No. 13/17 Florida Gators basketball (7-0) allowed the Florida A&M Rattlers (0-8) to get off to a hot start but pulled away in the second half to win 80-59 in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Tuesday night. Senior forward Dan Werner led the Gators with one of the best games of his career, scoring a team-high 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting (4-of-6 from three) and a team-high nine rebounds in the contest (though he had five turnovers). Four Florida players finished the game in double figures including junior F Alex Tyus (15), redshirt junior transfer center Vernon Macklin (14) and sophomore point guard Erving Walker (10).

The Rattlers shot almost 49 percent from the field in the first half, taking advantage of sloppy defense and keeping the Gators’ lead within four points at halftime. Florida pulled away immediately after the break with a 23-4 run to start the second half. They never looked back, shooting 51.7 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc.

“Between turnovers, quick shots and some defensive lapses, we didn’t play well for about 20 minutes – and played pretty well for about 20 minutes,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “I thought our patience on the offensive end, especially in transition with some of the passes we tried to make, it was almost like we diffused our own energy with some of the decisions we made when we had a chance to get on a roll.”

Sophomore guard/forward Ray Shipman started the game over prized freshman Kenny Boynton, though Donovan did not provide a reason for the switch. Shipman took advantage of the opportunity and recorded a team-high four steals with six points while Boynton went 0-for-7 from the field; however, the freshman did dish out a career-high nine assists and earned two steals by playing hard all night.

Macklin, who also finished with seven rebounds, was able to use his size and strength to his advantage all night. He dominated Florida A&M with dunks, finger rolls and post moves, even throwing up a double clutch layup that got the Rowdy Reptiles excited. All ten Gators who saw court time scored, including Israeli freshman PG Rod Tishman who put up the first points of his career on two free throws.

Florida basketball improved to 11-0 all-time against the Rattlers and are 29-0 against the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Gators will take a short trip to Jacksonville, FL, on Friday for their next game against the Jacksonville Dolphins (0-4) at 7 p.m.

Tags: Alex Tyus, Billy Donovan, Dan Werner, Erving Walker, Florida A&M Rattlers, Kenny Boynton, MEAC, O'Connell Center, Ray Shipman, Rod Tishman, Vernon Macklin

One day after taking down the No. 2 Michigan State Spartans, Florida Gators basketball (6-0) defeated the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (3-2) to win the 2009 Legends Classic in Atlantic City, NJ. Earning instant credibility and a championship trophy to match, the Gators look to be back in the Top 25 on Monday for the first time since Jan. 19 and are in the conversation as a possible NCAA tournament team.

Freshman guard Kenny Boynton led Florida with 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting while redshirt junior transfer center Vernon Macklin added 14 points of his own on 7-of-9 shooting with a team-high eight rebounds. Sophomore point guard Erving Walker scored 11 points on .500 shooting from beyond the arc with five assists, but senior forward Dan Werner led the team with six dishes. Macklin’s effort was his most impressive of the season while junior Fs Alex Tyus and Chandler Parsons had their least effective games. Both still went 3-6 on their own with six and seven points, respectively.

“Even through fatigue and dealing with the emotion of last night, I thought our guys came out and grinded the game out and found a way to win the game,” Gators head coach Billy Donovan said. Walker concurred. “We knew that we could compete with these teams, but to come out and actually beat them shows us that we could play with anybody in the country and we just want to keep it going,” he said. Walker was also named the tournament MVP partially due to his winning three-pointer against the Spartans.

“We came out and we wanted to show everyone that last night’s game wasn’t a fluke,” Boynton said. “We heard people were saying we were soft. We basically wanted to put pressure on both of these teams early and get the win.” There was nothing soft about either Florida performance over the weekend, as the team continues to use stiffing defense and efficient shooting to defeat its opponents.

Florida basketball takes on the Florida A&M Rattlers on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center as part of a double-header with the women’s teams. The Gators’ following three games will be against the Jacksonville Dolphins, No. 10/9 Syracuse Orange and Richmond Spiders at three neutral sites in the state of Florida.

Tags: Alex Tyus, Billy Donovan, Chandler Parsons, Dan Werner, Erving Walker, Kenny Boynton, Legends Classic, Michigan State Spartans, NCAA, Rutgers Scralet Knights, Vernon Macklin

Florida Gators basketball (5-0) entered the 2009 Legends Classic looking to make a name for themselves after finishing the past two seasons with invites to the NIT. The Gators accomplished their goal, taking down the No. 2/2 Michigan State Spartans (4-1) 77-74 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Five Florida players scored in double digits as junior forward Chandler Parsons led the team with 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Classmate F Alex Tyus and redshirt junior transfer center Vernon Macklin recorded a team-high five boards each while sophomore point guard Erving Walker led the way with seven assists. Walker nailed a long-range go-ahead three-pointer with 1:56 left as the Gators hung on for the win. Florida also went 22-of-25 from the free throw line and combined for a season-high 11 steals in the contest.

The Gators forced 22 turnovers in the game, continuing their defensive dominance that has become a theme throughout the first five games of the 2009 season. The Spartans had multiple chances to tie the game in the waning minutes, including two missed three-point attempts by Durrell Summers in the final minute.

“I’m just so happy these guys could experience a night like tonight against a terrific team,” Gators head coach Billy Donovan said. “I think we found out a lot more about us. We have a chance to really improve and grow from this. The guys in the locker rooms are the ones who really did all the work. At this point, I think that these guys have put the work in. You feel like there’s a commitment and a focus that they’re doing that. I think that was something that was really missing from our team the last two years, really understanding what it was about maturity-wise.” Walker agreed. “We just wanted to prove to people we could be mentioned in the same breath as them,” he said.

Florida advances to the championship game of the Legends Classic and will face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday at 8 p.m.

Tags: Alex Tyus, Billy Donovan, Chandler Parsons, Erving Walker, Legends Classic, Michigan State Spartans, Vernon Macklin

Though the score may not suggest it, the Florida Gators men’s basketball team (2-0) grinded out a 69-49 victory over the Georgia Southern Eagles (1-2) Wednesday night in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Junior forward and sixth man Chandler Parsons led the Gators with great energy off the bench, scoring 15 points and 12 rebounds to record the team’s second double-double of the season.

Freshman guard Kenny Boynton and redshirt junior transfer center Vernon Macklin were the other Florida players who shined offensively, scoring 22 and 15 points, respectively. Boynton shot 50% from the field while Macklin was 7-9 adding seven rebounds to his performance. Through two games, Boynton, Macklin and Parsons have accounted for 63.6% of the Gators’ offense (91 of 143 points). Sophomore point guard Erving Walker led the team with six assists and, though he was 0-10 from the field, added nine points on free throws.

The Eagles kept the Gators in check for much of the contest, going into the half with Florida only holding a 26-25 lead. Up 55-47 with 4:17 remaining, the Gators slowly pulled away to their eventual 20-point margin of victory. For the second straight game, Florida was on the verge of breaking a 579-game record of scoring at least one three-pointer. Parsons nailed one with around six minutes to go, and Boynton followed with the first make of his career from beyond the arc. The Gators are only 3-29 from three-point range on the season, an absurdly low number for a Billy Donovan-coached team.

Florida basketball returns to action Friday when they face the Troy Trojans at home in Gainesville, FL, at 7 p.m. The game is being carried by FOX Sports Florida, so be sure to check your local listings for availability.

Note: Louisville Cardinals head basketball coach Rick Pitino, father of new Gators assistant Richard Pitino, was in the house watching the game with Bill Donovan, Sr.

Tags: Chandler Parsons, Erving Walker, Georgia Southern Eagles, Kenny Boynton, Richard Pitino, Vernon Macklin

Florida Gators men’s basketball (1-0) began the 2009-10 season with a 74-46 win over the Stetson Hatters (0-1) on Sunday afternoon in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Four Gators scored in double digits as junior forward Alex Tyus posted a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Freshman guard Kenny Boynton, redshirt junior transfer center Vernon Macklin and junior forward Chandler Parsons were the other Florida players who shined offensively, scoring 12, 13 and 12 points, respectively. Macklin recorded a team-high three blocks while sophomore point guard Erving Walker led the team with three assists.

The Gators were in danger of blowing a school record for consecutive games with a three pointer until Parsons nailed one with just 33 seconds left in the game. Before that, Florida had missed 12 straight and shot only 7.7% from behind the arc on the day.

Above all else, Florida played superb defense against the Hatters, holding them to 46 points on a combined 16/56 (28.6%) from the field and 2/17 (11.8%) from three. “I was really pleased with our defense, because I didn’t think we had much of an offensive flow at all,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “I thought our guys kept a pretty good focus in trying to defend all 40 minutes.”

Gators basketball returns to action Wednesday when the Georgia Southern Eagles visit Gainesville, FL, at 7 p.m. The game is being carried by Fox Sports Florida, so be sure to check your local listings for availability.

Tags: Billy Donovan, Chandler Parsons, Erving Walker, Kenny Boynton, O'Connell Center, Stetson Hatters, Vernon Macklin

Coming off two consecutive trips to the National Invitational Tournament, the Florida Gators basketball team is looking to return to the glory it experienced just a few short years ago. With guard Nick Calathes leaving to play professional basketball in Greece and an influx of talented players, head coach Billy Donovan hopes to wipe the sour taste the last two seasons have put in fans’ mouths. With that, ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive presents our 2009-10 Florida Gators Basketball Preview.

STARTING FIVE:

PG Erving Walker – sophomore, 5’8”, 171 lbs.
2008 STATS: 10.1 PPG – 2.4 APG – .434 FG% – .419 3P% – 1.5 RPG – 23.1 MPG
A spark plug known more for his shooting and penetrating than passing, Walker was a pleasant surprise for the Gators in 2008. Starting the season as the team’s sixth man, he moved into the starting lineup at year’s end, earning a reputation as a sharp-shooter who could be trusted to put the ball in the hoop when the game was on the line. Walker was named to the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team and led Florida in three-point percentage (.419). His breakout performance came against the Auburn Tigers, when he hit two late three pointers to help send the Gators to a 68-65 win. Walker must improve his ball handling, court vision and willingness to dish the ball in order to allow Boynton to move around and not be forced to play point.

G Kenny Boynton – freshman, 6’2”, 183 lbs.
2008 STATS (HS): 33 PPG – .58 FG%
Boynton is the pride of the Gators’ 2009 recruiting class, a consensus five-star guard who was ranked No. 9 overall on ESPN’s Top-100 list, No. 12 by Rivals and No. 15 by Scout. He is the 12th McDonald’s All-American signed by Donovan and the third-leading scorer in the history of Florida high school basketball. Quick both with and without the ball, Boynton is highly competitive and athletic with the ability to play either backcourt position. He can get his shot off at will, whether it be a quick pull up jumper, deep three-pointer, floater down the lane or penetrating layup. Boynton is also a tough defender who is strong with quick feet laterally. In his two games so far in the Orange and Blue, Boynton has averaged 23.5 points in 25.5 minutes.

The preview is a LOT longer than this. Read the rest after the jump…
Continue Reading » 2009-10 Florida Gators Basketball Preview

Tags: Alex Tyus, Billy Donovan, Chandler Parsons, Dan Werner, Erik Murphy, Erving Walker, Kenny Boynton, Kenny Kadji, Legends Classic, March Madness, NCAA, Nick Calathes, NIT, Orange Bowl Baksetball Classic, Ray Shipman, Rod Tishman, SEC/Big East Invitational, Vernon Macklin

1 » Three Florida Gators competed Thursday in the first round of the ITA National Indoor Tennis Championships at the Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center. Freshman Allie Will defeated Yale Bulldogs player Jessie Rhee in straight sets 6-3, 6-1. Will has advanced to the round of 16 and will face Boise State Broncos competitor Pichittra Thongdach on Friday at 10:30 a.m. The news was not so good for Alexandre Lacroix, who dropped straight sets to Wisconsin Badgers player Marek Michalicka; however, he did bounce back with partner Antoine Benneteau to win a doubles match over Aleksey Bessonov and Oleksandr Nedovyesov of the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The duo will compete in quarterfinal action Friday at 9 a.m.

2 » In case you didn’t already realize it, Florida redshirt junior linebacker A.J. Jones is having a breakout season. Grabbing three interceptions combined in the last two games, Jones’ teammates are surprised. Not because he is not a good player, but because he is one of the clumsiest on the team. “I’ve seen him in practice where he’s covering a running back and he’ll trip over his own feet,” junior cornerback Joe Haden said. “We sit and laugh at A.J. sometimes, because sometimes he’s real clumsy.” Clumsy he may be, but an improved work ethic and healthy competition have raised his game to a new level.

3 » Having not played in a college basketball game in over a year, Gators junior transfer center Vernon Macklin “got off to a jittery start” during Florida’s exhibition game Monday night against Saint Leo. “I hadn’t played a game in a long time, so I was nervous,” Macklin said. “I don’t think it really kicked in all of the way. I was still trying to get into the rhythm of the game. It was just all in my head. I just should have gone out there and have been ready to play no matter what, first game and treat it like I do in practice.” As the Gators’ starting center, Macklin will have more than enough opportunities to get it together this season. Hopefully sooner than later.

4 » Updating our story on four-star wide receiver recruit Chris Dunkley (Pahokee, FL), Rivals is reporting that “Florida appears to be in good shape” to receive his commitment. While Dunkley said he had a good time visiting Tennessee last weekend, sources told Rivals that “the Vols are almost totally out of it for Dunkley.” He has visits remaining but is also coveted by head coach Urban Meyer and considered a major piece to the 2010 recruiting puzzle.

Tags: A.J. Jones, Alexandre Lacroix, Alexsey Bessonov, Allie Will, Antoine Benneteau, Chris Dunkley, ITA National Indoor Tennis Championships, Jessie Rhee, Joe Haden, Marek Michalicka, Oleksandr Nedovyesov, PIchittra Thongdach, tennis, Urban Meyer, Vernon Macklin

The University of Florida‘s men’s basketball team began their 2009-10 season Monday night, defeating Saint Leo 95-46 in an exhibition game at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Gators freshman guard Kenny Boynton led the team with 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting while going 5/9 from three-point range. Boynton also contributed six rebounds, two assists and three steals and appeared to tweak his knee at some point in the second half. The extent of the injury is not known, though it did not look serious to those in attendance and it is believed he will be fine to play in Florida’s next exhibition game.

Junior forward Alex Tyus recorded a team-high nine rebounds and added 10 points on 5-of-11 shooting, while sophomore point guard Erving Walker was good for 16 points and led the way with nine assists. Redshirt junior transfer center Vernon Macklin grabbed four rebounds and seven points. Also of note is that Israeli freshman PG Nimrod Tishman wants to be known as “Rod” (good choice) during his Gators career.

Football’s sophmore kicker Caleb Sturgis, volleyball’s senior libero Elyse Cusack and soccer players Lauren Hyde and McKenzie Barney all took home individual awards from the Southeastern Conference on Monday. Sturgis was named Special Teams Player of the Week, Cusack and Hyde both earned Defensive Player of the Week honors for their respective sports and Barney won Freshman of the Week. Sturgis kicked a 56-yard and 44-yard field goal in the Gators win over the Georgia Bulldogs.

Tags: Alex Tyus, Caleb Sturgis, Elyse Cusack, Erving Walker, Georgia Bulldogs, Kenny Boynton, Lauren Hyde, McKenzie Barney, Nimrod Tishman, O'Connell Center, Rod Tishman, Saint Leo, SEC, soccer, Vernon Macklin, volleyball