Sports | Men's Basketball - The Independent Florida Alligator

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love just signed a four-year, $120 million extension with the team.

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Third-wheeling in the Association

By Andrew Huang and Huang Story Short | July 25, 2018

Kevin Love has LeBron James to thank for the three most impactful moments in his career. First, James returned to Cleveland in 2014, offering the All-Star forward an escape route from a woefully uncompetitive Minnesota Timberwolves team. Second, James spearheaded a historic NBA Finals comeback against the vaunted Golden State Warriors, delivering a 2016 championship ring Love’s way.

Pelicans F/C Anthony Davis was nearly the only unanimous pick by the alligatorSports NBA Awards Selection Panel. He's predicted to be the NBA Defensive Player of the Year by three-fourths of the panel.

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NBA Awards: alligatorSports edition

By Chris O'Brien and Alligator Sports Staff | June 6, 2018

The end of the 2017-18 NBA season is quickly approaching. With three games of the Finals already in the books, we can begin to shift our focus to the NBA Awards on June 25. Sports writers Chris O’Brien, Skyler Lebron, Alanis Thames and Mark Stine provide their takes on who should win the major categories.

Shooting guard Dwyane Wade's return to Miami was one of many different storylines that highlighted the 2017-18 NBA season.

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What this NBA Season Taught Me: We Were All Wrong

By Skyler Lebron | Apr. 18, 2018

At the beginning of every NBA season, fans believe that they have it all figured out.

Cleveland-Golden State IV is set to begin Thursday night at 9 p.m. LeBron James broke the record for most playoff points ever recorded in a career in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.

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The Cavaliers are in trouble? B---- please

By Andrew Huang | Apr. 17, 2018

Victor Oladipo — a rising star in the NBA — is really, really good. But Oladipo and the Indiana Pacers aren’t getting out of the first round of this year’s NBA Playoffs.

Coach Mike White said on Wednesday that this past season had its share of regrets. “But there was a lot of positivity, too," he said.

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Mike White looking ahead to 2018-19: “It’s an exciting time.”

By Andrew Huang | Apr. 12, 2018

The following is a list of key bullet points from the UF men’s basketball team’s 2017-18 resume:

Boston Celtics forward Al Horford leads his team with 7.3 rebounds per game this season. In last year’s Eastern Conference finals, Horford averaged 15.1 points per game.

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Gators in the NBA Playoffs: Horford leads injured Celtics to No. 2 seed

By Andrew Huang | Apr. 10, 2018

The NBA regular season doesn’t end until later tonight, but four former Gators have already clinched their spots in the 2018 NBA Playoffs.

Loyola-Chicago's team chaplain, Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt, garnered a large national following during the NCAA Tournament.

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Quit complaining about Sister Jean

By Morgan McMullen | Apr. 3, 2018

Our sports editor, Dylan Dixon, has spent the past week trying to convince me of the most ludicrous, most asinine thought he has ever had. He believes that Loyola-Chicago’s team chaplain, Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt, is not worth any of the coverage she received.

Rick Pitino was fired from his head coaching job at Louisville in October following an FBI investigation into the program.

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Pitino Receiving Coaching Interest Doesn’t Bode Well for NCAA

By Skyler Lebron | Apr. 3, 2018

Rick Pitino is not a happy man right now.

UMBC pulled off the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history when it beat No. 1 Virginia in the opening round.

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UMBC’s and Loyola-Chicago’s postseason runs have implications beyond sports

By Ethan Bauer | Apr. 1, 2018

Jeff Pearlman, a feature writer for The Athletic and well-known sports biographer, recently made an observation about March Madness.

Center John Egbunu did not play a single minute for the Gators in 2017-18.

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I feel a lot of sympathy for John Egbunu

By Andrew Huang | Mar. 29, 2018

Missing 44 consecutive games due to injury had to be tough for Florida center John Egbunu.

With March Madness approaching its end, the NBA is steadily setting its playoff teams.

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In the midst of March Madness, don’t forget the NBA

By Skyler Lebron | Mar. 22, 2018

Through the month of March, the excitement of high-level basketball consumes everyone.

Guard Chris Chiozza set the all-time school record for assists during his final year with the Gators.

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UF hoops reflection: Most memorable storylines

By Andrew Huang | Mar. 20, 2018

As cliché as it sounds, it was an up-and-down season for the Florida men’s basketball team. There were peaks and valleys. Highs and lows. There’s plenty of ways to say it, but it really is that simple.

Guard Egor Koulechov ended his only season at Florida as the second-leading scorer with 13.8 points per game.

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Losing upperclassman leaders hurts Gators' prospects moving forward

By Jake Dreilinger | Mar. 18, 2018

Florida coach Mike White said something at Saturday’s postgame press conference that made me realize just how far removed this team was from last season’s NCAA Tournament Elite Eight run.

Guard Chris Chiozza ended his senior season with a pair of all-conference honors before a loss in the Round of 32 against Texas Tech on Saturday.

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Chiozza era comes to close with Gators’ elimination from NCAA Tournament

By Benjamin Brandt | Mar. 18, 2018

The Florida men’s basketball team has unlaced its dancing shoes.

Guard Jalen Hudson elected to return to school for his final year of eligibility.

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Gators basketball notebook: Bucking trends vs. Texas Tech

By Andrew Huang | Mar. 17, 2018

The numbers don’t tell the whole story, but it’s hard to deny that there are certain box score benchmarks that are typically associated with a victory for the Gators men’s basketball team.

Coach Mike White has recruited the current No. 4 class in the country for the UF basketball program in 2019.

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Gators level of passion needs to be evaluated when reflecting on this season

By Benjamin Brandt | Mar. 17, 2018

We saw it all on Saturday night. The runs and droughts, the jaw-dropping heroics and equally shocking mistakes. Everything that defined the Florida men’s basketball team’s season made an appearance in its disappointing finale.

Guard Jalen Hudson led the Gators with 23 points off of 50 percent shooting in Florida's Round of 32 loss to Texas Tech on Saturday

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GAME OVER: Florida’s season ends in Round of 32 with loss to Texas Tech

By Jake Dreilinger | Mar. 17, 2018

As Keenan Evans’ pass soared through the air, the hopes of the Gators men’s basketball team advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament flew with it.

Guard Chris Chiozza dished out 11 assists while contributing eight points in Florida's first-round win over St. Bonaventure.

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Chiozza, UF face Texas Tech on Saturday night with Sweet 16 berth on the line

By Andrew Huang | Mar. 17, 2018

A sloppy and early exit from the SEC Tournament on March 9 left a bad taste in the mouth of Florida’s men’s basketball program.

Coach Mike White and the Gators could have their hands full when they square off against Texas Tech tonight.

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Scouting report: Texas Tech Red Raiders

By Andrew Huang | Mar. 17, 2018

A No. 3 seed in the East Region. A second-place regular season finish in the Big 12 behind Kansas, winner of 14 consecutive regular season titles. A handful of All-Big 12 honors. It’s been the season of the century for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders (25-9, 11-7) give up just 64.6 points per game – first in the Big 12 and 15th in the country – and have won three of their last four. Most recent is a 70-60 defeat of Stephen F. Austin in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, thanks to 23 points and 10-for-10 shooting from the line by Evans.

Trae Young and the Oklahoma Sooners made the NCAA Tournament ahead of bubble teams like USC, Middle Tennessee, Marquette and Oklahoma State.

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Putting Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament was the right call

By Jake Dreilinger | Mar. 15, 2018

Picture this scenario. You decide to go to the movies, but you aren’t sure what film you want to see. In front of you are two choices.