Location: Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN [Capacity: 18,160]
Time: 1:00 p.m. EST

TV: ESPNU/ESPNUHD (Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes, Shannon Spake)
SiriusXM: 126/199 | Radio: Gator Radio Network [Affiliates]
Online Video: ESPN3 / WatchESPN.com | Mobile Video: WatchESPN app
Live Updates: @OnlyGators on Twitter and SportsYapper app

Odds: Florida -16 | O/U 128.5

HISTORY / STREAKS / STATS

» Florida is looking to win its fourth SEC Tournament, first since completing a three-peat in the event from 2005-07. The Gators are 36-44 all-time in the SEC Tournament (21-13 under Donovan) in 47 total appearances.
» UF enters the SEC Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed for the fourth time in school history. The team has never failed to reach the finals when listed as the top seed.
» The Gators are 5-4 all-time in SEC Tournament games held played in Nashville, TN.
» LSU holds a 60-41 advantage over Florida in the all-time series, but the Gators have won four consecutive games over the Tigers and hold a 12-8 record under Donovan.
» Florida is 49-6 since the beginning of the 2011-12 season when holding opponents under 71 points in a game (23-5 in 2012-13).
» Four Gators starters average in double figures while the Tigers boast five players that score in double digits on average.
» UF is 4-1 against top-25 opponents this season after going 3-5 against ranked adversaries last season with all five losses coming to top-three teams.
» Florida is 0-5 this season in single-digit decisions.
» The Gators are first nationally in scoring margin (+18.8), third in scoring defense (53.2), fourth in field goal defense (.373), ninth in field goal percentage (.485), 12th in three-point defense (.291), 18th in assist-turnover ratio (1.36) and 24th in turnover margin (3.1). Florida is also seventh nationally in fouling, committing 14.2 per game.
» The Tigers are 14th nationally in steals per game (9.2). Anthony Hickey is first nationally in steals per game (3.07).

Read the rest of the Florida-LSU gameday preview…after the break!
Continue Reading » SEC Tournament Gameday: (1) Florida vs. (9) LSU

Tags: Billy Donovan, Bridgestone Arena, Johnny Jones, Johnny O'Bryant, LSU Tigers, Patric Young, SEC, SEC Tournament

Before he started his senior year of high school or prepared to join the Florida Gators in Gainesville, FL, as the team’s highest rated commitment since guard Nick Calathes, five-star 2011 recruit Brad Beal (St. Louis, MO) decided to represent his country by accepting a nomination to USA Basketball’s U-17 Men’s National Team in order to compete in the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship for Men in Germany.

With his team taking home the Gold Medal on Sunday by easily defeating Poland 111-80, Beal completed a stellar stretch in which he was his country’s most consistent player. For that, he was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament with 18.3 points per game and 47.7 percent shooting from downtown (31-of-65). Here are his individual statistics from the event:

Friday, July 2 – 82-70 win vs. Argentina
Beal: 11 points, 4-11 FG, 2-5 3-PT, 4 REB, 3 AST, 4 BLK, 3 STL [35 minutes]
Saturday, July 3 – 102-66 win vs. Lithuania
Beal: 16 points (team-high), 6-10 FG, 2-6 3-PT, 3 AST, 3 STL [24 minutes]
Monday, July 5 – 113-73 win vs. China
Beal: 20 points, 5-12 FG, 5-11 3-PT, 4 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL [22 minutes]
Tuesday, July 6 – 132-64 win vs. Egypt
Beal: 18 points (team-high), 6-10 FG, 4-7 3-PT, 3 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK [17 minutes]
Wednesday, July 7 – 112-75 win vs. Serbia
Beal: 20 points (team-high), 8-14 FG, 2-7 3-PT, 3 REB, 2 STL [25 minutes]
Friday, July 9 – 105-70 win vs. Australia
Beal: 25 points (team-high), 8-13 FG, 7-9 3-PT, 3 REB [22 minutes]
Saturday, July 10 – 103-80 win vs. Canada
Beal: 17 points, 6-14 FG, 4-11 3-PT, 4 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK, 5 STL [32 minutes]
Sunday, July 11 – 111-80 win vs. Poland
Beal: 19 points, 7-13 FG, 5-9 3-PT, 5 REB [31 minutes]

Joining Beal on the FIBA All-Tournament Five was five-star power forward James McAdoo, a heralded recruit and North Carolina commit.

Florida head coach Billy Donovan was in attendance for the final few games of the international competition, hoping to seal the deal on Beal’s commitment while scouting five-star small forward Adonis Thomas (Memphis, TN) and four-star PF Johnny O’Bryant (Cleveland, MS).

Photo Credits: FIBA

Tags: Adonis Thomas, All-Tournament Five, Billy Donovan, Brad Beal, FIBA, FIBA World Championship, James McAdoo, Johnny O'Bryant, Nick Calathes, USA, USA Basketball