Sports | Men's Basketball - The Independent Florida Alligator

UF men's basketball coach Mike White was pleased with his team's defense against Kentucky on Saturday. "We showed a lot of resiliency," he said.

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Staunch defense sparked UF basketball to win over Kentucky

By Jake Dreilinger | Jan. 21, 2018

Kentucky guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander collected a rebound on a missed KeVaughn Allen layup with just over five minutes remaining in the game. Eight seconds later in transition, Gilgeous-Alexander turned the ball over, allowing Florida to respond with two free throws to cut the Wildcats’ lead to 56-55.

Junior guard Jalen Hudson didn't have the best night shooting, going just 4 of 13 from the field. But he came up with a huge block with under 10 seconds to go to secure Florida's second win in its last three meetings against Kentucky.

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Defensive plays down stretch help Florida beat No. 18 Kentucky

By Skyler Lebron | Jan. 20, 2018

The Kentucky men’s basketball team had two opportunities to tie the score in the final moments of the game.

Florida guard Jalen Hudson is leading UF this season with 16.5 points per game. "He's consistently improving his energy level," Gators coach Mike White said.

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Jalen Hudson coming off solid outing as Gators men’s basketball team prepares for Kentucky

By Jake Dreilinger | Jan. 18, 2018

Florida guard Jalen Hudson stood at the left wing of the three-point line as he received an incoming pass from teammate Egor Koulechov. As soon as Hudson shot the ball, he started backpedaling, confident his attempt would fall through the basket.

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KeVaughn Allen looked like old self for Florida men’s basketball team on Wednesday night

By Jake Dreilinger | Jan. 17, 2018

KeVaughn Allen stepped up to the three-point line from the right side of the court with two Razorbacks players guarding him as 32 seconds remained in the first half. He pulled up for the shot, towering over defenders as the ball sailed into the basket.

KeVaughn Allen poured in a career-high 28 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field in Florida's 88-73 win over Arkansas. “Wow, did he play a great game,” coach Mike White said. “He needed it, and we needed it.”

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KeVaughn Allen scores season-high 28 as Gators beat Arkansas on Wednesday, move back into first in SEC standings

By Andrew Huang | Jan. 17, 2018

Florida guard Chris Chiozza dashed toward the basket, zipping through a scattered Arkansas defense as he ran the length of the court on a fast break. As he entered the paint, Chiozza hit fellow guard KeVaughn Allen with a no-look, behind-the-back bounce pass. Allen hit the three-pointer from the right wing of court, increasing UF’s lead to 12 points.

Florida men's basketball coach Mike White and the rest of the Gators are entering today's contest against Arkansas short-handed, with as many as five players expected to sit out.

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Short-handed Gators face Arkansas tonight at O'Dome

By Andrew Huang | Jan. 16, 2018

The list of injuries was already long for the Florida men’s basketball team.

After a midseason meeting with coach Mike White, sophomore forward Keith Stone has seen his role in the Gators' offense increase. “Sometimes, just by talking and leading and being infectious and thinking about your teammates can get you going,” White said.

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Stone developing into scoring threat, leader for Gators

By Jake Dreilinger | Jan. 14, 2018

After receiving the ball on an offensive rebound, Florida forward Keith Stone scored an easy layup with six seconds left in Saturday’s 78-72 loss against Ole Miss.

Junior Keith Stone scored 8.8 point per game in 2017-18 and grabbed 4.3 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-8 forward said he looks to improve defensively in the upcoming season.

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Foul trouble, defensive issues for Florida lead to 78-72 loss to Ole Miss

By Skyler Lebron | Jan. 13, 2018

Ole Miss junior forward Bruce Stevens received a pass in the paint with under two minutes remaining in the game.

Florida guard Egor Koulechov has bounced back from his early-season shooting struggles, connecting on 65 percent of his three-point attempts over UF's previous four games.

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Koulechov finding his rhythm at start of conference play

By Jake Dreilinger | Jan. 11, 2018

Florida guard Egor Koulechov received a pass at the top of the arc five minutes into the game and drained a three-point shot to tie the score at seven apiece. In the early stages of UF’s 71-54 win against Mississippi State on Wednesday, Koulechov scored the Gators’ first 13 points of the contest.

Kevarrius Hayes' defense - three blocks, a pair of steals and seven rebounds - helped light the way for the Gators in Wednesday night's 71-54 win over Mississippi State.

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Gators thrash Bulldogs in 71-54 blowout

By Skyler Lebron | Jan. 10, 2018

Florida center Kevarrius Hayes patrolled the paint midway through the second half, eyeing the ball as it moved around the perimeter. When Mississippi State guard Eli Wright drove toward the basket and attempted a layup, Hayes slapped it away, generating cheers from fans at the O’Connell Center.

After watching his team lose three of its first four games in December, Florida men's basketball coach Mike White is pleased with the recent play of UF's offense. "I think we have a better understanding of who operates where," White said.

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UF looks to continue win streak tonight against Mississippi State

By Jake Dreilinger | Jan. 9, 2018

Florida men's basketball coach Mike White knew his team was lacking in offensive confidence before its Christmas break.

Florida guard Chris Chiozza is averaging 14 points and six assists per game in SEC play this season. "I think he's one of the most underrated guys in the country," UF coach Mike White said.

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Chiozza, Hayes propelling Florida to top of the SEC standings

By Skyler Lebron | Jan. 7, 2018

Three games into conference play, the Florida men’s basketball team’s identity is beginning to take shape.

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Chiozza beats buzzer again to lead Florida past Missouri

By Andrew Huang | Jan. 6, 2018

Chris Chiozza saw it coming the whole way.

Egor Koulechov went 5-of-6 from three-point range and led the Gators with 19 points against the Aggies in College Station, Texas, Tuesday night.

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Gators beat Aggies behind barrage of three-point shots

By Andrew Huang | Jan. 2, 2018

Florida center Kevarrius Hayes threw down an emphatic putback slam after guard Egor Koulechov botched a layup attempt, sending the Gators’ bench to its feet and disappointed Aggies fans out of Reed Arena.

Florida guard Chris Chiozza scored 17 points in Florida’s 81-74 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday to open SEC play.

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Gators stave off late comeback from Vanderbilt to win SEC opener

By Jake Dreilinger | Dec. 30, 2017

With the Gators leading by four points with 43 seconds left in the game, Florida guard Chris Chiozza drove past Vanderbilt forward Clevon Brown from the top of the three-point line and converted a contested layup to seal the victory for UF.

Florida guard Chris Chiozza recorded 16 points, four assists, four steals and no turnovers on Friday in UF's 75-60 win over Incarnate Word at the O'Connell Center.

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Florida edges past Incarnate Word behind play of Chris Chiozza

By Skyler Lebron | Dec. 22, 2017

Chris Chiozza stripped the ball from Incarnate Word guard Keaton Hervey, spun to his left and fired a pass to teammate KeVaughn Allen.

Florida guard Chris Chiozza recorded 19 points, seven assists and three steals in UF's 72-63 win over James Madison on Wednesday at the O'Connell Center.

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Chiozza’s performance helps Florida defeat James Madison on Wednesday

By Jake Dreilinger | Dec. 20, 2017

Chris Chiozza stole the ball from a James Madison guard late in the first half, sprinted down the court and scored an uncontested layup.

Jalen Hudson scored 22 points on 7-of-18 shooting in the Gators' 71-69 loss to Clemson on Saturday in Sunrise, Florida.

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Despite 22 points from Hudson, Gators fall to Tigers in Orange Bowl Classic, 71-69

By Jake Dreilinger | Dec. 16, 2017

As a three-point jumper from Florida guard KeVaughn Allen clanked off the side of the rim, Clemson forward Elijah Thomas started sprinting down the court.

Florida guard Chris Chiozza scored 15 points on Saturday in Florida's 66-60 win over Cincinnati at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

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No. 5 Florida outlasts No. 17 Cincinnati to snap losing spell

By Skyler Lebron | Dec. 9, 2017

Chris Chiozza signaled for his teammates to move away from the right side of the court with the game tied at 60.

Florida guard Jalen Hudson scored a season-low nine points in Florida's 65-59 loss to Loyola-Chicago on Wednesday. "This is as low as we can get," Hudson said.

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Sloppy play leads to third straight loss for No. 5 Gators

By Skyler Lebron | Dec. 6, 2017

Trailing by two with less than a minute remaining in the game, KeVaughn Allen drove down the court. The junior guard galloped to the right side of the lane, throwing up a layup that was tightly contested by a Loyola-Chicago defender.