LOOKING BACK ON FOUR YEARS OF GROWTH

Refraining from referring to ego or a sense of entitlement, Donovan discussed the trials and tribulations his graduating class went through over the course of their Florida careers – especially early on.

“I don’t think you can really be successful unless your heart really gets broken in something that’s competitive,” he said. “I did not feel, when those guys were freshmen and sophomores, that their hearts were broken. Their hearts got broken after their sophomore year. When they came in here after those two National Championships, there was no doubt in their mind they were cruising right to the same thing in 2008 and 2009. It was just very, very immature. It was not their fault. There was no one there to show them.

“They walked into the most difficult situation you could possibly walk into as a young group, and it was not their fault. If anybody, it was my fault. When I say it was my fault, I did not have enough depth or enough people around those guys that when [the Oh Fours] left, that there was enough there for those guys. They came in as freshmen not knowing anything and really got put into a very difficult situation. I give them credit because they were resilient. They did battle and they did fight and they did try to figure things out. They could have felt sorry for themselves. They could have left and gone somewhere else, but they kept battling. Where they are today from where they were as freshmen is two totally different ends of the spectrum.”

Parsons remembers Donovan locking the team out of the beautiful practice facility and taking away their official team clothes after a tough first season that resulted in a NIT berth. “That was unbelievable. That was a rough time for everybody,” he said. “Having to practice at Florida Gym with no shirt, our own shorts, having to do our laundry, come back three times a day, practicing at P.K. Yonge. That was definitely different. Those experiences have helped our upperclassmen get to where they are today.”

EMOTIONAL YET REWARDING

Like most coaches, Donovan will probably show plenty of emotion and stick his chest out with pride as his four oldest players celebrate their final game in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. “It’s always a hard thing. It’s emotional for anybody. When guys step into the arena and know it’s their last game, that’s significant,” he said. “They’re never going to play there again. When they’re young, they act like it’s never going to end. Now they realize, ‘Wow, this is coming to an end.’”

That being said, he also realizes what it took for them to get to where they are now both as players and individuals. “It’s been very rewarding, fulfilling just to see them to get to this point. Sometimes, two-to-three years ago, you don’t know if you’re ever going to get to that point in time,” Donovan noted. “They have worked hard. They have figured some things out. They still know there is a lot left of this season to be played.

“Those three guys deserve a lot of credit in terms of trying to get better, trying to improve and dealing with the adversity and growing pains of trying to be successful.”

Macklin in particular realizes he has made huge strides since first joining the team as a transfer from Georgetown. “I came a long way. I was mentally and physically weak when I got here,” he said. “It was tough for me to realize that coaches and these players actually care about me. Me sitting out, these guys treated me like I was actually playing that year. That made me feel like those guys really wanted me to be here. That helped me out a lot, and I think I’ve grown a lot from there.”

Read more from the mouths of Parsons, Allen and Macklin…after the break!

STANDOUT PERFORMER

Parsons, who could very well be the 2011 SEC Player of the Year considering the impact he has had on the Gators, sees Tuesday’s game as a chance to do something special in the O’Dome. “It’s very emotional. I’ve spent a lot of time in there, had a lot of games and a lot of memories in there. It’s crazy. Flew by really fast,” he said. “I’m excited to get out there and I’m excited to play there. What’s at stake in the game, I couldn’t ask for a better ending than to get the win tomorrow night on Senior Night, my last game ever at the O’Dome, and get a share of the SEC Championship.

“It means everything. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs – a lot of good games at the O’Dome, a lot of bad games at the O’Dome. It would be really special to me if I can end it with a bang and end it with us cutting down the nets.”

On track to graduate, Parsons has seemingly been the glue that kept the team together over the last two years, a fact that Donovan has not missed whatsoever.

“I would say this about Chandler, and I think this is the greatest compliment you can ever give any player… Chandler Parsons has never, ever had a bad day of practice or game, in my opinion. He maybe hasn’t always shot the ball well or played well or done everything I’ve asked him to do, but he has always given me 1,000 percent of himself all the time,” he said.

“I never worried about him, from his freshman year even until now. I don’t worry about him coming to practice and working hard. I don’t worry about him giving a great effort. His approach to the game has changed over the last three years from where it was his freshman year. He has given me incredible effort all the time and really plays his heart out. He plays as hard as he can.”

UNFORTUNATE PATIENT

A lot of athletes suffer knee injuries but for all of those who recover in full there are a handful of others who never play their respective sport again. Unfortunately for Allen, he fit into the latter category. Even though he has not played since 2007-08 and has decided to move in a different direction with his career, he is pumped for Tuesday’s festivities. “It means a lot to me. Even though I have not been able to compete for the past three seasons, I still feel like I’m a huge part of this team,” he said. “Thanks to all the coaches and players that have kept me around and made me feel like a part of the team. It’s going to be a good experience.”

HUGE TRANSFER

It took a huge leap for Macklin to leave Georgetown for Florida. Three years later, it is a choice that Macklin is pleased that he made and excited to see to fruition.

“I think it was a great decision,” he said. “It was a tough one, but I’m here now and it don’t matter how this whole year plays out, I just think it was a great decision to be able to play with Coach Donovan and some of the players I’ve been able to play with.

“[The players] talked to me a lot. They realized how mentally frustrated I was the year I had to sit out. Those guys stuck by my side and talked to me and let me know everything would be alright.”

Asked to convey his best memory of his time in the orange and blue, Macklin went back to the beginning. “The chance they took on me leaving Georgetown,” he said with a smile. “Some guys said some things about me when I left Georgetown that I was going to be an uncoachable kid or whatever. I’m glad Coach Donovan took a chance on me, and I’m thankful for that.”

QUOTES

Donovan on favorite memory including Parsons: “Probably after his freshman year, when he told me that he was going to be a defensive stopper and the best defender in the league.”

Parsons on not playing well the last time his whole family was at a game: “[Sarcastically] Appreciate that. [Genuinely] My family comes to every game.”

Parsons on being injured for the first time: “The injury was definitely a setback. I’ve never had to go through anything like that. I’ve never missed a game – high school, AAU or college – until the LSU game. That was definitely a frustrating time not being able to practice with my team and play with my team on the road.”

Parsons on Selection Sunday his freshman season: “We’re all sitting there not knowing. Even up to the point last year, we were all in the film room as a team and had no idea whether we were in or not. We were sitting there, fingers crossed, just praying we would make the tournament. It’s a little different, a little easier this year knowing we’re in. At the same time, we want to keep winning for a higher seed.”

Allen on not being able to play his final three seasons: “What else can you do? Take it in stride. I wasn’t able to get back and get healthy, but I can’t do anything about it. I got my feet wet, I got a free education out of it, and I got a chance to be a part of the Florida Gators basketball team. That says a lot.”

Allen on staying on the team knowing he was hurt: “I didn’t know after my third surgery, going into it, if I would be able to play or not. I was actually going to walk on, because I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play or not, instead of taking a medical scholarship. Kenny Kadji transferred, so I was able to take his scholarship. I just didn’t know if I was going to be able to play.”

Allen on his reward for sticking around this season: “This season has been the best season since I’ve been here. We’re winning and doing good. We got a chance to win the SEC Tournament, get a high seed and hopefully make a run in the NCAAs. That’s rewarding enough for me.”

Macklin on his worst memory: “The conditioning…6 a.m. is pretty tough. That’s a tough memory, but it helped me out in the long run.”

Macklin on when everything coming to an end hit him: “It happens so fast. Like I tell the freshmen, this stuff goes by fast. This is my fifth year in college and it goes by like a blur. Last year seems like it was just year. I’m just glad I’m here, and I’m ready to play tomorrow.”

Macklin on how he’ll be remembered: “Probably the jump hook, I guess. That’s what a lot of people on campus talk about. Some people I know don’t really know basketball, they hit me up and say, ‘I bet I can block your jump hook.’ It’s kind of funny. That’s probably what they’ll remember me as.”

Kadji, who was given a medical redshirt from the NCAA after only logging 45 total minutes of game time in 2009-10 before ending his season due to a nagging back injury, will be forced to sit out a year due to NCAA transfer rules.

He had back surgery in February to repair a bulging disk, a procedure similar to what former Florida forward Adrian Moss had done in 2005. Reports were that Kadji had healed nicely from the surgery; he was expected to back-up redshirt junior center Vernon Macklin next season, a job that will probably now be filled by four-star incoming freshman forward Patric Young (Jacksonville, FL).

“I want to thank my coaches and teammates for my two years at the University of Florida,” Kadji said on July 23. “While I’m sad that my time here at Florida is ending, UF will always be special to me. I have goals that I hope to reach and only a short window of my life to make those things happen.”

“After re-evaluating his situation, Kenny and I had the opportunity to sit down and talk about his future,” head coach Billy Donovan said in a statement. “Kenny has made a decision that it’s in his best interest to start new somewhere else. He’s still recovering from back surgery and working hard to get himself healthy. I wish him the best in his future.”

Kadji, who was given a medical redshirt from the NCAA after only logging 45 total minutes of game time in 2009-10 before ending his season due to a nagging back injury, will have redshirt sophomore status next season if he chooses to remain in college but will also have to sit out a year due to NCAA transfer rules.

He had back surgery in February to repair a bulging disk, a procedure similar to what former Florida forward Adrian Moss had done in 2005. Reports were that Kadji had healed nicely from the surgery; he was expected to back-up redshirt junior center Vernon Macklin next season, a job that will probably now be filled by four-star incoming freshman forward Patric Young (Jacksonville, FL).

In March, the Orlando Sentinel caught up with Kadji’s AAU coach Matt Ramker, who said that he was “happy at UF” and was “looking forward to next season.”

Now, he has changed his tune.

“I want to thank my coaches and teammates for my two years at the University of Florida,” Kadji said. “While I’m sad that my time here at Florida is ending, UF will always be special to me. I have goals that I hope to reach and only a short window of my life to make those things happen.”

ESPN‘s Andy Katz and Pat Forde and CBS Sports‘ Gary Parrish have given the Gators this distinction. But the question is: Do they deserve the love?

See what the experts and OGGOA have to say…after the break!

Let’s first take a look at what they think in brief paragraph form:

KATZ – 10. Florida: I’m back on board with the Gators. This is hardly 2005-06 or 2006-07, but Florida does return all five starters from an NCAA tournament team. This will be a group that has experience, understands how to play for Billy Donovan and will find ways to win. Kenny Boynton, Erving Walker, Chandler Parsons, Alex Tyus and Vernon Macklin aren’t going as a group to the NBA. Who knows if any of them will even make the league? But this is a solid college squad that can win the SEC East. A quality recruiting class will add much-needed depth and having Rutgers transfer Mike Rosario working out with them every day will help push them.

FORDE – 9. Florida: The Gators were well behind Kentucky and Tennessee in the SEC East pecking order last season, but they return an entire starting five of double-figure scorers while the Wildcats and Volunteers have experienced significant personnel losses. It might be time for Billy Donovan to reassert himself after three lean seasons.

PARRISH – 10. Florida: All five starters are back thanks to Alex Tyus’ decision to withdraw from the NBA Draft. Freshmen Casey Prather and Patric Young will add depth and should help the Gators not only make the NCAA tournament again, but perhaps win an SEC title on their way.

Four reasons why they might be right:
» There is something to be said about continuity. Having five guys who played the vast majority of game minutes together (mostly due to a lack of bench players) and are all simultaneously honing their games over the summer should bring some added familiarity and confidence to the court – something the team has desperately needed since it had its top six players depart in 2007.

» Sophomore forward Erik Murphy showed flashes throughout the season and could become a major factor for the team in 2010-11. Though he will not be sharing minutes with Dan Werner (graduation) any more, Murphy will have freshman Patric Young (perhaps already the team’s most physical player) battling for time on the floor.

» Senior forward Alex Tyus will be motivated. Not only does he want to prove he is more talented than people give him credit for, Tyus desires to gain experience playing small forward. While the Gators are giving minutes to Murphy and Young in the post, Tyus may get an opportunity to shift to the 3 when fellow senior Chandler Parsons needs a rest.

» Redshirt sophomore center Kenny Kadji will be healthy. Now, when redshirt senior Vernon Macklin comes out of the game, the team will not have to “go small” and can continue running the offense with a true center in the middle. Kadji developed nicely as a freshman and should continue his growth getting plenty of minutes behind Macklin.

Four reasons why they might be wrong:
» Roster depth is important and with five (or six) new players coming in, it is assumed to be a strength next season. However, as it pertains to 2010-11, almost all of that depth is coming in the frontcourt – where the Gators were already strong. That being said…

» Junior point guard Erving Walker, as we have contended for quite some time, is neither talented enough nor physical enough to be a legitimate starting ball handler. He does not finish inside, lets defenders shoot right over him (due to his size) and seemingly has a shoot-first mindset when he should be concentrating on distribution. This is where roster depth comes into play. One could feel comfortable with Walker if there was a point guard capable of effectively spelling him on the court; unfortunately, the only option (if he is ends up being signed) would be 17-year-old Scottie Wilbekin. Then again, Wilbekin does bring size and a vast amount of potential to the position.

» Nobody will know what to expect from Kentucky until they take the court with their bevy of brand new five-star recruits, but Tennessee and Vanderbilt are two other SEC East teams playing at a consistently high level. Some are projecting Florida to win the division and perhaps even the conference, but in order to be a top preseason team, at least the first distinction should be a sure thing – and it’s not.

» They may have ended up as a No. 10-seed, but the Gators were on the NCAA Tournament bubble for most of the season even after posting 20 wins. Whether or not you agree that they barely got in (and many don’t because of their position in the bracket), a three overtime first-round loss to Brigham Young (who fell to Kansas State by 12 in the next round) was not awe-inspiring. That being said, a deep bench and more experience should easily take them over that hump – but this is not about making the tournament – it is about whether or not Florida is a top 10 team going into the season.

2 » Though he is now a free agent who can sign with any team in the NBA, former Gators forward/center David Lee loved his time with the New York Knicks and hopes to remain with the franchise next year. “This is where I want to be,” Lee told New York Post. “I enjoy it here. I love the city. I have a lot of friends in the franchise. I do have ties here. They say the two hardest things to deal with [in New York] are the media and the fans, but I’ve found that to be the exact opposite. Having a following here is gonna make the Knicks want to sign me more and makes me want to be in New York.” The Knicks hope to make a splash by signing two maximum contract free agents beginning on July 1, which may leave Lee by the wayside. However, New York fans and the team’s front office both love Lee, who averaged 20.2 points and 11.7 rebounds in 2009-10, and there is certainly a chance that he can get his wish to remain with the franchise.

1 » Over the weekend, Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel and OGGOA went back-and-forth about the potential transfers of Florida Gators basketball bench players guard Ray Shipman and center Kenny Kadji. Fowler caught up with their former AAU coach, Matt Ramker, who informed him that the duo is expected to remain with Florida. “They are happy at UF and are looking forward to next season,” Ramker said.

2 » Speaking with The Salt Lake Tribune, Shelley Meyer said her husband and Gators head coach Urban Meyer is “150 percent better.” Now that he is back at work, Meyer’s wife is keeping tabs on him in the same respect he stays on top of recruits. Sending him multiple texts ensuring that he is eating, exercising and resting, Shelley claims it is “part of my plan. I’m keeping an eye on him and I’m looking for signs. What happened to Urban was a huge wake-up call that he couldn’t go on like he was.”

3 » In a question-and-answer session with The Gainesville Sun, former Florida cornerback Joe Haden said he felt the pressure of running an improved 40-yard dash at Pro Day last week. Asked how important 40 times actually were, Haden agreed that they were overrated. “They don’t really measure how you run on the field during a game,” he said. “You may be running with someone who runs a 4.2, and you might not be able to run a 4.2, but if you can run with him and cover him, you’re OK. But it’s part of the process and I respect that.” Haden also admitted that he did not do much to help Meyer’s heart issues, playing an April Fool’s joke on him last season when he and former Gators safety Major Wright told their coach they planned to transfer.

4 » One of the biggest disappointments of the 2009 Florida football season was the lack of development of now-redshirt junior wide receiver Deonte Thompson. Though he failed to make much of an impact throughout the season, Thompson is confident he can turn it on in 2010 with new quarterback John Brantley. “I feel I had a good Sugar Bowl,” Thompson told the Sun. “I know now I’ve got to come out hard every day because I pretty much should be the No. 1 guy.”

Photo Credit: Willie J. Allen, Jr./St. Petersburg Times

That is the question on every Florida Gators basketball fan’s mind Thursday morning: What can head coach Billy Donovan do about senior forward Dan Werner? While the question is very straightforward, the answer is actually just as simple: Nothing.

Read the rest (trust me, there is plenty more) after the jump!

Donovan’s hands are tied. Before I explain why, let us just go over how awful Werner has played so far this season. In addition to shooting a career-low .336 from the field (was previously .433 as a starter), he is .279 from beyond the arc (down from .333) and has a 1.19 assist-to-turnover ratio, the lowest in his career. He is averaging two turnovers a game and has given up the rock three or more times in eight of 24 outings this season.

Werner is shooting 3-for-34 from downtown since Dec. 10, has five baskets in his last 223 game minutes played (20 points) and has put up the following shooting efforts: 0/3, 0/4, 0/4, 1/8, 0/4, 1/6, 1/6, 2/8, 2/7, 1/5 and another 1/5. The most heartbreaking stat for Gators fans? He is playing his worst when it matters the most: Werner is only shooting .161 (5-for-31) since Jan. 12.

Perhaps worst of all, he has lost any shred of confidence he once possessed. Athletes across the world have to deal with criticism; the good ones or those who are strong in mind are able to either ignore or overcome it to play at a respectable level. Werner has proved incapable of doing so. He now appears nervous every time he touches the ball and will even triple-clutch before shooting.

It has gotten to the point where he is a liability on offense, not only because of his inability to score, but due to the fact that opposing teams are no longer devoting defenders to cover him. Every time Werner was on the court Wednesday against the South Carolina Gamecocks, he was ignored by the defense, who used the extra defender to man-up whichever Florida player had the ball.

Though the Gators shot perfectly fine Wednesday, the extra on-ball pressure provided by the Gamecocks was part of the reason for Florida’s season-high 20 turnovers. Some miscues came as a result of sloppy play, but the Gators were forced into a solid amount of them due to increased and consistent pressure on the ball.

So how can someone playing so poorly remain on the court for an average of 24 minutes a game since Jan. 16? Simple: his coach has no choice in the matter. With sophomore center Kenny Kadji out for the season, junior F Chandler Parsons excelling in Werner’s old starting role and freshman F Erik Murphy already getting nine minutes a game, there are no more big bodies on the roster for Donovan to use as substitutes.

You may argue that Donovan could give Parsons and Murphy each five more minutes on the court, effectively limiting Werner to 14 a game. But Parsons is still recovering from a knee injury and both junior F Alex Tyus and redshirt junior C Vernon Macklin need to be spelled, too. Werner has to play and, defensively, Florida could do much worse than a guy who works his tail off, takes charges and is a big body in the middle.

So while Werner may be a nice guy with a good heart, has solid defensive skills and a desire to do anything humanly possible to help his team win (traits that are all respectable and should be appreciated by Gator Nation), the fact is that he is not capable of playing at this level of basketball anymore.

This is not meant to come off as disrespectful or insulting to Werner. Heaven knows I probably would not have held up this long in his shoes with the heavy criticism he has received throughout his career. However, the reasons to “get off his back” are diminishing with each passing game and ignoring the detriment he is to the team game-in and game-out would be an ignorant stance for me to take.

I’m just curious as to who it is exactly that votes for the “Mr. Basketball” award in New Jersey…or in Florida for that matter (Ray Shipman, 2008).

Location: Thompson-Boiling Arena – Knoxville, TN [Capacity: 21,000]
Time: 1:00 p.m. (EST)

TV: CBS/CBSHD
Online: CBSSports.com

Odds: Tennessee -8, O/U 141

KEEP AN EYE ON…
-The dynamic backcourt of…sophomore point guard Erving Walker and freshman guard Kenny Boynton who are averaging 37.2 points (almost half of the team’s 75.3 total points) and 8.7 assists per game in SEC play this season.
- Speaking of Walker and Boynton…they have hit 39 of the Gators’ 45 treys in SEC play, and Walker is shooting 62.2 percent (23-of-37) from downtown in conference action.
- Junior forward Alex Tyus…who is dominating the front court, averaging 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds over the last 11 contests. He has hit double figures in 11 straight games and scored 15+ in six of those ten.
- Double-digit scoring by Vernon Macklin…Florida is 10-1 when the redshirt junior transfer center does so.
- Buzzer-beaters from Chandler Parsons…the junior forward has hit two game-winning three-pointers in January. He is also averaging 10.6 points and 6.5 boards per contest.
- Senior center Wayne Chism…who leads the Volunteers in rebounding (6.9) and blocks (1.4). He also accounts for a solid 11.8 points per game.
- Sophomore guard Scotty Hopson…who is tops on Tennessee in scoring with 13.8 points per game.

STREAKS:
- Tennessee leads the all-time series 68-48, winning 10 of the last 13 meetings.
- Last season, the Volunteers swept the series; they have won the last five meetings against the Gators (since 2007).
- Florida has not won in Knoxville since 2005, and head coach Billy Donovan is 12-14 against Tennessee.
- The Gators are on a four-game winning streak, their longest in SEC play since 2007.
- Allowing 95 and 89 points to its first to SEC opponents, the Gators have held teams to 62.8 points per game during their four-game winning streak. Florida is 10-1 this season when holding opponents to 60 points or less and 120-2 all-time under Donovan.
- The Gators are out-rebounding their opponents by 5.2 boards during their four-game winning streak.
- Tennessee defeated then-No. 1 Kansas earlier in the season and also has a quality win over rival Memphis.
- As a team, the Volunteers are forcing 19.1 turnovers per game, averaging 78.7 points per game and hitting 47.1 percent from the floor.

Read OGGOA’s Gators vs. No. 14 Volunteers preview after the jump!

Previously on a seven-game winning streak that lasted through the new year, the No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers (15-4, 3-2 SEC) have dropped two straight contests. The Florida Gators (15-5, 4-2 SEC) head into Knoxville, TN, on a four-game win streak with two road victories and are also 7-2 in their last nine games.

While the two teams may look very similar on paper, each has been forced to deal with adversary this season in its own unique way. Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl faced the arrests of four players including senior forward Tyler Smith, junior point guard Melvin Goins, junior center Brian Williams and sophomore guard Cameron Tatum. Tatum was driving a car that was speeding, smelled of marijuana and contained a bag of pot, open container of alcohol and an unlicensed handgun. Pearl would indefinitely suspend all four players, though he has reinstated Tatum and Goins since.

Florida head coach Billy Donovan, on the other hand, has seen a rash of injuries hit his program. It was quickly determined that redshirt sophomore F Adam Allen would be out for the season, and sophomore center Kenny Kadji has been sidelined for the duration with a bad back. Junior F Chandler Parsons and sophomore G/F Ray Shipman have been banged up all season, though each has missed limited time.

The Gators are led by the triumvirate of sophomore PG Erving Walker, junior F Alex Tyus and freshman G Kenny Boynton, each of whom is bringing something different to the table for Florida. Walker has been a surgeon from beyond the arc while Tyus has controlled the paint and added a jump shot. Boynton is the playmaker of the bunch, recently learning to slash to the hoop and create plays cold from downtown.

Senior C Wayne Chism and sophomore G Scotty Hopson have run the show for the Volunteers. Chism leads Tennessee in boards and blocks while averaging double-digit points on the season, and Hopson is the team’s top scorer with 13.8 points per game.

Sunday’s contest is an important one as both teams are making a play for the Southeastern Conference‘s East division title. The Gators and Volunteers are also looking to separate themselves from the pack when it comes to selection in the 2010 NCAA Championship Tournament.

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…

2 » The No. 6/7 men’s (8-0, 3-0 SEC) and women’s (9-2, 3-1 SEC) swimming and diving teams swept the No. 5/8 Auburn Tigers squads on Senior Day in the O’Connell Center Friday, with the men winning 162-138 and the women dominating 185-115. In all, the Gators won nine of 16 men’s races and 10 of 16 women’s events. Omar Pinzon led the way for the men with three individual event victories in the 100 back (47.45), 200 back (1:42.80) and 200 individual medley (1:47.91), while junior Conor Dwyer won the 200 free (1:35.36), 500 free (4:20.59) and the 400 free relay as the anchor with a 42.75 split. Florida finishes out their dual meet schedule against the Tennessee Volunteers on Jan. 29 (women) and Jan. 30 (men) on the road in Knoxville, TN.

3 » Continuing the Gators’ success on Friday was the No. 11 men’s tennis team, which pulled out a 7-0 victory against the Central Florida Knights in its first head-to-head of the dual match season. Hosting UCF at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex, Florida swept the match by winning all six singles competitions in straight sets. Junior Alexandre Lacroix, the No. 7 player in the nation, led the way for the Gators with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Marc Rocafort. His doubles mate Antoine Benneteau followed suit with a 6-1, 6-1 victory. As a team, the No. 10 pair of Lacroix and Benneteau beat No. 21 Rocafort and Claudio Romano 8-2. Florida’s next match is scheduled for Sunday against the No. 6 Baylor Bears on the road in Waco, TX.

4 » Injury Updates: Gators freshman safety-turning-linebacker Dee Finley was up in Philadelphia, PA, Friday undergoing surgery on a sports hernia. After the operation was finished, Finley tweeted that “surgery went great.” News is worse for Florida basketball sophomore center Kenny Kadji, who is now being deemed out for the season with back issues. Kadji was receiving treatment and injections with hopes he would be able to return to the hardwood, but he will instead have season-ending back surgery. OGGOA hopes that Finley and Kadji will both have speedy recoveries.

Extra Bit » Former Gators forward/center David Lee, now with the New York Knicks, scored a season-high 31 points and 17 rebounds Friday night in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Lee is currently having the best season of his NBA career, averaging 19.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 36.9 minutes per game. George Vecsey of The New York Times wrote an in-depth piece on Lee’s relationship with his grandfather that was published in Friday’s paper.

Location: RBC Center – Raleigh, NC [Capacity: 19,722]
Time: 3:00 p.m. (EST)

TV: FSN/SUN
Online: GatorVision
XM: 199

Odds: EVEN, O/U “OFF”

KEEP AN EYE ON…
- Players scoring in double-figures…four Gators starters and one bench player are all averaging double-digit points. Freshman guard Kenny Boynton averages 14.2 ppg while junior forwards Alex Tyus and Chandler Parsons, redshrit junior center Vernon Macklin and sophomore point guard Erving Walker all average 11.9-10.3 ppg.
- Tyus…who is averaging 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds over the last four games.
- Assists…Boynton and Walker have 109 assists to just 49 turnovers this season.
- N.C. State forward Tracy Smith…who leads his team in scoring and rebounding with averages of 17.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
- Three-point line…in Florida’s 10 wins, the Gators are holding teams to 24.5 percent shooting and 4.2 makes from behind the arc; in their three losses, the opposition is shooting 39.5 percent from three (5.7 makes per game).

STREAKS:
- Florida trails the all-time series against N.C. State 6-3; however, the Gators have won the last two meetings including a 68-66 victory last year in Gainesville, FL.
- Under head coach Billy Donovan, Florida is 16-9 against the ACC, 3-0 in last three.
- The Gators are 5-0 this season when nabbing double-digit steals.
- Florida is 29-5 in the month of January since 2005 and has not dropped its first game of the New Year since 2005. The Gators went 7-2 in January 2009.

Read OGGOA’s Florida Gators vs. N.C. State Wolfpack preview after the jump!

Though the Florida Gators (10-3) have dropped out of all Top 25 polls and are reeling, the team has won its last two games against cupcake opponents in American and Presbyterian. To start the decade, the Gators will face a tough N.C. State Wolfpack team (10-3) that has wins over Marquette and Auburn already this season. The game is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. in Raleigh, NC, at the RBC Center.

Freshman guard Kenny Boynton seems to have found his stroke while junior forward Alex Tyus and redshirt junior center Vernon Macklin have been hitting the boards hard on defense. Though the Gators are seeming to gel more as the season goes on, one thing they still lack is consistency. From game-to-game Florida will either be stout defending the three-point line or quite porous. The guards and shooting forwards will drain treys or go completely cold. In order to take care of N.C. State, the team will need to put it all together for an entire game.

Defensively, the Gators must worry about Wolfpack forward Tracy Smith. Smith, who leads N.C. State in scoring (17.2) and rebounding (9.1), is a physical and bruising player in the paint who can also shoot pull-up jumpers.

Sophomore guard Ray Shipman (knee), who has missed practice and game time recently, is questionable to return to action Sunday. His kneecap has been causing him immense pain over the past few weeks, but he has recently begun to walk and jog without any issues. The same cannot be said for sophomore center Kenny Kadji (back). Kadji has a herniated disc in his lower back, has already received two anti-inflammatory injections to calm it and is scheduled to be administered a third before trying to return to the court. Surgery is an option should there continue to be pain, something that would likely sideline him for the season.