Category: Florida Gators

SAN FRANCISCO — Florida finally looked like a No. 1 seed — for a half, at least. It was more than enough to move past Maryland 87-71 in a regional semifinal Thursday at Chase Center. To get back to the Final Four, the Gators will need play their best basketball for a longer stretch Saturday. Energized Florida players cheer on their teammates from bench in the Gators’ 87-71 win against Maryland in Thursday night’s regional semifinal at San Francisco’s Chase Center. (Ezra Shaw/Getty) Coach Todd Golden, back in San Fransisco for the first time since he left for UF three years ago, wasn’t...

Florida aims to secure a top seed in the Big Dance at the conference tournament. History says it’s the best path to a national title. Todd Golden’s team is SEC’s No. 2 seed and riding a wave of momentum after one of the best regular seasons in school history. Billy Napier’s Gators, on the other hand, are amid spring practices without star quarterback DJ Lagway able to throw the ball. During the latest Swamp Things, Mark and Edgar discuss the prospects of Golden’s Gators and Lagway’s health, along with a jam-packed spring sports calendar. Path to No. 1 seed (0:00) Inside track to...

GAINESVILLE — March Madness has begun for the No. 3 Florida Gators. Todd Golden’s team, and its fans, are ready as college basketball’s biggest month arrives. UF students camped out Friday at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center as ESPN College GameDay arrived in Gainesville for the first time since 2017 ahead of Saturday night’s visit from No. 12 Texas A&M. Florida leading scorer Walter Clayton Jr. watches from the bench during the Gators’ stunning loss Feb. 25 at Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) Following a stunning loss Tuesday night at unranked Georgia, the Gators (24-4,...

GAINESVILLE — Florida coach Billy Napier plans to hire a defensive assistant and a top front-office position as the Gators continue to make offseason moves. Washington linebackers coach Robert Bala will coach UF’s inside linebackers and serve as a co-defensive coordinator, a program source confirmed. The source also confirmed Napier will hire Ben Elsner to serve as director of football strategy, a position second in the command to the program’s general manager — a post yet to be filled. Florida head coach Billy Napier celebrates the Gators 24-17 win against Ole Miss Nov. 23 at Ben Hill...

GAINESVILLE — Ailing and unable to gain an upper hand on Vanderbilt, No. 6 Florida turned to a 20-year-old sophomore from Slovenia to scratch out a critical SEC win. With point guard Walter Clayton Jr. out (ankle) and shooting guard Alijah Martin struggling with a hip injury, Urban Klavzar rose to the occasion to help the Gators break open a close game and slip by the Commodores 86-75 Tuesday night at O’Connell Center. Florida forward Alex Condon feels the pressure from Vanderbilt guards Graham Calton (7) and Tyler Nickel on Tuesday night at O’Connell Center. (Alan Youngblood/AP) With UF...

GAINESVILLE — Florida delivered its SEC welcome to Texas — back in Gainesville for the first time since 1996 — with a performance the Gators desperately needed. No. 5 UF returned to the win column with an 84-60 victory Saturday after a trying week on and off the court, including a tough loss at home and more turmoil inside Todd Golden’s program. “We came out and we showed that dog mentality,” veteran guard Alijah Martin said. “We did what we had to do.” Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. (left) scores past Texas guard Julian Larry (right) during the Gators’ 84-60 win Saturday in...

GAINESVILLE — Florida coach Todd Golden didn’t see it coming. He hopes he doesn’t have to witness it again. Tuesday night’s no-show against Missouri came a day after the No. 5 Gators (15-2, 2-2 SEC) rose to their highest ranking since 2017 and a week after a historic drubbing of top-ranked Tennessee. Most troubling to Golden following a 83-82 loss was the unranked Tigers out-toughed and overwhelmed his team on its home court, where UF had won 16 straight. “This team has been pretty consistent with the effort and the physicality,” Golden said. “To Missouri’s credit, I thought they laid it on...

GAINESVILLE — Beating John Calipari on the road last season was a massive step for Florida coach Todd Golden and his program. A win now against Coach Cal away from Gainesville could signal a natural progression for Golden’s surging Gators. Calipari’s surprising offseason move from Kentucky to Arkansas makes the SEC’s winningest coach an easier mark than with the Wildcats, who won the 2015 national title and a dozen conference crowns — six each during the regular season and conference tournament — while he was there. Florida backup guard Denzel Aberdeen had a season-high 16 points during the...