the SEC/BIG EAST Challenge now features 12 games in on-campus arenas rather than four total games at two neutral sites, which is how the former SEC/Big East Invitational was formatted from 2007-10.

The 2012 event will last from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 with six games played at the home arenas of teams from each conference. Neither the SEC nor the Big East, which have expanded to 14 and 17 teams respectively, will have all of their schools competing.

Florida is a combined 0-2 since the SEC and Big East began squaring off in 2007, falling 85-73 to Syracuse in Tampa, FL on Dec. 10, 2009 and losing again to the Orange 72-68 in Syracuse, NY on Dec. 2, 2011.

UF is 1-2 all-time against Marquette after defeating MU for the first time in school history 68-56 in the Sweet 16 of the 2012 NCAA Tournament in Phoenix, AZ on March 23.

The Gators are already scheduled to participate in two additional in-season competitions: the renamed Global Sports Main Event and the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic. UF will host Alabama State (Nov. 11), Savannah State (Nov. 20) and Central Florida (Nov. 23) as part of the former event (one additional game will be scheduled) but does not yet have an opponent for the OBBC on Dec. 29 in Sunrise, FL.

Florida is also set to host Wisconsin on Nov. 14, Southeast Louisiana on Dec. 19 and Richmond at a to-be-determined date. The Gators will take on Florida State, Arizona and Yale on the road and will also face Kansas State in Kansas City, MO.

2012 SEC/BIG EAST Challenge
Nov. 29
Kentucky at Notre Dame
Florida vs. Marquette
South Carolina at St. John’s
LSU vs. Seton Hall

Nov. 30
Arkansas vs. Syracuse
Tennessee at Georgetown
Auburn vs. DePaul
Georgia at South Florida

Dec. 1
Alabama at Cincinnati
Vanderbilt vs. Villanova
Mississippi State at Providence
Mississippi vs. Rutgers

All games will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU as well as ESPN3.com.

Tags: Big East/SEC Challenge, Marquette Golden Eagles