Sports | Basketball - The Independent Florida Alligator

Guard Mike Okauru played seven minutes and didn't attempt a shot in the Gators' win against Alabama on Tuesday.

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Free the freshmen: Mike White’s late-game blowout strategy is baffling

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 28, 2018

Some things in life just puzzle me.

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AGENT DOUBLE ZERO: Delicia Washington’s journey to UF and her tough decision over whether to stay

By Justin Ahlum | Feb. 28, 2018

Tara Washington glanced down at her phone as it started to buzz.

Guard Jalen Hudson scored 27 points against Alabama Tuesday night.

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Florida spoils Alabama’s Senior Night with 73-52 beatdown

By Benjamin Brandt | Feb. 27, 2018

Shoot. Miss. Repeat.

Guard Chris Chiozza will look to improve upon his prior performance against Alabama. He finished with four points, four assists and two rebounds in the first matchup between the Gators and Crimson Tide

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Gators vs. Crimson: A star-studded point guard matchup and more

By Andrew Huang | Feb. 26, 2018

With the race to earning a top SEC seed in the final stretch, conference foes Florida and Alabama face off tonight at 7 in Tuscaloosa.

Guard Funda Nakkasoglu scored 22 points in Florida's 60-58 loss to Gardner-Webb. She shot the potential game-winning three with second remaining, but was off the mark.

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Gators’ offense lethargic again as UF drops regular season finale to Georgia

By Justin Ahlum | Feb. 25, 2018

With two and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter, Florida’s women’s basketball team emptied its bench.

Freshman forward Dontay Bassett set career-highs in minutes (24) and points (12) in Saturday's game against No. 12 Auburn.

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Bassett 'doing the dirty work' in Gators men’s basketball’s win over Auburn

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 25, 2018

After his team claimed the opening tip-off, Auburn guard Mustapha Heron started driving toward the basket from the right side before stopping to make a pass through the paint. The ball never reached its target.

Guard KeVaughn Allen buoyed the Florida offense Saturday night with a game-high 24 points.

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Florida ends three-game skid with upset of No. 12 Auburn

By Benjamin Brandt | Feb. 25, 2018

Florida guard KeVaughn Allen remained impossibly composed. Despite having just launched the ball 65 feet through the air to connect on a first-half buzzer beater, he wore his usual collected, serious expression.

Coach Mike White and the Gators men's basketball team have dropped three consecutive games for the second time this season.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators continue tough SEC slate against No. 12 Auburn

By Andrew Huang | Feb. 22, 2018

It doesn’t get any easier for Mike White and the Gators.

Forward Paulina Hersler put up 12 points and was the only Gator to score in double figures Thursday night against Tennessee.

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‘A tale of two halves:’ UT defense too much for Florida in final home game of season

By Justin Ahlum | Feb. 22, 2018

The number two appeared in the box score numerous times after Thursday night’s Florida women’s basketball game.

Guard Chris Chiozza had 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting in the Gators' Wednesday night loss to Tennessee.

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Gators drop third consecutive game in five-point defeat to the Volunteers

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 21, 2018

Chris Chiozza received an inbound pass and drove toward the basket. Down by five with 25 seconds remaining in the contest, the senior guard sprinted by two defenders as he made a beeline for the hoop.

Forward Haley Lorenzen will play her last game at the O'Connell Center as a Gator Thursday night against Tennessee.

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Lorenzen, Hersler have confidence in Florida’s future in the frontcourt

By Justin Ahlum | Feb. 21, 2018

When seniors Haley Lorenzen and Paulina Hersler hear the buzzer sound for the final time as members of Florida’s women’s basketball team, they will leave a gaping hole in UF’s starting frontcourt.

Guard Egor Koulechov scored just seven points while shooting 20 percent from the field Wednesday night against Tennessee.

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Florida lacked star power to match performance of Tennessee’s physical forwards

By Benjamin Brandt | Feb. 21, 2018

Florida guard Deaundre Ballard held his hands high above his head, less like a defender and more like a helpless victim signaling his surrender. Tennessee forward Grant Williams pushed him back and back until Ballard looked straight up from under the rim — arms still locked — and watched the ball fall gently through the net.

Coach Mike White said the Gators' issues with consistency could cost them a trip to the NCAA Tournament. “It’s been a rollercoaster ride,” he said.

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Mike White: ‘There’s a chance we can go to the NIT’ if UF’s struggles continue

By Benjamin Brandt | Feb. 21, 2018

Florida men’s basketball coach Mike White stripped himself of certain formalities before Monday’s practice.

Forward Haley Lorenzen scored 18 points and recorded her 16th career double-dboule.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

For Florida’s women’s basketball team, the objective all year has been to stick to the plan

By Morgan McMullen | Feb. 19, 2018

There wasn’t a particular moment one could point to that swung the momentum of the game. There wasn’t a slick crossover or a single bucket or rebound that signaled it would be Florida’s day.

Chris Chiozza allowed Vanderbilt guard Riley LaChance to drive past him for a go-ahead layup with less than two minutes remaining in Saturday’s 71-68 loss.

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White: Only thing consistent about UF is inconsistency

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 18, 2018

As Vanderbilt guard Riley LaChance’s second free-throw attempt bounced off the rim, guard Joe Toye sprinted into position, jumped up and brought down the rebound. With 2:04 left in the game and down by only one point, the Commodores had another chance to take the lead.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver switched up the All-Star Game's mechanics for the 2017-18 season.

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Dear Adam Silver: Show the draft, please

By Andrew Huang | Feb. 18, 2018

Show the draft!

Dyandria Anderson celebrated Senior Day by going 6 of 9 from the field for 16 points while dishing out four assists.

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Gators women’s basketball teams sends off seniors with blowout victory over Commodores

By Justin Ahlum | Feb. 18, 2018

A hand in her face didn’t stop Dyandria Anderson. From the left wing of the three-point line, the senior guard shot over her defender, finding nothing but the bottom of the net and giving Florida a 16-point lead midway through the third quarter.

Guard Chris Chiozza scored just six points in Saturday's loss to Vanderbilt.

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Gators lacking consistency from back court during recent stretch

By Andrew Huang | Feb. 18, 2018

Consistency.

Guard Egor Koulechov had a chance to tie up the game late, but his shot wouldn't go down. He finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.

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Gators choke away another game in three-point loss to Commodores

By Skyler Lebron | Feb. 17, 2018

Down 71-68 with 8.9 seconds left, the Gators had a chance to tie the score.

Despite guard Funda Nakkasoglu's 24-point performance against Texas A&M on Thursday, the Florida women's basketball team fell to the Aggies 85-80.

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Gators suffer sixth straight loss against ranked opponent

By Justin Ahlum | Feb. 16, 2018

With just over a minute left in the fourth quarter and the Florida women’s basketball team down by one possession, Texas A&M had the ball. From the right wing, freshman Chennedy Carter pulled up from three and watched as her shot fell through the basket.