Location: Donald L. Tucker Center – Tallahassee, FL [Capacity: 12,100]
Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT

TV: ESPNU/ESPNUHD (Rich Hollenberg, Len Elmore)
SiriusXM: 91 | Radio: Gator Radio Network [Affiliates]
Online Video: WatchESPN.com [Map] | Mobile Video: WatchESPN app
Live Updates: @OnlyGators on Twitter and SportsYapper app

Odds: Florida -7 | O/U 136.5

HISTORY / STREAKS / STATS

» Florida is 41-22 all-time against Florida State and currently holds a three-game winning streak over its in-state rivals. UF is 10-6 against FSU under Donovan and 4-3 on the road in Tallahassee.
» Four of the Gators’ regular starters are averaging double figures.
» Florida has held four of its six opponents to 49 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 31-1 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 (48.5 points), fourth in scoring margin (+25.3 points per game) and ninth in rebounding margin (+11.2 per game) and field goal percentage defense (.350).
» The Gators are second nationally in fouling, committing 12.5 per game, and 144th nationally in assists, dishing just 13.5 per game.
» The Seminoles have 10 players averaging double-digit minutes.
» Florida State is 126th nationally in scoring margin (+5.9 points per game) and 167th nationally in rebounding margin (+1.3 per game).
» FSU has three players scoring in double figures, all of whom also averaged 5.3 rebounds per game or more. Its top three long-range shooters all hit 41.9 percent or better from downtown.

Read the rest of the Florida-Florida State preview…more after the break!
Continue Reading » Gameday: (5) Florida Gators at Florida State

Tags: ACC, Billy Donovan, Erik Murphy, Florida State Seminoles, Kenny Boynton, Michael Snaer, Mike Rosario, SEC

Location: Stephen C. O’Connell Center – Gainesville, FL [Capacity: 12,000]
Time: 7:00 p.m. (ET)

TV: ESPNU
SiriusXM: 219/199
Online Video: ESPN3.com
Live Updates: @OnlyGators

Odds: Florida -9.5; O/U 138

HOMEWORK

Need to catch up on the Gators before the big game? No problem. OGGOA has been here all season long compiling a ton of information so you can do your homework on the team before its next exam Thursday evening.

Donovan’s MVSU notes, Florida State preview | Texas A&M post-game notes

HISTORY and STREAKS

» Florida leads the all-time series against Florida State 40-22, sporting a 9-6 record against their in-state rival under Donovan and a 19-6 record at home in Gainesville. FSU, however, holds a 3-2 advantage in the last five meetings but has only beat a ranked UF team in the O’Connell Center once.
» The Gators are 97-6 against non-conference opponents in the O’Dome since 1999.
» UF has won 11-straight games at the O’Connell Center.
» The Gators have made a three in 662 consecutive games dating back to Jan. 1992.
» Florida has connected on 10 or more treys in nine of 11 games this season, failing to do so only against Syracuse and Arizona. Hitting double-digit threes in six-straight games is the longest streak under Donovan.
» Three Gators are shooting better than 40 percent from three (minimum 10 attempts).
» UF has outrebounded 10 of 11 opponents this season.
» The Gators have the second-best winning percentage against ranked opponents (.551) among SEC teams dating back to 1999-2000.
» Florida is ranked No. 3 in scoring offense (86.5 points), No. 12 in scoring margin (19.6 points), No. 10 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.52), No. 12 in assists (17.8) and No. 1 in three-pointers (11.3 per game) nationally as of Dec. 18. The Gators are also 302nd (out of 338 teams) in free throw shooting (61.8 percent).
» Florida State is ranked No. 3 in field goal defense (34.2 percent), No. 14 in three-point defense (25.8 percent) and No. 7 in blocked shots (7.0) nationally as of Dec. 18.
» FSU is on a three-game winning streak after dropping three consecutive contests including two at home in the month of November. All three teams the Seminoles lost to are currently or were previously ranked this season.
» Florida State has 10 players who see double-digit minutes on average.
» The Seminoles are the third winnings program in the ACC since 2008-09, only behind Duke and North Carolina.
» FSU is first in the ACC in field goal defense, blocked shots and steals; third in three-point defense, scoring margin and rebound margin; and fourth in scoring defense.

LAST TIME OUT
Click to expand and read the remainder of the Florida-Florida State gameday preview.

Tags: ACC, Bernard James, Billy Donovan, Bradley Beal, Erving Walker, Florida State Seminoles, Kenny Boynton, Leonard Hamilton, Michael Snaer, Mike Rosario, O'Connell Center, Patric Young, SEC, Will Yeguete

Hoping to save the University of Florida from a disastrous weekend in Tallahassee, FL, No. 14/16 Florida Gators basketball (5-1) survived a late run to take down the Florida State Seminoles (5-1) 55-51 at the Donald L. Tucker Center on Sunday.

Up a game-high 13 points with 14:30 remaining in the second half, Florida allowed Florida State to rattle off a 15-3 run to narrow their lead to a single point. From there the game went back-and-forth until sophomore forward Erik Murphy put in a layup off an airballed three from sophomore guard Kenny Boynton to ice the contest for the Gators.

The Seminoles began the game with a quick 5-0 run including an opening three-pointer and fastbreak dunk. Minutes later, Gators freshman F Casey Prather hit a trey to give his team their first lead of the game; it would never be relinquished after that point.

A 12-2 run helped Florida extend their lead to 17-11, and a subsequent 9-2 run to end the half allowed the Gators to walk into the locker room up 30-21.

Florida started the second half strong with a 6-0 run including a three from junior point guard Erving Walker, free throw from freshman F Will Yeguete and jumper from Boynton that put them up a game-high 13 points.

Florida State went on their 15-3 run at that point, leaving UF scrambling to keep its 44-43 lead over FSU. After plenty of back-and-forth, Seminoles G Michael Snaer nailed a trey off a loose ball to cut the Gators’ lead to 53-51 with 51.4 seconds left.

Murphy’s layup made it a two-shot game, and Florida State conceded the contest after a turnover with only three seconds remaining.

Boynton led the way for the Gators with a team-high 14 points on 4-of-11 shooting (2-of-5 from downtown) with a game-high three steals and five rebounds. Murphy made his presence felt off the bench playing major minutes in place of senior F Alex Tyus. He finished with 10 points on 3-of-3 shooting (1-of-1 from three) with a team-high six rebounds (three offensive).

With Tyus and redshirt senior center Vernon Macklin only seeing 14 and 13 minutes on the court, respectively, Florida’s freshmen frontcourt players stepped up. Center Patric Young played 25 minutes grabbing five rebounds and Yeguete notched 22 minutes with five boards of his own.

The Gators were effective in somewhat shutting down Seminoles star F Chris Singleton, who was held to eight points on 2-of-12 shooting while only grabbing five rebounds. Snaer led Florida State with 15 points (5-of-6 from three), and G Derwin Kitchen contributed eight rebounds and four assists.

UF shot better from the field (38.1-33.3%) and the line (68-54.5%) than FSU but not downtown (37.5-41.2%). They grabbed six more rebounds, notched one more block and committed six fewer fouls but turned the ball over three more times (17-14).

Winning their first road game of the season and coming out victorious in Tallahassee for the first time since 2002, Florida will remain on the road for their following two contests – a neutral site contest against Central Florida in Orlando, FL on Dec. 1 and a true road game in Washington, D.C. against American on Dec. 5.

POST-GAME NOTES & QUOTES (After the break…)
Continue Reading » Florida basketball holds on to defeat FSU 55-51

Tags: Alex Tyus, Casey Prather, Chris Singleton, Derwin Kitchen, Donald L. Tucker Center, Erik Murphy, Erving Walker, Florida State Seminoles, Kenny Boynton, Michael Snaer, Patric Young, University of Florida, Vernon Macklin, Will Yeguete