Sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

UF coach Mike White speaks with guard Canyon Barry during Florida's 71-62 win against Texas A&M on Feb. 11, 2017, in the O'Connell Center.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

White, Florida men's basketball team peaking at the proper time

By IAN COHEN | Feb. 12, 2017

Mike White was smiling.

Shayna Pirreca (center) dodges defenders during Florida's 14-4 loss to Maryland on March 19, 2016, at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Gators fall to No. 1 UNC in season opener

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 12, 2017

With the score tied at nine and and just under four minutes left in the game, North Carolina’s Sammy Jo Tracy received a pass.

UF’s Justin Leon soars for a dunk during Florida’s 95-63 win against Auburn on Jan. 23, 2016, in the O’Connell Center.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Notebook: Justin Leon has become indispensable for Florida

By Ray Boone | Feb. 11, 2017

With his team in the midst of a 20-10 run late in the second half, Justin Leon sprinted hard down the court.

UF guard Canyon Barry dribbles during Florida's 71-62 win over Texas A&M on Feb. 11, 2017, in the O'Connell Center.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

UF snaps noon curse with win over Texas A&M

By Matt Brannon | Feb. 11, 2017

Chris Chiozza stood with his shoulders square at the basket, toes at the free-throw line.

Delanie Gourley pitches during Florida's 14-10 loss to LSU on March 14, 2015, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

No. 4 Gator Softball demolishes Illinois State in season opener

By Skyler Lebron | Feb. 11, 2017

In 2007, then-second year head coach Tim Walton led a then-No. 17 Florida Gator softball team into Los Angeles for a five-game tournament. Two of those games were against the Illinois State Redbirds.

Alex Mcmurtry perfroms her bars routine against Georgia on Friday, Feb. 10, 2017. The routine received a perfect 10.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

Gators defeat Georgia behind McMurtry’s perfect 10

By Lauren Staff | Feb. 11, 2017

Freshman Amelia Hundley landed her routine on bars.

Sammi Burgess makes a play on the ball during Florida's 14-4 loss on March 19, 2016 Maryland at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Gators lacrosse hope to fill void Graziano left before UNC

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 9, 2017

After its defeat to Penn State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the Florida lacrosse team lost 10 seniors to graduation.

UF men's tennis coach Bryan Shelton looks on during Florida's 4-2 win against UCLA on Feb. 5, 2017, at the Ring Tennis Complex.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida men’s tennis to play No. 1 Virginia

By Mark Stine | Feb. 9, 2017

The No. 6 UF men’s tennis team will take to the skies this weekend, flying to Charlottesville, Virginia, to take on the No. 1-ranked Virginia Cavaliers.

UF women’s tennis coach Roland Thornqvist smiles during introductions prior to Florida’s win over USF on Jan. 27, 2016, at the Ring Tennis Complex.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida seeks to continue momentum at National Indoor Championships

By Spencer Thompson | Feb. 9, 2017

After earning the No. 1 seed in the tournament, the Gators women’s tennis team will travel to Connecticut to compete in the National Indoor Championships Friday through Monday. Florida will open its weekend today at 3:30 p.m., facing unseeded Michigan, the No. 13 team in the nation. Michigan also houses the No. 4 doubles team in the country.

UF guard Dyandria Anderson passes the ball to teammate Delicia Washington during Florida's 57-53 win over Arkansas on Feb. 9, 2017, in the O'Connell Center.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

UF women’s basketball team manages first SEC home win of season

By Dylan Dixon | Feb. 9, 2017

Ronni Williams and Delicia Washington trotted toward halfcourt before meeting each other with a chest bump as the final buzzer sounded at the O’Connell Center.

UF gymnast Alex McMurtry swings during Florida's win over Auburn on Jan. 27, 2017, in the O'Connell Center.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

Despite sickness, UF gymnastics team hoping to rebound

By Lauren Staff | Feb. 9, 2017

Alex McMurtry was ready to make her 2017 floor debut.

FILE - In this Jan. 11, 2017, file photo, New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony looks on during a break in an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Philadelphia. Phil Jackson may be trying to trade Anthony because he's given up trying to change him. That seemed to be the conclusion when the Knicks president of basketball operations broke his Twitter silence with a tweet that was another dig at the star forward. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

SPORTS | COLUMNS

Column: Dear New York: Do the world a favor and just end it already

By Ray Boone | Feb. 9, 2017

OK, this is starting to become childish.

Kelly Barnhill pitches during the second game of UF's doubleheader sweep of Jacksonville on Feb. 27, 2016, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

UF softball begins today in Tampa

By Cassie Amundson | Feb. 9, 2017

In 2016’s final regular-season game, then-freshman Kelly Barnhill threw her first no-hitter at the college level.

UF hurdler Eric Futch races during the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships on June 10, 2016, in Eugene, Oregon.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Florida hurdler jumping into action this weekend

By Daniel Smithson | Feb. 9, 2017

Florida hurdler Eric Futch was one one-hundredth of a second away.

UF coach Mike White looks on in Florida's 68-66 loss to Vanderbilt on Jan. 21, 2017, at the O'Connell Center.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Men’s basketball hosts Texas A&M on Saturday

By Matt Brannon | Feb. 9, 2017

Texas A&M delivered the loss that killed Florida’s NCAA Tournament hopes last season.

UF forward Brooke Copeland dribbles during Florida's 81-62 loss to South Carolina on Jan. 8, 2017, in the O'Connell Center.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida women’s basketball focused on self-improvement

By Dylan Dixon | Feb. 8, 2017

Brooke Copeland, the junior forward from Cleveland, Tennessee, is simply focused on one thing.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

Freshman gymnast fighting for a slot in regular rotation

By Lauren Staff | Feb. 8, 2017

Prior to beginning her career at Florida, the largest crowd that Sierra Alexander had ever performed in front of was just 100, and even then it was made up of mostly parents and friends.

UF guard Kasey Hill dribbles the basketball during Florida's 88-66 win over Kentucky on Feb. 5, 2017, in the O'Connell Center.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Roundtable: Who is Florida basketball’s MVP?

Feb. 8, 2017

No. 17 Florida is playing its best basketball of the year. With five straight SEC wins — three of them by more than 30 points — and a statement win over then-No. 8 Kentucky, the Gators have placed themselves in a tie atop the conference standings. But who deserves the most credit for Florida’s improvement? Assistant sports editor Matt Brannon and sports writers Ray Boone and Ian Cohen debate who’s been the Gators’ MVP — the most valuable person.

Karolina Vlckova (right) celebrates with coach Emily Glaser during the 2015 SunTrust Gator Invitational at UF's Mark Bostick Golf Course.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

UF women’s golf team relying on young talent early in season

By Morgan McMullen | Feb. 7, 2017

At the Florida Challenge on Jan. 30, the first test for coach Emily Glaser’s freshmen golfers was a grueling 11-hour, 36-hole gauntlet of cold weather and stiff competition.

Ryan Orr tees off on Day 2 of the SunTrust Gator Invitational on Feb. 16 at the Mark Bostick Golf Course.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Orr, Gators men’s golf team take home titles at Sea Best

By Justin Ahlum | Feb. 7, 2017

Senior Ryan Orr had never won a tournament as an individual in his four years at Florida. But after shooting 6 under (204) during the two-day Sea Best Invitational, Orr captured his first title by one stroke over teammate Alejandro Tosti.