Another close game, another upset loss for the No. 4/5 Florida Gators, which blew double-digit leads in both halves before falling 63-60 to the Missouri Tigers on Tuesday evening at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, MO.

Florida (21-4, 11-2 SEC) fell to 0-3 in games decided by three points or less this season while Missouri (19-7, 8-5 SEC) remained undefeated at home and now boasts a 15-0 record on its court (7-0 in league play).

The Gators held a game-high 13-point lead on the Tigers with 10:41 left in the game but committed six fouls and five turnovers over the duration of the contest while allowing Mizzou to pull off the come-from-behind upset.

Forward Laurence Bowers, whose absence was felt in Missouri’s 31-point loss at Florida on Jan. 19, led all scorers with 17 points on 8-of-17 shooting. He also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and proved to be a big-time problem for the Gators in the paint.

Continue Reading » Missouri upsets Florida as Gators collapse late

Tags: Billy Donovan, Erik Murphy, Kenny Boynton, Laurence Bowers, Mike Rosario, Missouri Tigers, Mizzou Arena, Patric Young, Scottie Wilbekin, SEC

Location: Mizzou Arena – Columbia, MO [Capacity: 15,061]
Time: 9:00 p.m. EST

TV: ESPN/ESPNHD (Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes, Holly Rowe)
SiriusXM: 91 | Radio: Gator Radio Network [Affiliates]
Online Video: WatchESPN.com | Mobile Video: WatchESPN app
Live Updates: @OnlyGators on Twitter and SportsYapper app

Odds: Florida -5 | O/U 138.5

HISTORY / STREAKS / STATS

» Florida and Missouri played for the first time ever on Jan. 19 with UF picking up an 83-52 victory in the inaugural meeting in Gainesville, FL.
» Mizzou is undefeated at home this season (14-0) and beating SEC opponents in Mizzou Arena by an average of 14 points per game.
» Four Gators starters are averaging double figures in scoring. The Tigers have six players that score in double digits, all of whom play more than 24 minutes per game.
» Florida is 46-3 since the beginning of the 2011-12 season when holding opponents under 71 points in a game (20-2 in 2012-13).
» Missouri has scored at least 71 points in three-straight games and four of its last five.
» The Gators are 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.
» UF is outscoring SEC opponents by an average of +22.8 points per game.
» Florida senior forward Erik Murphy (.500) and freshman guard Michael Frazier II (.506) are chasing school history and looking to become the most proficient single-season three-point shooter ever at UF (Kenyan Weaks – .508).
» The Gators are second nationally in scoring margin (+21.7), third in scoring defense (52.6), sixth in field goal percentage (.497) and field goal defense (.371), eighth in three-point shooting (8.9 per game) and assist-turnover ratio (1.42), 13th in assists (16.3), 16th in three-point percentage (.395) and 17th in rebound margin (+7.1).
» Florida is also sixth nationally in fouling, committing 14.0 per game.
» The Tigers are fourth nationally in rebound margin (+10.2), 20th in free throw percentage (.750) and 21st in scoring offense (76.5).

Read the rest of the Florida-Missouri preview with much more after the break!
Continue Reading » Gameday: No. 4/5 Florida Gators at Missouri

Tags: Billy Donovan, Casey Prather, Erik Murphy, Frank Haith, Kenny Boynton, Laurence Bowers, Michael Frazier, Missouri Tigers, Mizzou Arena, SEC, Will Yeguete

* Bowers is injured and will not play Saturday.

Location: Stephen C. O’Connell Center – Gainesville, FL [Capacity: 12,000]
Time: 2:00 p.m. EST

TV: ESPN/ESPNHD
SiriusXM: 85 | Radio: Gator Radio Network [Affiliates]
Online Video: WatchESPN.com | Mobile Video: WatchESPN app
Live Updates: Sporadic scores only @OnlyGators on Twitter

WIN NO. 400 ON THE LINE FOR BILLY D

Last season, his 18th as a head coach on the collegiate level, Donovan eclipsed 400 career wins. Now in his 17th season leading the Florida basketball program, Donovan has the opportunity to register his 400th career win as head coach of the Gators.

He enters Saturday afternoon’s game with a 399-160 (.714) record at Florida to go along with two national titles, three Final Four appearances, three SEC Tournament titles and four SEC regular season championships.

Since being hired by the Gators in 1996, Donovan has also won ESPN National Coach of the Year in 2001, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching Award in 2006, the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award in 2010 and his only SEC Coach of the Year honor in 2011. A Hall of Fame nomination is not far off.

Donovan has also seen 13 former Florida players be selected in the NBA Draft and six former Gators assistants receive head coaching jobs of their own across the country.

HISTORY / STREAKS / STATS

» Florida and Missouri haven ever met in men’s basketball.
» Four of UF’s regular starters are averaging double figures.
» The Gators have held eight of their first 15 opponents under 50 points.
» UF is 38-3 since the beginning of the 2011-12 season when holding opponents under 71 points in a game (13-2 in 2012-13).
» Florida was 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 1-1 in such games.
» The Gators are second nationally in scoring margin (+21.6), third in scoring defense (52.0), eighth in field goal percentage defense (.365) and 14th in rebound margin (+8.8).
» Florida is also 11th nationally in fouling, committing 14.3 per game, and 92nd nationally in assists, dishing just 14.4 per game.
» Missouri is ranked first nationally in rebounding (44.7) and fourth in margin (+10.9).

Read the rest of the Florida-Missouri preview with much more after the break!

Continue Reading » Gameday: (9) Florida Gators vs. (16) Missouri

Tags: Billy Donovan, Frank Haith, Kenny Boynton, Laurence Bowers, Missouri Tigers, Patric Young, SEC, Stephen C. O'Connell Center