INSIDER
Bridges and Charlotte's newcomers lead Hornets past Pacers for 2nd straight win, 111-102
Read full article: Bridges and Charlotte's newcomers lead Hornets past Pacers for 2nd straight win, 111-102Miles Bridges had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Indiana Pacers 111-102 to improve to 2-0 since the arrival of five new players via trade.
Hornets send Gordon Hayward to Thunder for 3 players, 2 second-round draft picks, AP source says
Read full article: Hornets send Gordon Hayward to Thunder for 3 players, 2 second-round draft picks, AP source saysA person familiar with the situation says the Charlotte Hornets are sending often-injured forward Gordon Hayward to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for guard Tre Mann, forward Davis Bertans, point guard Vasilije Micic and second-round draft picks in 2024 and 2025.
Appleby takes over, Florida rallies past No. 2 Auburn 63-62
Read full article: Appleby takes over, Florida rallies past No. 2 Auburn 63-62Tyree Appleby scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half, Colin Castleton added 19 and Florida rallied to beat No. 2 Auburn 63-62 to extend its home dominance in the series.
Omar Payne joins growing list of players to leave Florida
Read full article: Omar Payne joins growing list of players to leave FloridaForward Omar Payne entered the transfer portal Tuesday and became the fifth player to leave coach Mike White's program since the end of the season. The 6-foot-10 Payne joined shooting guard Noah Locke, backup point guard Ques Glover and reserve forward Osayi Osifo in looking to play elsewhere next season. Star point guard and leading scorer Tre Mann entered the NBA draft with plans of hiring an agent, meaning he has no intention of returning to school for his junior season. Payne, a sophomore from Kissimmee, averaged 3.8 points and 3.2 rebounds while playing close to 16 minutes a game this season. Only Keyontae Johnson remains from Florida's 2018 class, which lost talented point guard Andrew Nembhard to Gonzaga last year and now is without Locke.
Gators squander 11-point lead, lose to 15th-seed Oral Roberts
Read full article: Gators squander 11-point lead, lose to 15th-seed Oral Roberts(Photo by Trevor Brown Jr/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)The up and down basketball season for the Florida Gators ended on a harsh down note. Florida led by 11 points, but couldn’t hold the lead and lost to 15th seeded Oral Roberts 81-78. Instead, the Gators season is over. “I really would have liked to have seen Keytonae and his teammates have the opportunity to celebrate and go to the Sweet 16 in another week and see what happens from there. He finished the season averaging 16 points per game.
Sweet 16 bound: No. 15 seed Oral Roberts stuns Florida 81-78
Read full article: Sweet 16 bound: No. 15 seed Oral Roberts stuns Florida 81-78Oral Roberts won 81-78. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)INDIANAPOLIS – Dunk City, say hello to Max Abmas and the Golden Eagles of soaring Oral Roberts. Oral Roberts joins Florida Gulf Coast — those guys from “Dunk City” — as the only No. The Oral Roberts fans inside Indiana Famers Coliseum chanted “Cinderella” during a wild celebration after the victory. SMART FOULOne of the biggest decisions of the game came with 3:11 left after Oral Roberts pulled within 76-75.
Short-handed Florida outlasts Virginia Tech in NCAA opener
Read full article: Short-handed Florida outlasts Virginia Tech in NCAA opener10 seed Virginia Tech 75-70 in a first-round game on Friday. He finished with 30 points and scored the final 12 of regulation for Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech hit 5 of its first 10 3-point attempts, but made just two the rest of the way. Virginia Tech coach Mike Young said he considered keeping Aluma on the bench to start overtime. AdHINKLE'S LIGHTThe first NCAA Tournament game at Hinkle Fieldhouse in 81 years was rife with history, nostalgia and ... sunlight.
The Latest: 12th-seeded Oregon State upsets No. 5 Tennessee
Read full article: The Latest: 12th-seeded Oregon State upsets No. 5 Tennessee(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)The Latest on the first round of the NCAA Tournament (all times Eastern):___6:50 p.m.Another first-round upset as 12th-seeded Oregon State defeated No. 9 seed Georgia Tech 71-60 on Friday to mark a triumphant return to the NCAA Tournament. Senior guard Bubba Parham, who is 5-10, got the start instead as Georgia Tech went with a guard-heavy look. AdIllinois will face eighth-seeded Loyola Chicago or ninth-seeded Georgia Tech in the second round of the Midwest Regional on Sunday. Ad___2:10 p.m.Players from several NCAA Tournament teams took a knee during the playing of the national anthem before their first-round games.
Mann scores 22 points, Florida holds off Vandy 69-63 at SEC
Read full article: Mann scores 22 points, Florida holds off Vandy 69-63 at SEC4 seed Tennessee on Friday for the second game between the teams in six days. Noah Locke scored 13 points for Florida, and Tyree Appleby added 12 off the bench. Vanderbilt (9-16) lost to Florida for the third time this season and sixth straight in this series. The Commodores, who won only three league games in the regular season, had their chances for a second SEC win within 24 hours. Florida appeared ready to cruise to a sixth straight win in this series up 34-22 at halftime after the Gators scored the final eight of the half.
Missouri hangs on for 1st win at Florida, 72-70
Read full article: Missouri hangs on for 1st win at Florida, 72-70GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dru Smith scored the game-winner, banking a baseline drive reverse layup off the glass with 0.7 seconds on the clock and Missouri held on to defeat Florida 72-70 on Wednesday night for the Tigers’ first-ever win in Gainesville. Dru Smith scored 17 points and had nine assists and a season-high six steals to lead Missouri (15-7, 8-7 Southeastern Conference), Mitchell Smith scored 14 and Mark Smith 11. Tre Mann scored 21 points to lead Florida, Tyree Appleby added 12 with five assists and Noah Locke scored 11. The Gators committed 18 turnovers, leading to 25 Mizzou points, and saw a three-game win streak end. Mitchell Smith pushed the Tigers lead to 10, opening the second half with a 3-pointer.
Florida edges Kentucky 71-67 for series split
Read full article: Florida edges Kentucky 71-67 for series split(AP Photo/James Crisp)LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tre Mann scored 14 of his 21 points in the second half and Florida pulled out a 71-67 victory over Kentucky on Saturday, winning its third straight game and avenging a blowout loss to the Wildcats. Neither team scored again until Mann's baseline jumper with 1:49 to go. Florida, which lost to Kentucky 76-58 on Jan. 9, picked up just the fifth season split in the series' history, the last coming in 1998. The win was just the 11th for Florida at Lexington versus 52 losses. Florida is home against Missouri on Wednesday before concluding its regular season at Tennessee on March 7.
Short-handed Florida stuns No. 6 Tennessee 75-49
Read full article: Short-handed Florida stuns No. 6 Tennessee 75-49Florida guard Tre Mann (1) and Tennessee guard Davonte Gaines (0) compete for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 19. 2021, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Stamey)GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Noah Locke scored 14 points, Tyree Appleby added 13 and short-handed Florida stunned No. 6 Tennessee 75-49 on Tuesday night. Guard Scottie Lewis (COVID-19 protocols) and forward Colin Castleton (ankle) missed the game. But forward Omar Payne, starting for the first time in nearly a year, finished with nine points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots for Florida (7-4, 4-3 Southeastern Conference).
Short-handed Florida stuns No. 6 Tennessee 75-49
Read full article: Short-handed Florida stuns No. 6 Tennessee 75-49No one on Florida's roster has experienced a victory at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tennessee. Noah Locke scored 14 points, Tyree Appleby added 13 and the short-handed Gators stunned No. 6 Tennessee in dominating fashion, 75-49 on Tuesday night. “We proved tonight we're not good enough to go through the motions," said Vols coach Rick Barnes, who promised lineup changes moving forward. Florida: White seems to get his best from his guys against top competition.
Florida cruises past Stetson 86-39 in home opener
Read full article: Florida cruises past Stetson 86-39 in home openerGAINESVILLE, Fla. – Keyontae Johnson scored 19 points, Scottie Lewis had 10 points, 10 rebounds and six assists and Florida beat Stetson 84-40 on Sunday in the Gators’ home opener. Johnson's dunk started a 9-0 run to give Florida a 16-5 lead, and the Gators led by double figures for the rest of the game. Johnson finished the half with 12 points and Stetson scored 15. Florida scored the first 11 points of the second half for a 30-point lead, and the Gators led by as many as 47 points. Mann scored a career-best 19 points in Florida’s opener against Army.
Mann scores 19, Florida opens season by topping Army 76-69
Read full article: Mann scores 19, Florida opens season by topping Army 76-69UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Tre Mann scored a career-high 19 points, including five free throws in the final minute, and added six rebounds, four assists and five steals, to help Florida open its season with a 76-69 victory over Army on Wednesday. Mann, making his debut at point guard, secured his fifth steal in the closing seconds and made 1 of 2 free throws for a 74-69 lead. Keyontae Johnson, who averaged 14 points and 7.1 rebounds last season, added 16 points and Cleveland State transfer Tyree Appleby, who sat out last season, scored all 15 of his points in the second half for Florida. Mann, a former McDonald’s All-American, started four games during his freshman year last season, and reached 13 points twice. Freshman guard Lonnie Grayson had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Black Knights.
Floridas Mann returning for sophomore year, chance to start
Read full article: Floridas Mann returning for sophomore year, chance to startGAINESVILLE, Fla. Florida guard Tre Mann is returning for his sophomore season. Mann surprised the Gators by announcing in late April he planned to explore his professional options. But once starting point guard Andrew Nembhard opted to transfer he eventually landed at Gonzaga last month that opened the door for Mann's return to Gainesville. Mann should get a shot at playing the point, although Florida also has sophomore Ques Glover and former Cleveland State standout Tyree Appleby at the all-important position. Two Florida starters guard Scottie Lewis and forward Keyontae Johnson decided to stay in college after the coronavirus pandemic wiped out the postseason.
Florida hoops team adds major transfer in Kerry Blackshear
Read full article: Florida hoops team adds major transfer in Kerry BlackshearJACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Floridas basketball team added a major piece on Friday, officially announcing that graduate transfer Kerry Blackshear Jr. was joining the program. 1-rated graduate transfer in the ESPN transfer rankings. The addition of Blackshear bolsters Floridas roster immensely and likely pushes the Gators into the top-10 conversation. Florida was already sitting well from a personnel status after point guard Andrew Nembhard withdrew his name from the NBA draft. Small forward Scottie Lewis and point guard Tre Mann were 247 Sports five-star signees.
Mike White likes Gators' talent, despite lack of experience
Read full article: Mike White likes Gators' talent, despite lack of experienceFLEMING ISLAND, Fla. - Last season, Mike White admitted that he sometimes had a tough time reaching his team. He affects the game in a lot of ways outside of scoring, which is pretty unique for high school kids. The Gators also signed 6-foot-9-inch center Omar Payne from Montverde Academy, ranked in the top 50 as well. White admitted that he'll have to build this group of players into a team, but praised their makeup off the court. "We started three freshmen that had really good freshman campaigns, and I really like our incoming class, its very highly ranked.