Sports | Basketball - The Independent Florida Alligator

Sophomore guard Riley Kugel attempts a jumper in the Gators' 89-68 win against the Florida State Seminoles on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.

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Gators look to regroup as tough SEC slate looms near

By Max Tucker | Jan. 8

Although the Gators (10-4, 0-1 SEC) kept the score close throughout, the Kentucky Wildcats (11-2, 1-0 SEC) escaped with an 87-85 victory at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Saturday. Florida’s inefficiency from both the 3-point and free throw lines in the second half of Saturday’s matchup will be an issue that UF head coach Todd Golden’s squad will seek to improve on. The Gators’ conference schedule will include highly anticipated matchups all season long.

Head coach Kelly Rae Finley coaches senior guard Aliyah Matharu during the Gators' 82-65 win against the UNF Ospreys on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023.

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Gators lose first road SEC matchup of 2024 against Vanderbilt

By Jack Meyer | Jan. 7

After a blowout loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks in their Southeastern Conference opener, the Florida Gators women’s basketball team fared much better in their second conference matchup of the season. Nevertheless, they have yet to secure their first SEC win of 2024.

Junior guard Walter Clayton Jr. drives in for a layup in Florida’s 87-85 loss to Kentucky Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024.

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Gators come up short against Kentucky in SEC opener

By Max Tucker | Jan. 6

The Florida Gators men’s basketball team (10-4, 0-1 SEC) fell to the Kentucky Wildcats (11-2, 1-0 SEC) 87-85 in their first game of Southeastern Conference play.

Florida graduate student forward Tyrese Samuel dunks the ball in the Gators' 77-57 home win over the Merrimack Warriors on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.

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Gators men’s basketball set to open conference play against Kentucky

By Max Tucker | Jan. 5

Florida men's basketball coach Todd Golden has led his squad to a 10-3 start in his second year at the helm. However, Florida will be tested right away in the new calendar year as it begins Southeastern Conference play Saturday against the No. 6 Kentucky Wildcats.

Freshman guard Leila Reynolds drives in the lane during Florida's 89-66 loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024.

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Gators women’s basketball falls flat in SEC opener against No. 1 Gamecocks

By Jack Meyer | Jan. 4

The Florida Gators women’s basketball team (9-4, 0-1 SEC) suffered an 89-66 loss to the No. 1 Gamecocks (13-0, 1-0 SEC) in the team’s 2023-24 SEC opener Thursday night.

Florida center Ra Shaya Kyle puts up a shot in the Gators' win over the Florida A&M Rattlers Monday, Nov. 7, 2022.

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Gators women’s basketball set to begin conference play

By Jack Meyer | Jan. 3

With the Gators having concluded their non-conference slate of the schedule, they now turn their attention to their Southeastern Conference foes in 2024.

Junior guard Alberte Rimdal attempts a jump shot in the Gators' 79-75 loss to the Florida State Seminoles on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.

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Gators dominate Winthrop in final non-conference game of 2023-24 season

By Jack Meyer | Dec. 30

The Gators (8-3) dismantled the Winthrop Eagles (6-7) in a 73-36 blowout victory on Saturday afternoon. Winthrop kept the game close early on in the first quarter, but the Gators went on cruise control soon after to finish the game off.

Junior guard Will Richard rises up for a dunk in the Gators' 89-68 win against the Florida State Seminoles on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.

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Gators down Bobcats in final non-conference matchup

By Max Tucker | Dec. 30

The Florida Gators (10-3) defeated the Quinnipiac Bobcats (9-4) in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Saturday afternoon 97-72.

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Gators put talents on display in dominating win against Grambling State

By Max Tucker | Dec. 22

The Florida Gators men’s basketball team’s dominating performance Friday afternoon allowed the walk-ons that don the Orange and Blue to have their shining moment.

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Gators take down Michigan at Jumpman Invitational

By Lacey Rogers | Dec. 20

Florida (7-3) defeated the Wolverines (9-2) 82-65 Wednesday at the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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Gators win double overtime thriller against Michigan

By Jackson Reyes | Dec. 19, 2023

The Florida Gators (8-3) defeated the Michigan Wolverines (6-6) 106-101 in double overtime in the 2023 Jumpman Invitational at the Spectrum Center Tuesday night. Pullin led the team in scoring as five Gators scored in double figures.

Florida junior guard Walter Clayton Jr. shoots the ball in the Gators' 77-57 win against the Merrimack Warriors on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.

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Clayton powers Florida to win against Pirates in homecoming

By Jackson Reyes | Dec. 14, 2023

The Florida Gators (7-3) defeated the East Carolina Pirates (6-5) 70-65 in the 2023 Florida Tip-Off Thursday night at the RP Funding Center. Clayton’s 22 points on 9-16 shooting led UF.

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Richard shines in Orange Bowl Classic against Richmond

By Brandon Hernandez | Dec. 9, 2023

The Florida Gators (6-3) defeated the Richmond Spiders (5-5) 87-76 in the Orange Bowl Classic at the Amerant Bank Stadium in Sunrise, Florida, Saturday. Richard scored a season-high 21 points and the Gators shot at a 45% clip for the game.

Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. fires a jump shot in the Gators' 77-57 home win over the Merrimack Warriors on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.

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Second half surge pushes Gators over Merrimack

By Brandon Hernandez | Dec. 5, 2023

The Florida Gators (5-3) defeated the Merrimack Warriors (4-6) 77-57 in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Tuesday.

Florida guard Leilani Correa scans the court in the Gators' 92-54 win against the Florida A&M Rattlers on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023.

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Florida suffers second loss of the season behind fourth- quarter offensive struggles

By Brandon Hernandez | Dec. 2, 2023

The Florida Gators (6-2) suffered their second loss of the season to the Marshall Thundering Herd (3-4) 91-88 at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, West Virginia, Saturday. Despite Gators senior guards Leilani Correa and Aliyah Matharu combining for 50 points, UF struggled to answer back to a 10-0 three-minute Marshall run to end the game.

Sophomore guard Riley Kugel drives the ball in the Gators' 89-68 against the Florida State Seminoles on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.

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Gators fall to Wake Forest in first-ever ACC/SEC Challenge

By Jackson Reyes | Nov. 29, 2023

The Florida Gators (4-3) lost to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-3) 82-71 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Wednesday night. Sophomore guard Riley Kugel led UF with 24 points in the losing effort on 9-14 shooting and 4-6 from deep.

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Gators leave Atlanta as winners after beating Georgia Tech

By Lacey Rogers | Nov. 29, 2023

The Florida Gators (6-1) took home its third victory in a row, 68-58, against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (5-2) in Atlanta Wednesday.

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Florida falls short against Baylor in high-scoring duel

By Topher Adams | Nov. 24, 2023

The Florida Gators (4-2) fell to the No. 13 Baylor Bears (6-0) 95-91 in the championship of the NIT Season Tip-Off at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Junior guard Walter Clayton Jr. attempts a jumper in the Gators' 89-68 win against the Florida State Seminoles on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.

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Florida hands Pittsburgh first loss of the year behind Clayton season-high game

By Brandon Hernandez | Nov. 23, 2023

The Florida Gators (4-1) defeated the Pittsburgh Panthers (4-1) 86-71 in UF’s first game of the NIT Season Tip-off at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn Wednesday. Despite a rough start, UF held Pitt to 35% shooting from the floor and led for nearly 19 minutes in the contest.

Florida guard Laila Reynolds attempts a layup in the Gators' 92-54 win against the Florida A&M Rattlers on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023.

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Gators escape on Matharu buzzer beater

By Topher Adams | Nov. 22, 2023

The Florida Gators (5-1) escaped the Columbia Lions (2-4) 83-81 Wednesday afternoon in the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship.