Walter Clayton Jr. made first team Coaches All-SEC (Photo by Chris Spears) The Gators (27-4, 14-4 SEC) moved up one place to No. 4 in both the Associated Press and Coaches top 25 polls Monday. Monday also saw senior Walter Clayton Jr. named first team All-SEC and sophomore Alex Condon named to the third team.   Clayton, who scored 23 points and handed out eight assists in Florida’s regular season-ending win over Ole Miss, is averaging 17.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. Clayton ranks sixth in the SEC in scoring and assists. His 84 3-pointers are third most in the league.   Condon is averaging 11.4 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Condon ranks fourth in the SEC in rebounding, 8th in blocked shots per game (1.4).   For his efforts last week when the Gators beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa and Ole Miss, Condon was named SEC Player of the Week for the third time this season. Condon had 27 points, 10 rebounds, one assist and two blocked shots against Alabama, 17 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and a steal.   The Gators rank 9th in the country in scoring (84.5 per game), 4th in scoring margin (16 points per game), third in fast break points per game (16.84), 2nd in rebounding (42.42 per game), 10th in rebounding margin (8 per game) and 10th in 3-point defense (29.6 percent).   The Gators are idle until Friday when they play in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference in Nashville.   Coaches All-SEC First team: Johni Broome, Auburn; Walter Clayton Jr., Florida; Mark Sears, Alabama; Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M; Zakai Ziegler, Tennessee   Second team: Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State; Tre Johnson, Texas; Chaz Lanier, Tennessee; Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina; Otega Oweh, Kentucky   Third team: Chad Baker-Mazara, Auburn; Alex Condon, Florida; Jason Edwards, Vanderbilt; Mark Mitchell, Missouri; Sean Pedulla, Ole Miss   Coaches All-Defensive Zakai Ziegler, Tennessee; Denver Jones Auburn; Jahmai Mashack, Tennessee; Cameron Matthews, Mississippi State; Anthony Robinson II, Missouri; Zakai Ziegler, Tennessee   Coaches All-Freshman Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma; Tre Johnson, Texas; Asa Newell, Georgia; Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn; Labaron Philon, Alabama   Coach of the Year: Bruce Pearl, Auburn; Player of the Year: Johni Broome, Auburn; Defensive Player of the Year: Zakai Ziegler, Tennessee; Sixth Man of the Year: Caleb Grill, Missouri; Newcomer of the Year: Chaz Lanier, Tennessee; Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk, South Carolina; Freshman of the Year: Tre Johnson, Texas   Coaches top 25: 1. Duke 28-3; 2. Houston 27-4; 3. Auburn 27-4; 4. FLORIDA 27-4; 5. St. John’s 27-4; 6. (TIE) Tennessee 25-6 and Michigan State 26-5; 8. Alabama 24-7; 9. Texas Tech 24-7; 10. Clemson 26-5; 11. Maryland 24-7; 12. Iowa State 23-8; 13. Louisville 25-6; 14. Wisconsin 23-8; 15. Saint Mary’s 27-4; 16. Texas A&M 22-9; 17. Memphis 26-5; 18. BYU 23-8; 19. Kentucky 21-10; 20. Purdue 21-10; 21. Michigan 22-9; 22. Missouri 21-10; 23. Marquette 22-9; 24. Arizona 20-11; 25. Illinois 20-11   Associated Press top 25: 1. Duke 28-3; 2. Houston 27-4; 3. Auburn 27-4; 4. FLORIDA 27-4; 5. Alabama 24-7; 6. St. John’s 27-4; 7. Michigan State 26-5; 8. Tennessee 25-6; 9. Texas Tech 24-7; 10. Clemson 26-5; 11. Maryland 24-7. 12. Iowa State 23-8; 13. Louisville 25-6; 14. Texas A&M 22-9; 15. Kentucky 21-10; 16. Memphis 26-5; 17. BYU 23-8; 18. Wisconsin 23-8; 19. Saint Mary’s 27-4; 20. Purdue 21-10; 21. Missouri 21-10; 22. Michigan 22-9; 23. Oregon 23-8; 24. Illinois 20-11; 25. Marquette 22-9   Countdown to Firing Day, Basketball Edition Extinct Species List Kevin Keatts, North Carolina State : He went to the Final Four a year ago. If they’re smart, they hire Ryan Odom from VCU. He’s the son of former Wake Forest Gump and South Carolina coach Dave Odom.   Steve Donahue, Pennsylvania: At one point, Penn and Princeton were the hot teams in the Ivy League. No more. If Penn wants to become relevant again it will hire Matt Langel, a former player who has been to five straight NCAA Tournaments at Colgate. Langel might be holding out for something bigger.   Jim Engles, Columbia: Nine years, no winning seasons, no facilities and tons of bad publicity for the university. Shall we call this a dead end job?   Russell Springmann, Oral Roberts: Look for him to resurface on Rick Barnes’ staff at Tennessee. Former Okie State coach Mike Boynton’s name is being prominently bounced around.   Craig Smith, Utah: Andre Miller, who was a great player for the Utes under the late Rick Majerus, is likely. He coaches in the G-League.   Bob Marlin, Louisiana: The new coach is Quannas White from Kelvin Sampson’s Houston staff.   Kyle Keller, Stephen F. Austin: The new coach is Texas Tech assistant Matt Brauer.   Buzzards Are Circling Bobby Hurley, Arizona State: They fired the women’s coach; Hurley is next.     Rodney Terry, Texas: If he loses to Vandy in the first round of the SEC and Texas is NIT bound, figure they’ll be searching. There are alums who want to make Billy Donovan a Godfather offer to leave the NBA.   Matt McMahon, LSU: Three years, three losing seasons. Florida hired Todd Golden at the same time and he might win a national championship.   Kyle Neptune, Villanova: Nova won’t make the NCAA for a third straight year. The natives are restless.   Johnny Dawkins, UCF: Two bad things happened to Dawkins. First, all of Donnie Jones’ recruits graduated or left. Second, UCF joined the Big 12 where he’s 14-24 in league play.     Tad Boyle, Colorado: Funny but he was a good coach a year ago when he had NBA caliber talent. This year he’s dead last in the Big 12.   UF BASEBALL: GATORS FACE NO. 5 FSU IN TALLAHASSEE The 7th-ranked Gators (15-2) will send Billy Barlow (1-0, 2.51 ERA) to the mound tonight when they travel to Tallahassee to face 5th-ranked Florida State (15-0) at Dick Howser Stadium (6 p.m., ACC Network Extra).   After their three-game sweep of Harvard, the Gators remained 7th in the D1Baseball rankings, 6th in Baseball America.   The Gators are 9th in the country in team batting average (.336). The Gators rank 3rd in strikeouts per nine innings (13.3).   D1Baseball top 25: 1. LSU 16-1; 2. Tennessee 16-0; 3. Arkansas 15-1; 4. Georgia 18-1; 5. Florida State 15-0; 6. North Carolina 14-2; 7. FLORIDA 15-2; 8. Oregon State 10-3; 9. Oregon 14-2; 10. Clemson 15-1; 11. Texas 13-1; 12. Oklahoma 13-1; 13. Ole Miss 14-1; 14. Wake Forest 13-3; 15. UC-Barabara 13-2; 16. Vanderbilt 14-3; 17. Alabama 16-1; 18. Stanford 12-3; 19. Texas A&M 9-6; 20. Dallas Baptist 11-4; 21. Troy 13-3; 22. Southern Miss 11-5; 23. Virginia 9-5; 24. Coastal Carolina 12-4; 25. Auburn 13-3   Baseball America top 25: 1. Tennessee 16-0; 2. LSU 16-1; 3. Arkansas 15-1; 4. Florida State 15-0; 5. Clemson 15-1; 6. FLORIDA 15-2; 7. Georgia 18-1; 8. Oklahoma 14-1; 9. Texas 13-1; 10. North Carolina 14-2; 11. Oregon State 10-3; 12. Oregon 14-2; 13. Wake Forest 13-3; 14. Vanderbilt 14-3; 15. Ole Miss 14-1; 16. Alabama 16-1; 17. Stanford 12-3; 18. UC-Irvine 11-4; 19. Virginia 9-5; 20. Dallas Baptist 11-4; 21. Texas A&M 9-6; 22. Mississippi State 11-4; 23. Kentucky 12-2; 24. UC-Santa Barbara 13-2; 25. Louisville 12-2   UF SOFTBALL: GATORS REMAIN NO. 3 After taking two out of three from Texas A&M in the first Southeastern Conference weekend series of the season, the Gators (26-2) remain third in the Softball America top 25. The Gators will host No. 1 Texas this weekend in the biggest softball showdown of the season.   The Gators are third nationally in batting average (.387), third in scoring (9 per game) and first in home runs (56) led by freshman Taylor Shumaker, tied for first with 13. Shumaker leads the country in RBI with 46.   The Gators are fourth in the country in team ERA (1.65).   Softball America top 25: 1. Texas 24-1; 2. Oklahoma 22-0; 3. FLORIDA 26-2; 4. LSU 23-1; 5. UCLA 23-4; 6. Texas A&M 21-4; 7. Arizona 22-4; 8. Oregon 23-2; 9. Tennessee 21-4; 10. South Carolina 20-3; 11. Florida State 20-5; 12. Texas Tech 20-7; 13. Duke 17-7; 14. Oklahoma State 16-6; 15. Mississippi State 21-3; 16. Ole Miss 20-4; 17. Georgia 19-4; 18. Arkansas 20-3; 19. Virginia Tech 19-5; 20. Nebraska 19-6; 21. Stanford 17-3; 22. Alabama 19-7; 23. Auburn 20-3; 24. Liberty 20-4; 25. UCF 19-8-1   UF Gymnastics: GATORS MOVE UP TO NO. 3 With their win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa last week, Florida’s second consecutive meet exceeding a 198 team score, the Gators moved into third in the weekly rankings. The Gators close out their regular season Friday night when they host 10th-ranked Kentucky at the O-Dome.   Friday will be the final home meet for senior Leanne Wong, who is currently ranked second nationally in all-around. Wong is tied for seventh nationally in vault, third in bars and ninth on balance beam.   WCGA top 25: 1. Oklahoma; 2. LSU; 3. FLORIDA; 4. UCLA; 5. Utah; 6. California; 7. Missouri; 8. Michigan State; 9. Georgia; 10. Kentucky; 11. Oregon State; 12. Alabama; 13. Stanford; 14. Auburn; 15. Minnesota; 16. Arkansas; 17. Michigan; 18. Denver; 19. North Carolina State; 20. Nebraska; 21. Arizona; 22. Southern Utah; 23. Ohio State; 24. North Carolina; 25. Penn State

Tommy Haugh (dunking) is one reason why Florida is the best team in the country (UAA Photo) Perhaps we should simply be thrilled that the Florida Gators are a mortal lock for one of four No. 1 seeds when the NCAA announces the tournament field next Sunday. Just being one of the top four teams means opening the tournament against a No. 16 team from one of the bottom feeder conferences. Only one time in history has a No. 16 taken down a No. 1 in the first round, so this is a rather safe place to start the madness.   It is a big deal to be a No. 1 seed, but let’s get real here. Florida is a better basketball team than projected number ones Auburn, Duke and Houston. Period. It isn’t close.   The Gators beat Auburn on the road by nine and that was WITHOUT Alijah Martin. It could have been worse. Much, much worse. Auburn has lost its last two games to Texas A&M and Alabama. The game before the Aggies smacked down Auburn, the Gators whomped them by 19. Back on Wednesday, the Gators beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Now, give Auburn credit for 16 Quad 1 wins. Nobody in the country has more, but if the Gators and Tigers were to play 10 times, the Gators would win eight. Maybe nine.   Duke. Does anyone really believe that Duke is really that good or are the Blue Devils beneficiaries of the Duke hype machine? Yes, the Blue Devils did beat Auburn back on December 4, the last time the Blue Devils played a team that was ranked. Duke lost to a very average Kentucky team and to the worst Kansas team in the Bill Self era. Did anyone bother to check the box score from Auburn-Duke? Duke shot 15 more free throws in a game that Duke’s defense could best be described as no autopsy, no foul. It was a mugging and yet Duke only won the game by six. At home. Let them play at any neutral site and Auburn would hose Duke. The only way Duke could beat Florida is if Pat Adams or Joe Lindsey or Steven Anderson was on the whistle.   Houston? Don’t get me started. Of Houston’s four losses, one was to Auburn, another to Alabama. The Cougars did win the Big 12 with a 19-1 record but folks, the old Big 12 she ain’t what she used to be. Take a look at what happened to Texas and Oklahoma when they took on an SEC schedule. Ugly. Dog’s butt ugly. The Cougars play defense similarly to the Aggies, which is to turn every game into a rock fight. We saw what the Gators did to the Aggies. If you are one to wager on such things as basketball games, you would be wise to take the Aggies against Houston. Take the Gators by a bunch.   I’ve been writing about big time college basketball for more than 50 years. I’ve been fortunate to write about some of the greatest teams, greatest players and greatest coaches. I’ve coached the game quite successfully. I know what I’m talking about and this Florida team is the best team in the country. Todd Golden has the deepest and best constructed roster that is capable of playing and winning no matter the style. When the Gators are focused and ready to go, there isn’t a team in the country that can beat them.    SEC Tournament Wednesday 1. 16 South Carolina (12-19, 2-16 SEC) vs. 9 Arkansas (19-12, 8-10 SEC) 2. 13 Texas (17-14, 6-12 SEC) vs. 12 Vanderbilt (20-11 SEC) 3. 15 LSU (14-17, 3-15 SEC) vs. 10 Mississippi State (20-11, 8-10 SEC) 4. 14 Oklahoma (19-12, 6-12 SEC) vs. 11 Georgia (20-11, 8-10 SEC)   Thursday 5. Winner game 1 vs. 8 Ole Miss (21-10, 10-8 SEC) 6. Winner game 2 vs. 5 Texas A&M (22-9, 11-7 SEC) 7. Winner game 3 vs. 7 Missouri (21-10, 10-8 SEC) 8. Winner game 4 vs. 6 Kentucky (21-10, 10-8 SEC)   Friday quarterfinals 9. Winner game 5 vs. 1 Auburn (27-4, 15-3 SEC) 10. Winner game 6 vs. 4 Tennessee (25-6, 12-6 SEC) 11. Winner game 7 vs. 2 FLORIDA (27-4, 14-4 SEC) 12. Winner game 8 vs. 3 Alabama (24-7, 13-5 SEC)   SEC AND THE NCAA TOURNAMENT Alabama (24-7, 13-5 SEC): The good news for Alabama was beating Auburn to finish out the season. The bad news is they probably play Mizzou in the second round in Nashville, the same Mizzou team that outran them early in the season. Win that one and they get the Gators, who have beaten them three straight times dating back to last year. NCAA NET ranking No. 6.   Arkansas (19-12, 8-10 SEC): A month ago the national media was writing that Arkansas was having buyer’s remorse for hiring John Calipari. Dumb. Cal has the Hogs in the NCAA and he’s doing it with only seven scholarship players. Lunardi and Palm have Arkansas on the No. 10 line. NCAA NET ranking No. 39.   Auburn (27-4, 15-3 SEC): The Tigers have lost two in a row which is a shocker. They’re no longer the overall No. 1 nor are they No. 1 in the NCAA NET rankings. They’re bored and they need to rekindle the flames.   FLORIDA (27-4, 14-4 SEC): The Gators have the depth and size that can take them all the way to the Final Four. No. 1 seed for both Lunardi and Palm. NCAA NET ranking No. 4.   Georgia (20-11, 8-10 SEC): Georgia is hot and a team that nobody should want to play. They’re a No. 9 for Jerry Palm, a No. 10 for Lunardi. This is remarkable considering where they were mid-February. The Bulldogs could win two games in Nashville. NCAA NET ranking No. 30.   Kentucky (21-10, 10-8 SEC): Kentucky is going to be a top four seed no matter what happens in Nashville. Count on it. Lunardi has them No. 3, Palm No. 4. Kentucky means a day one NCAA sellout. Nobody travels like UK. NCAA NET ranking No. 12.   Mississippi State (20-11, 8-10 SEC): The Bulldogs lost four of their last five regular season games so they need a reboot in Nashville. They get LSU game one and if they win that, Mizzou. Jerry Palm has the Bulldogs a No. 6 playing a No. 11 play-in game winner. Lunardi has them a No. 8, which is probably where they will land. NCAA NET ranking No. 34.   Missouri (21-10, 10-8 SEC): For a team that was ever so hot, Mizzou has faded in a hurry. Lunardi has the Tigers on his No. 5 line while Palm has them a No. 6. They probably get Mississippi State on Thursday in Nashville. Win that and it’s the Gators, whom they beat by a point in Gainesville. Two or three wins in Nashville and the Tigers might make it to the No. 4 line. NCAA NET ranking No. 21. Oklahoma (19-12, 6-12 SEC): The Sooners apparently have played their way into the NCAA Tournament. Good news for Porter Moser, who might have been dismissed if he had finished 4-14 in the league. They are a No. 11 for Jerry Palm, a No. 12 in a play-in game for Lunardi. They should be happy just to be there no matter the seeding. NCAA NET ranking No. 46.   Ole Miss (21-10, 10-8 SEC): The Rebels are a No. 5 for Jerry Palm, a No. 7 for Lunardi. Their bracket in Nashville means they probably play Arkansas on Thursday and if they win that one, Auburn on Friday. They will be fortunate to be a No. 7. NCAA NET ranking No. 28.   Tennessee (25-6, 12-6 SEC): The Vols are on everybody’s No. 2 line and they don’t play in Nashville until Friday, most likely against the Aggies for a bring your brass knuckles and switchblades game. NCAA NET ranking No. 5.   Texas (17-14, 6-12 SEC): The Longhorns still have a chance to make the Big Dance but they have to make it to Friday at the SEC Tournament, otherwise they’re in the Nobody’s Interested Tournament. NCAA NET ranking 42.   Texas A&M (22-9, 11-7 SEC): The Aggies are on Jerry Palm’s No. 2 line, Joe Lunardi’s No. 3. Win their Thursday game in Nashville and they get Tennessee, a team they’re capable of beating. Win two in Nashville and they’re likely to be a No. 2 seed. This is a very dangerous team.   Vanderbilt (20-11, 8-10 SEC): One week after back-to-back wins over ranked teams, the Commodores went 0-2 against Arkansas and Georgia. They need a win in Nashville to jump start the post season. They are No. 9 for Lunardi, No. 10 for Jerry Palm. NCAA NET ranking No. 43.   UF BASEBALL: GATORS 41, HARVARD 6 The Gators had their last tune-up weekend before the schedule toughens up considerably. Harvard provided a 3-game punching bag, falling 12-0, 7-0 and 22-6 in three games as the 7th-ranked Gators raised their record to 15-2. Tuesday the Gators will travel to Tallahassee to face No. 4 Florida State. Florida opens its SEC schedule at No. 1 Tennessee on Friday.   Saturday in game one, freshman Aidan King (3-0) went six innings, giving up two hits while walking one and striking out eight as the Gators blanked the Crimson, 7-0, in seven innings. King was backed up by a 2-homer game by Bobby Boser, who drove in six runs. Boser has hit seven home runs already.   In game two, the Gators got home runs from Brody Donay and Brendan Lawson as part of a 19-hit attack that resulted in a 22-6 run-rule win. Donay’s homer was his eighth of the season while Lawson’s was No. 4. Hayden Yost drove in five runs with a single and a double, Lawson drove in four and Ty Evans had a single, double and triple for three RBI.   UF SOFTBALL: GATORS WIN OPENING SEC SERIES WITH AGGIES  Joceylyn Erickson and Mia Williams homered and Kara Hammack shut down 4th-ranked Texas A&M (21-4) in the final three innings as 3rd-ranked Florida (26-2) beat the Aggies, 4-2, Sunday afternoon. The win gave the Gators the opening Southeastern Conference series of the season. The Gators are home against UCF for a non-conference game Wednesday and next weekend they play host to No. 1 Texas in an SEC showdown of teams that last played in the Women’s College World Series last year.   Freshman Katelynn Oxley went the first four innings Sunday, allowing five hits while walking one and striking out one. It was a 2-2 game when she gave way to Hammack (6-0) who didn’t give up a hit, walked two and struck out two.   Erickson hit a 2nd inning home run, her seventh of the season, for Florida’s first run. Kendra Falby singled in a run in the fourth that put the Gators ahead 2-1. Williams hit her eighth homer in the sixth to break a 2-2 tie and in the seventh, Reagan Walsh hit a sacrifice fly that scored Taylor Shumaker with an insurance run.

Walter Clayton Jr. elevates for two of his 23 points against Ole Miss (UAA Photo) There is this extra gear the Florida Gators have that no one else in the Southeastern Conference seems to have. When it kicks in, it might only take a couple of minutes for the Gators to put serious distance between them and opponents who can’t keep up. Sometimes it starts on the defensive end with a steal or a blocked shot. Saturday night at the O-Dome it began oddly with a pair of 3-pointers by the Ole Miss Rebels that narrowed a once 10-point margin down to 40-37.   Barely a minute into the second half, the 5th-ranked Gators (27-4, 14-4 SEC) responded with the kind of spurt that has turned the Gators into a team the last three opposing coaches say should be a lock for a No. 1 seed when the NCAA announces its tournament field a week from today. It began at the 18:48 mark with a driving layup by Walter Clayton Jr. A defensive stop, a rebound by Alex Condon with 18:22 left in the game and an outlet to Clayton turned into a 3-pointer at the other end of the floor. The Gators led by eight, 45-37.   Another stop, another rebound by Condon and an Ole Miss foul slowed down the Gators, who went into their half court mode. Clayton missed a three, Will Richard got the rebound and Alijah Martin drove to the rim where he was fouled. Two free throws later and the Gators led 47-37 with 17:32 left in the game. Barely a minute-and-a-half had ticked off the clock and the Gators were up by 10.   The Gators got a hand in the face of Jaylen Murray who missed a three that Rueben Chinyelu rebounded. Down at the other end of the floor, Clayton found Condon for a layup that put the Gators up by 12 with 17:08 to go. Another stop, a rebound by Clayton and 20 seconds later, Martin scored on a short jumper to make it 51-37 with 16:27 left.   The defense kicked in once again, forcing Ole Miss to brick another three that Chinyelu fought for and grabbed the rebound. Clayton missed a layup, grabbed his own rebound and was fouled. Media time out, after which Richard burned the Rebels with a 3-pointer that gave the Gators a 54-37 lead.   In all, 3:03 elapsed but it had to seem like an eternity for Ole Miss (21-10, 10-8 SEC). From reach out and touch close enough to believe in the possibility of an upset to the helpless feeling that there was absolutely nothing that could be done to derail the freight train that is a Florida team that has caught fire, it happened so quickly, but that is what the Gators are very capable of doing to opponents.   From that moment onward, it was simply a matter of the clock flatlining at 00:00. It took awhile because the zebra crew of Steven Anderson, Todd Austin and Mike Nance turned the final 10:35 into this endless parade to the foul line. After the Gators took a 68-48 lead on a Clayton layup, the Gators went 10-15 from the foul line while Ole Miss went 15-19. The frree throws only delayed the inevitable.   Free throws are the only thing that kept Ole Miss reasonably close, but they couldn’t disguise what Ole Miss coach Chris Beard saw up close and personal. Beard has a good team. Florida has one capable of cutting down the nets in San Antonio.   “In my opinion this should be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament,” Ole Miss coach Chris Beard after the Rebels were laid to waste by the Gators, 90-71, before a sellout crowd of 11,191 at the O-Dome. “They’re deserving of that.”   Florida is deserving. Since getting hosed by Tennessee in Knoxville way back on February 1, the Gators have won eight of their nine games, only one of which was close. In nearly every one of the wins, the Gators have found the gear that allows them to turn a close game into a blowout. Even in the only loss the Gators rallied from 26 down to take the lead over Georgia with 47 seconds to go.   Good teams can’t do that. Great teams can.   “Yeah, we just have a really good team,” Florida coach Todd Golden said. Really good? He knows the Gators are better than that. He was doing his best to be modest. Golden stopped short of calling the Gators great, even though he knows fully well that this is an elite team that is very capable of winning Florida’s first national championship since the back-to-back NCAA title years of 2006-07. The Gators have the best and most cohesive roster in the country whose interchangeable parts make them like an amoeba, able to change shape and dynamic with each substitution. The Gators are the team nobody wants to play. They are 27-4 but they aren't satisfied.   “We have a lot of work left to do and a lot of things left to still accomplish,” Golden said.     Like an SEC Tournament title. The Gators haven’t done that since 2014, the last time a Florida team made the Final Four. Like the overall No. 1 seed. Should the Gators go 3-0 in Nashville they might elbow their way past Auburn and Duke for the top spot in the NCAA Tournament.   The NCAA Tournament is three weekends and a maximum six games. Go 6-0 and you’re hoisting the big trophy while confetti rains down and singling along while to the Luther Vandross recording of “One Shining Moment.” Florida is very capable of turning that dream into a reality.   Why the Gators could run the table has everything to do with roster construction. When everybody is healthy, Golden has 10 exceptionally good players at his disposal and that includes what Clayton has proclaimed is the best backcourt in the country. Clayton, Martin and Richard can all score, pass and defend. Off the bench backing them up are Denzell Aberdeen and Urban Klavzar. There are very few teams in the country those two wouldn’t start for.   Against Ole Miss, Golden was working with a 4-man rotation of bigs – Condon, Chinyelu, Tommy Haugh and Micah Handlogten. That rotation adds 6-9 Sam Alexis when the Gators play their first game in the SEC Tournament in Nashville Friday night. He’s missed a number of games with a sprained ankle, could have played against Ole Miss but Golden elected to rest him so he’s fresh for the 9-game gauntlet that awaits the Gators. Five guys 6-9 or taller, all exceptional defenders whether in the paint or out on the perimeter, and all excellent rebounders. Florida out rebounded Ole Miss 48-36 Saturday night. In the last three games, the Gators have grabbed 140 rebounds, 45 on the offensive end.   “They can dribble, pass and shoot,” Chris Beard said of the Florida roster. “They can playmake just enough. They have an NBA point guard in Clayton, and then the bigs just come in swarms. They do a great job of the four-man rotation, keeping guys fresh so they can rim-run and seal.”   Todd Golden poses with seniors Aljah Martin, Will Richard and Walter Clayton Jr. (UAA Photo) Saturday at the O-Dome was Senior Night and the three seniors didn’t disappoint. Clayton finished with 23 points, five rebounds, eight assists and a blocked shot. Martin scored 13 to go with five rebounds, one assist, one blocked shot and three steals. Richard had 10 points and three rebounds.   The big guys were led by Condon, who had 17 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and a steal. Chinyelu had seven points, eight rebounds, an assist, a blocked shot and a steal. Tommy Haugh filled up the box score with seven points, five rebounds and six assists. Micah Handlogten contributed two points, four rebounds and a blocked shot.   There isn’t a team in the country with Florida’s depth to begin with, much less 10 productive players, all of whom have scored in double figures at least once this season. This is no fluke. This is a roster that Golden has been constructing ever since Will Richard became his first recruit when he took the job in 2022, just days after Mike White bolted for the Georgia job. Since then the Gators have become a solid blend of recruits and transfers from the portal. Golden has been able to blend them together seamlessly to the point that this Florida team has as its foundation extraordinary chemistry. They really don’t care who scores the points or who gets the headlines as long as it's the Florida Gators who get a win.   “We feel like the players we're bringing into the program are good enough to help us, and good enough to impact,” Golden said. “If they're older guys, younger guys, we need them to want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. We try to drill down on the basketball piece first, and then it's pretty simple after that.   “At this point, and where we have our program, we don't have to cut any corners when it comes to culture and the type of guys we bring in. We need great attitudes, great work ethics, but most importantly guys that want to be Florida Gators. When you check all three of those boxes, guys play above their expectations. On a micro level, I feel good across the board that everybody in our program right now feels that way. On a macro level, I think you can see that with the way we play for each other, and to me that’s why . we were a team that analytically was projected to be like a 30th team this year, top 30ish – I think we were 25th in the preseason poll or whatever – and then by the year we're considered one of the top two or three teams in America after the regular season.”   Top two or three for now. Four weekends from now it could be top one.   SEC BASKETBALL Saturday’s scores No. 5 FLORIDA (27-4, 14-4 SEC) 90, OLE MISS (21-10, 10-8 SEC) 71 No. 7 Alabama (24-7, 13-5 SEC) 93, No. 1 Auburn (27-4, 15-3 SEC) 91 No. 4 Tennessee (25-6, 12-6 SEC) 75, South Carolina (12-19, 2-16 SEC) 65 No. 19 Kentucky (21-10, 10-8 SEC) 91, No. 15 Missouri (21-10, 10-8 SEC) 83 No. 22 Texas A&M (22-9, 11-7 SEC) 66, LSU (14-17, 3-15 SEC) 52 Arkansas (19-12, 8-10 SEC) 93, No. 25 Mississippi State (20-11, 8-10 SEC) 92 Georgia (20-11, 8-10 SEC) 79, Vanderbilt (20-11, 8-10 SEC) 68 Oklahoma (19-12, 6-12 SEC) 76, Texas (17-14, 6-12 SEC) 72   SEC Tournament Wednesday 1. 16 South Carolina (12-19, 2-16 SEC) vs. 9 Arkansas (19-12, 8-10 SEC) 2. 13 Texas (17-14, 6-12 SEC) vs. 12 Vanderbilt (20-11 SEC) 3. 15 LSU (14-17, 3-15 SEC) vs. 10 Mississippi State (20-11, 8-10 SEC) 4. 14 Oklahoma (19-12, 6-12 SEC) vs. 11 Georgia (20-11, 8-10 SEC)   Thursday 5. Winner game 1 vs. 8 Ole Miss (21-10, 10-8 SEC) 6. Winner game 2 vs. 5 Texas A&M (22-9, 11-7 SEC) 7. Winner game 3 vs. 7 Missouri (21-10, 10-8 SEC) 8. Winner game 4 vs. 6 Kentucky (21-10, 10-8 SEC)   Friday quarterfinals 9. Winner game 5 vs. 1 Auburn (27-4, 15-3 SEC) 10. Winner game 6 vs. 4 Tennessee (25-6, 12-6 SEC) 11. Winner game 7 vs. 2 FLORIDA (27-4, 14-4 SEC) 12. Winner game 8 vs. 3 Alabama (24-7, 13-5 SEC)

Liam Peterson struck out the first five batters he faced Friday night (UAA Photo) It took an offseason for Liam Peterson to figure out what was going wrong. From a physical standpoint he really wasn’t concerned. There was nothing wrong with his arm or his mechanics. It was all in his head.   “I think especially after Omaha, my last two outings – both of them in Omaha – were, you know, obviously not great,” Peterson said Friday night after striking out 11 Harvard batters in five innings. “So I think just kind of being able to look back that season and kind of reflecting, especially on those two outings, about how I was doing the opposite of not slowing the game down. I think it was kind of like a revelation over the summer that this was something I really needed to work on and to really be able to take that next step in becoming a good pitcher … I’d definitely say a lot of it was mental. I had a big problem with, like overthinking, especially in Omaha.”   With a summer to contemplate and fall baseball practice to reorganize his approach, Peterson started thinking less and simply focused on throwing strikes. When he did that the game slowed down and Liam Peterson took the next steps toward becoming the kind of pitcher he knows he’s capable of being.   Friday night, the new and improved Peterson was on full display. In addition to the 11 strikeouts, Peterson gave up just four hits, only one that left the infield, while leading 7th-ranked Florida (13-2) to a 12-0 win over the Harvard Crimson.   "I think you see that with a lot of freshmen, regardless of how talented they are,” Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “That maturation process is difficult at times but he certainly has made a huge jump in that part of his game, and I think that's the one thing that makes Aidan King, knock on wood, that's what makes him so special. He's just different as a freshman. But Liam certainly is on the right track."   Peterson and King are the new 1-2 for the Gators. Pierce Coppola’s injury opened the door for King, who, like Peterson doesn’t overthink and just focuses in on what he has to do. King will be the starter today when the Gators and Harvard play a doubleheader starting at noon. Both games will be seven innings.   Peterson struck out the first five batters he faced as he raised his record to 4-0. In 26 innings, he has given up only 16 hits and walked only eight while striking out 45 hitters. He gave up an infield hit, a couple of bunts that were legged out for hits, and a single to right center that was maybe six inches higher that the glove of leaping shortstop Colby Shelton.   With Peterson completely on his game, it didn’t take much offense for the Gators to win this one, but they wore down the Harvard pitching staff, turning this into a seven inning run-rule win. With a 2-0 lead through the first three, the Gators flexed their offensive muscles in the fourth (4 runs) and sixth (6 more) to make this an early night.   This wasn’t a homer-fest. Florida hitters simply took the put the bat on the ball approach. For Shelton, it meant going with the pitch wherever it is thrown instead of trying to yank everything out of the yard. He singled to right center in the first to drive in Florida’s first run of the game, went opposite field in the fourth when he sliced a double opposite field down the left field line to drive in three runs.   Shelton’s new approach at the plate is paying off. Through 14 games he is hitting .429. Only one of his team-leading 24 hits has left the yard, but he’s finding gaps and driving the ball into the alleys for 10 doubles. So far, Shelton has driven in 18 runs.     “I would say it’s all approach-related,” Shelton said. “Not trying to do too much when I go up there. Just trusting my eyes, seeing the ball as deep as possible, seeing it as long as possible … Kind of really helping me just swinging at pitches in the zone, not trying to chase pitches out of the zone.”   Opponents are still trying to take away Shelton’s power with a shift that leaves only one fielder on the left side of the infield. A year ago Shelton consistently tried to pull the ball and overpower the shift. This year he’s hitting the ball all over the field, which is defeating the purpose of the shift.   It is a no chase approach and it is allowing Shelton to cut way down on strikeouts. The power is still there, but now he’s making more consistent contact. In 65 at bats Shelton has struck out only seven times.   In the offseason, this was a major point of emphasis for O’Sullivan. So far this year walks are up, strikeouts are down and the team batting average (.326) is 56 points higher than a year ago.   “A single gets the job done when there’s runners on base,” Shelton said. “You don’t have to hit a 3-run homer.   Brody Donay, whose seven homers lead the team, narrowly missed an eighth in the sixth inning. This was a deep drive that caromed off the top of the fence to the right of the green monster in center field. Donay legged out a run-scoring triple by simply going with the pitch. In the third, Donay had one of those it looks like a line drive in the scorebook doubles. This was a towering pop up that Harvard’s first and second baseman surrounded with help from the right fielder. Three gloves, no catch and Donay was only 10 feet from second by the time someone picked the ball up.   Donay is currently hitting .417. A year ago he hit .246, striking out nearly half the time. With this make contact approach at the plate, Donay has whiffed just 11 times in 48 official at-bats.   There is power up and down the lineup but the Gators don’t feel the need to go into the gorilla ball mode. They’re hitting the ball, moving runners along and understanding that good things happen when you put the ball in play. Although the Gators didn’t Friday night the Gators only struck out five times.   There is similarity in the way pitchers like Peterson are slowing the game down and focusing on throwing strikes and the way hitters like Shelton and Donay are going to the plate with a put the ball in play and use the entire field mentality. The game is slowing down for pitchers and hitters alike. They are taking it one pitch at a time, one swing of the bat at a time.   So far the new way of thinking – or in the case of Peterson not over-thinking – is working quite well for the Gators. Team ERA is barely half of what it was last year (3.14 in 2025; 6.05 in 2024) and the batting average is 56 points higher with more contact and fewer strikeouts.   As of Friday night, 25 percent of the regular season is gone and we’re barely into March. A week from now the Gators will be in Knoxville taking on Tennessee, which won the national championship a year ago. The season is still young and the Gators rely on so many young guys to get the job done but they seem to be in a better place now that they are about to embark on the Southeastern Conference portion of the schedule.   UF SOFTBALL: GATORS FALL TO AGGIES IN SEC OPENER It took a seventh inning throwing error for 4th-ranked Texas A&M to spoil the SEC debut of freshman Katelynn Oxley. Oxley went the distance in 3rd-ranked Florida’s first Southeastern Conference game of the season, allowing only five hits, but the two-out miscue gave the Aggies a 3-2 win in College Station.   The Gators managed only four hits off Emiley Kennedy and two of them left the yard. Freshman Taylor Shumaker hit her 13th homer of the year in the fifth and Kenleigh Cahalan hit her eighth in the sixth inning to tie the game at 2-2.   It wasn’t that Kennedy was overpowering – she only struck out two Gators – but UF simply couldn’t get hits with runners on base. Florida had at least one baserunner in every inning but only scored when Shumaker and Cahalan homered.   Oxley benefitted from great defense, particularly in the fifth when the Aggies took a 2-1 lead. After loading the bases with nobody out, Mya Perez drove what looked to be her second home run of the game only to have Kendra Falby make the leaping grab at the center field wall to rob a grand slam. The Aggies did score on the play but Koko Wooley tried to score from second base only to be nailed at home, Falby to Rylee Holtorf to Jocelyn Erickson for an inning-ending double play.   The Gators and Aggies go at it again today at 5 p.m.

Gator great Mike Peterson is developing one of the SEC’s best units. By Loren Meadows, GatorbaitMedia.com , Football Analyst Edge rushers coach and Gator great Mike Peterson (GatorBait photo) As the Gators took part in their second practice of the spring, questions about the rest and relaxation of DJ Lagway turned to the examination of the football team as a whole. While a lot has been made about coordinators and play callers, the late push of the 2024 Gators was built on the play of the defense and most importantly, the ability to affect the opposing passer. Florida finished in the Top 20 in sacks for the first time under Billy Napier and of the 39 total sacks the Gators return over 80 percent of that production including leading sack man Tyreak Sapp. Under the tutelage of former Gator Mike Peterson, Sapp had a career high seven sacks last season and has become the unquestioned leader of one of the most talented group of edge rushers in years. The trio of Sapp, George Gumbs and Kamran James are the centerpieces of a group that should also see former 5-star recruit LJ McCray get more meaningful snaps in the fall. If McCray is able to have the development similar to Sapp, the Gators will have four of the SEC’s best pass rushers.  To help Peterson continue to develop the group, the Gators recently hired former Gator linebacker David Reese as a quality control coach with the edge rushers. Reese, who played for the Gators from 2016 to 2019, could be seen giving instruction in practice and seems to have a solid knowledge of the position and will be a definite asset to the program. David Reese and Tyreak Sapp (Chris Spears photo) Other Notes: Receiver Tre’ Wilson looks to be improving from a lower body injury that sidelined him most of last season. Wilson looks to be cutting aggressively and continues to show elite ability to catch the football. Wilson should return to full strength by the beginning of fall practice. Former 5-star CB Cormani McClain, is now listed at 6-1.5, 182 pounds. McClain’s physical improvements have been the talk of the offseason, putting on 20 pounds, and hit a top speed of 23 MPH in testing. McClain looks to be in the middle of a crowded competition of talented cornerbacks this spring.  Receiver Tre' Wilson (Chris Spears photo)

Florida wins multiple games in the tournament for the second year in a row. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com Florida Coach Kelly Rae Finley (Chris Spears photo) Florida coach Kelly Rae Finley has a lot on her mind this season. Most importantly the charismatic coach will welcome a baby boy right around the time the Final Four comes to Tampa. This week the Gators had bigger things to worry about as they made their way to Greenville, SC for the Southeastern Conference Tournament looking to replicate the success from last year when the Gators knocked off two higher seeds in route to a quarterfinal berth for just the third time in school history. Coach Finley is the ultimate optimist. Charismatic and inviting, the fourth year head coach has changed the tenor around the Gator program through a recruiting passion that operates at a high level without the war chest of other programs around the country. The last two seasons Finley has signed some of the best talent to ever come to Florida. In 2023 Finley signed McDonald’s All-American Laila Reynolds to the program, and in 2024 followed with the signing of All-Americans Me’Arah O’Neal, Liv McGill and Kylee Kitts who reclassified for 2025 and redshirted this season. McGill, the highest rated recruit ever signed at Florida has become one of the SEC’s best young point guards leading the team in both points and assists. For those efforts she was named to the SEC All-Freshman team and is poised to rewrite the record books before her time is done at Florida. Finley and McGill have a relationship that goes back almost a decade and that relationship is visible in the trust that Finley puts in her young guard. In the first round of the tournament the Gators would face the Auburn Tigers, a team that despite just three conference wins bested the Gators by 23 points in late January. Florida, still the higher seed would find revenge in the tournament’s first round as the Gators dominated Auburn 60-50 to move into the second round of the tournament for the second straight season.  On Thursday evening, the Gators faced an Alabama team ranked 20th in the country and looking to make a case to host the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. While Alabama had registered two wins this season against the Gators, Finley and company have an ability to move on to the next and not look back. That outlook showed itself in round three of the matchup as the Gators would again find themselves looking to move into the quarterfinals again under Finley. Florida used exemplary defense along with a career night from Liv McGill to defeat Alabama 63-61. The win was the first over a ranked team this season with McGill scoring a career-high 29 points while senior center Ra’Shaya Kyle added 14 points on her 23rd birthday. The win secured multiple wins for the Gators in the SEC tournament for just the fourth time in school history, the second under Finley. “We talk about earning everything, and we earned that win tonight", Finley stated.  The Gators ultimately would fall Friday evening to LSU in a game that showed the consistent fight that Finley has instilled in to the program. While the loss to LSU ends the Gators season, this week’s performance shows the program is on the right track. The Gators have never had much institutional investment and the ever changing landscape of college athletics makes that investment more of a priority than ever. The program certainly has their lady, and some of the best young talent in the SEC. Will the resources be made available to keep pace with the competition? If so, good things are in store for Finley and her program.

Will Richard (5) was one of Todd Golden's first recruits (Photo by Chris Spears) It is going to be emotional at the O-Dome tonight, make no mistake about it. Senior Night is always like that, but this one is probably more meaningful for Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Alijah Martin than anyone can imagine.     There is no understating the impact Clayton, Richard and Martin have had as 5th-ranked Florida (26-4, 13-4 SEC) closes out the regular season with Ole Miss (21-9, 10-7 SEC) tonight (6 p.m., SEC Network). They are Florida’s leading scorers but their influence on the team goes far beyond points on the scoreboard. They defend, they rebound, they unselfishly give up the basketball to teammates who might have a better shot. They don’t complain about who’s scoring more or playing more minutes. They’re all about winning and that rubs off on teammates.   Perhaps as important as anything else, Clayton, Richard and Martin play with the proverbial chip on their shoulders that comes from the feeling they have to constantly prove they belong. None of them were recruited by the Gators coming out of high school, so first they had to prove they belong at schools that spend their lives traveling in a different orbit than the Southeastern Conference.   Richard transferred to Florida after one year at Belmont, a private school that plays in the Ohio Valley Conference. Clayton, who was thought to be a better football prospect coming out of high school in Polk County transferred to Florida after playing for Rick Pitino two years at Iona of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Martin was like Clayton, thought to be a better football prospect as a safety coming out of North Pike High School in Summit, Mississippi. He played four years for former Gator assistant Dusty May at Florida Atlantic, helping the Owls to a magical Final Four run in 2023.   So here they are at Florida where they have proven themselves as scorers, defenders, passers, unselfish teammates who don’t care who scores or grabs the headlines as long as the Gators win, and as team leaders.   Richard was one of Todd Golden’s first recruits when he took the Florida job three years ago. In his time at Florida he has scored 1,146 points, averaging 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.   In Golden’s second year, Clayton came to the Gators via the portal. In his two years at UF, he has scored 1,127 points, averaging 17.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.   Martin came to Florida as a graduate transfer. In this, his only season as a Gator, Martin has scored 14.5 points per game to go with 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.   Because the three are so good on the perimeter it has given Florida’s young big guys room to grow to the point that now the Gators have what many experts consider the most well-constructed roster in the country. The Gators have proven in 30 games that they are capable of playing and winning in any style, something that couldn’t and wouldn’t happen if the three guys on the perimeter was consumed with themselves.     So tonight, Clayton, Richard and Martin close the curtain on their final seasons of college basketball before a sold out crowd that no doubt will show its appreciation for what they have done to elevate the Gators to elite status. The Gators are the only team in the country with two wins over No. 1 teams (Tennessee and Auburn) and the only one in the country with two road wins over top ten programs (Auburn and Alabama)   None of this could have happened without the contributions of Clayton, Richard and Martin, who will have their moment to shine pregame during the Senior Night ceremonies. It will be emotional and very meaningful time for the three, who will then have to go out and help the Gators finish the regular season on a strong note.     “I think it will be emotional in a good way, but it's part of what comes with senior night, you know, and all three of our perimeter players have all impacted our program in a huge way, in different ways, and have all been very responsible for the success we've had this year,” Golden said said. “So they deserve it. I'm excited for them that we get to celebrate them, and everything we got to make sure we get a win tomorrow night. It's going to be a really big challenge, and we just want to make sure we send them out the right way.”   Game notes: With a win tonight, the Gators will have matched the 2006-07 team for the most regular season wins (26) in school history … The Gators have the No. 4 spot in both the NCAA NET rankings and the kenpom.com analytics … Florida is now on the No. 1 line for both Joe Lundardi (ESPN) and Jerry Palm (CBS).   No. 5 FLORIDA (26-4, 13-4 SEC): Alex Condon (6-11, 230, SO); Rueben Chinyelu (6-10, 255, SO); Will Richard (6-4, 206, SR); Alijah Martin (6-2, 195, GR); Walter Clayton Jr. (6-2, 195, SO)   Ole Miss (21-9, 10-7 SEC): Malik Dia (6-9, 250, JR); Dre Davis (6-6, 216 SR); Matthew Murrell (6-4, 205, SR); Jaylen Murray (5-11, 165, SR); Sean Padulla (6-1, 195, SR)   Today’s games Ole Miss (21-9, 10-7 SEC) at No. 5 FLORIDA (26-5, 13-4 SEC) No. 7 Alabama (23-7, 12-5 SEC) at No. 1 Auburn (27-3, 15-2 SEC) South Carolina (12-18, 2-15 SEC) at No. 4 Tennessee (23-7, 11-6 SEC) No. 19 Kentucky (20-10, 9-8 SEC) at No. 15 Missouri (21-9, 10-7 SEC) No. 22 Texas A&M (21-9, 10-7 SEC) at LSU (14-16, 3-14 SEC) No. 25 Mississippi State (20-10, 8-9 SEC) at Arkansas (18-12, 7-10 SEC) Vanderbilt (20-10, 8-9 SEC) at Georgia (19-11, 7-10 SEC) Oklahoma (18-12, 5-12 SEC) at Texas (17-13, 6-11 SEC)   SEC BASKETBALL: THE SCRAMBLE FOR SEEDING The final regular season games should have a direct impact on seeding for both the SEC and NCAA tournaments. Auburn and Florida have wrapped up a 1-2 finish in the regular season, but there is plenty of room to roam for the rest of the league.   Even with a loss today at No. 1 Auburn, Alabama has clinched a top four finish for the double bye at the SEC Tournament in Nashville. The Crimson Tide is currently No. 3 but would drop down to No. 4 with a loss coupled with a win by Tennessee over South Carolina. A Bama loss and a Tennessee win would result in identical SEC records, but Tennessee owns the tiebreaker by virtue of beating Alabama in Tuscaloosa.     Currently, Kentucky finds itself as the No. 8 seed which means the Wildcats barely miss having to play opening night (Wednesday). A Kentucky loss coupled with a Mississippi State win at Arkansas would result in a tie for No. 8. If that happened, Mississippi State would assume the No. 8 spot while Kentucky would be forced to play Wednesday.     If the SEC Tournament were held today Wednesday’s games 1. 16 South Carolina vs. 9 Mississippi State 2. 13 Texas vs. 12 Georgia 3. 15 LSU vs. 10 Vanderbilt 4. 14 Oklahoma vs. 11 Arkansas   Thursday’s games 5. Winner game 1 vs. 8 Kentucky 6. Winner 2 vs. 5 Texas A&M 7. Winner game 3 vs. 7 Ole Miss 8. Winner 4 vs. 6 Missouri   Friday quarter-finals 9. Winner game 5 vs. 1 Auburn 10. Winner game 6 vs. 4 Tennessee 11. Winner game 7 vs. 2 FLORIDA 12. Winner game 8 vs. 3 Alabama

Florida defeted Alabama 198.025-197.450 despite a season-high home score for the Tide. Florida continued showing it is still in the national title hunt by putting up another 198+ score. With this high road score it allows the Gators to drop one of their low road scores that count towards the National Qualifying Score for postseason. It was senior night for Alabama and the Gators had a tough crowd to compete against in Tuscaloosa. Six gymnasts competed, with Florida having the road rotation of Uneven Bars, Vault, Floor Exercise and Balance Beam. On to the recap:    Uneven Bars: Last Week: 49.575. NQS, 49.430, 3rd in the Nation -Anya Pilgrim: Smooth transition from high to low bars. Full twisting double backflip dismount. Stuck- 9.875 -Riley McCusker: Legs and handstands looking good. Layout dismount. Small hop- 9.90 -Skye Blakely: Great swings from low to high bars. Double front twisting dismount. Hop - 9.875 -Leanne Wong: Such a fluid routine. Legs together. Double layout dismount. Hop- 9.875 -Selena Harris-Miranda: Long handstand holds. Legs together. Double layout dismount. Stuck- 9.875 -Alyssa Arana: Nice handstands. Legs pointed. Double layout dismount. Hop- 9.875 (The dropped score) 49.475 - Florida leads Alabama by .125 after one rotation. Vault: Last Week: 49.430, NQS: 49.375, 2nd in the Nation -Ellie Lazzari: Yurchenko 1 1/2. Under rotated- 9.825 (The dropped score) -Victoria Nguyen: SEC Specialist of the Week last week. Yurchenko 1 1/2. Small hop- 9.90 -Danie Ferris: Yurchenko 1 1/2. Small hop.- 9.850 -Gabby Disidore: Yurchenko 1 1/2. Hop- 9.850 -Leanne Wong: Twisting Vault, landing towards the table. Stuck. Will she get a 10?- 9.975 (Boo!) -Selena Harris-Miranda: Yurchenko 1 1/2. Hops on the landing after the 10.0 last week.- 9.825 49.400 - Florida is tied with Alabama 98.875-98.875 after the second rotation thanks to a season high Uneven Bars that included four 9.9+ routines by the Tide. Floor: Last Week: 49.625. NQS: 49.485, 5th in the Nation -Victoria Nguyen: 1st pass (The long runs from corner to corner)- Tumbling pass into a sissone leap. Looks clean. 2nd pass- 1 1/2 twisting front leap. Stuck- 9.90 -Gabby Disidore: 1st- Double backflip to stag leap. 2nd- 1 1/2 front twist to layout.- 9.875 -Taylor Clark: 1st- Double layout. Stuck. Huge leaps. 2nd- Jump leap to double flip. Stuck. Taylor continues to shine on the Floor- 9.90 -Leanne Wong: 1st- Double layout flip. Stuck. 2nd- Front full twisting leap. Stuck.-  9.925 -Selena Harris-Miranda: 1st- Front flip to double backflip. Stuck. 2nd- Double backflip to Stag Leap- 9.925 -Danie Ferris: 1st- Back tuck twisting flip. Stuck. 2nd- 1 1/2 to front layout. A bit off and lands with a squat. Big deduction - 9.70 (The dropped score) 49.525- Florida leads Alabama by .525 after the third rotation 148.400-147.875. Bama had to count a 9.57 on Beam due to a fall. Beam: Last Week: 49.300. NQS: 49.325, 9th in the Nation -Skylar Drasser:  Side mount. Back handspring to full turn. Clean this week after a 9.750 last week. Back twisting dismount. Stuck- 9.90 -Anya Pilgrim: Springboard candle mount. Double back handspring. Front arial. Split leap. Back handspring dismount. Stuck - 9.875 (The dropped score) -Victoria Nguyen: Side mount. Back handspring changing direction mid flip. Back handspring to 1 1/2 twist dismount. Stuck - 9.90 -Leanne Wong: Side split mount. Front arial combination. Back handspring. Leap series. Front twisting dismount. Stuck .-9.950 -Selena Harris-Miranda: Side split mount. Triple series back handspring. Perfect! Big Leaps. Does the Gator Chomp. Twisting dismount. Stuck- 9.950 -Alyssa Arana: Double back handspring. Front flip. Side twisting dismount. Stuck - 9.925 49.625 -Florida ties their 3rd highest Beam score of the season. Winning the Meet 198.025-197.450. Fighting off Alabama until the end with the Tide having four 9.9+ scores on the Floor. Leanne Wong on Floor. UAA photo. Leanne Wong after the Meet concerning her consistency: “In the gym we just go in after every Friday and see what we can improve. Little things here and there and we did everything we could to get this form, we were so happy” On her being the MVP of the team: “Yeah it definitely doesn't only take one person it takes every single person on this team. Every person has their own role and each person is a role model for another and we just came together this night and really put it out there” Florida looks set on their rotations with only one home meet to go. Leanne Wong won the All-Around with a score of 39.725, moving her total All-Around wins to 20 and into 6th place, all time in Florida history (Trinity Thomas leads with 31 All-Around titles) Leanne Wong would win the Vault (9.975). Selena Harris-Miranda wins Uneven Bars (9.950) and Leanne and Selena share the Balance Beam title (9.950). In an interesting side note. Ly Bui was the exhibition gymnast on all four events. Perhaps she is the “go to” back-up the rest of the season. Florida Gymnastics completes a sweep of the Tide. Joining Men’s and Women’s Basketball with victories this week. Next up is Florida’s Senior Night against Kentucky 3/14. As we say goodbye to Sloane Blakely, Bri Edward’s, Riley McCusker, Leanne Wong, Ellie Lazzari and Victoria Nguyen. Definitely hard to see all of them go.

DJ Lagway is being shut down for the spring (Photo by Chris Spears) I have this friend that I’ve known since we were in Mrs. Cruikshanks’ seventh grade science class at Westwood Junior High School. During lunch time when so many of us were out on the basketball court throwing up one SCUD after another, he was sitting in a shady place reading Fate Magazine.   He was fascinated by tales of Area 51 and other stories about UFOs. His favorite movie was “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” Favorite TV show “Twilight Zone.”  He was convinced there were aliens among us and that our government was afraid to tell us the truth, otherwise there would be widespread panic.   He was big into conspiracy theories even then. When President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, my friend told whoever would listen that this was an inside job, that Lee Harvey Oswald was nothing more than the fall guy.   Sixty years later, nothing much has changed. He still believes the government isn’t telling us about Area 51, still convinced that aliens live among us and no one will ever convince him that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. The conspiracies have expanded into the political realm and surprisingly into sports.   You will never convince him that the outcome of every NFL game isn’t pre-determined. He firmly believes that it’s only a matter of time before it’s true for every college football game.   “The gamblers control the game,” he last told me about a week ago. “They’ve got their hooks into everyone. Do you think they’re going to risk losing billions of dollars every weekend during the fall? Not on your life. This bit about players getting NIL money? That’s a joke. That’s the gamblers giving them money so they can rig the games. You think I’m kidding, don’t you? Well, they’re starting to open up about Area 51 and Roswell. They’re talking about UFOs and aliens living among us. They’ve about decided that the Mayan calendar had to come from aliens and a lot of really smart people think the pyramids were blueprinted by aliens who helped move all those big stones and make them fit perfectly. So don’t tell me I’m wrong about gamblers controlling the game.”   Whatever, I told him.   Thursday afternoon, just prior to divulging his latest conspiracy theory, he sent me this list of walking wounded who will either miss spring football practice at the University of Florida completely or participate in a very limited way:   QB DJ Lagway (shoulder/lower body) * QB Paul Kessler (lower body) RB Treyaun Webb (fractured tibia) RB Chad Gasper Jr. (knee) WR Eugene Wilson III (hip) WR Kahleil Jackson (knee) DL Caleb Banks (foot) DL Jamari Lyons (ankle) DL Stephon Shivers (lower back) LB Grayson Howard (ankle) DB Sharif Denson (foot) DB Aaron Gates (knee) DB Jameer Grimsley (knee) DB Dijon Johnson (shoulder) DB Bryce Thornton (ankle) * DB Cahron Rackley (hip)   * Non-scholarship   I had seen the same list. He knows I write about the Gators. I simply replied, “And you’re sending me this because … ?”   He adamantly answered, “It’s because they want to do away with the spring game completely.”   I asked why and added that the spring game is actually a big deal for a lot of boosters and it’s a chance for the University of Florida to open the gates of the stadium for kids and others who will never be able to afford the cost of tickets and concessions at The Swamp. Gone are the days, I told him, when you could get a ticket, a program, a drink and a hot dog without taking out a second mortgage on your home.   That made me smile. I remember the Saturday night in October of 1963 at Florida Field. Steve Spurrier’s freshman debut. They say 12,000 people showed up. I showed up to sell Cokes. Sarge Squires almost hugged me. I was one of his regulars selling Cokes on Saturdays for the real games. Next thing I new, I had a tray of Cokes, a box of hot dogs on one hip, a box with ice cream sandwiches on the other. I made enough money that evening that I went to Jimmy Hughes Sporting Goods and bought a new pair of cleats that I wore the rest of the season playing for Mr. Dulaney. I played left tackle. We ran single wing and won the county championship.   My friend would have nothing of it.   “Do you think they really care about that?” he asked me. “They don’t. And they don’t want anyone to get any clue about football practice. Would you like to know why?”   Before I could answer, he continued.   “It’s because Billy Napier has the people he needs to win now and he is going to shut down spring practice best he can. He’s got all these receivers who can flat out fly. He’s got Jadan Baugh and Ja’Kobi (Jackson) and K.D. (Daniels) to run it.   “Most of all he’s got DJ (Lagway) who throws the best pass we’ve seen since Eric Kresser. I remember Kresser. Same year Danny and the Gators beat the Semis for the national championship, Kresser won Dee One Double A at Marshall. Two Gator QBs, two national championships. We’re gonna win one with DJ too. Billy isn’t going to show anyone anything this spring.”   So, what are you telling me? That Billy Napier is sandbagging this spring?   “That’s exactly what I’m telling you,” he said. “Billy’s got all these stud wide receivers. He’s got great running backs. He’s got the most veterans he’s ever had on his offensive line. Ron Roberts is picking up where he left off at the end of last year with the defense. New schemes. New ideas. New energy. DJ Lagway. Connect the dots, man! Connect the dots!”   Why, I ask, if there are new offensive and defensive schemes is Billy Napier sandbagging? New plays, new alignments, new schemes require repetitions and those 15 practices are invaluable, not to mention the fact that the spring game is good for recruiting.   He laughed. Then he stole a line from my favorite movie of all time, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”   “You keep thinking, Franz, that’s what you’re good at,” he said, adding, “Look at the schools like Nebraska that are cancelling their spring games. They say it’s injuries or they aren’t holding auditions for enemy schools to come poach their players, but really, it’s about practice in private. Before you know it, probably in a couple of years, they’ll cancel spring games, then a couple of years later they’ll cancel spring practice altogether. It’s going to be a thing of the past. The NFL model is the future. They don’t have spring football practice in the NFL, do they? They’ll give the kids spring off, then they’ll make rules that practices can be held during the summer.”   He might be right about the NFL model as the future of college football, but I’m not convinced Billy Napier is sandbagging because he doesn’t want anyone to get a good look at how he’s lining up his personnel on both sides of the football or changes to the offensive and defensive schemes. I don’t think Billy would mind if Ron Roberts changes the defense up a bit, particularly if it means an extra possession or two for the Gators in the fall.  I also don’t think Billy has given a nanosecond’s worth of thought to changing the way he schemes up the UF offense.   So I’m not buying into any conspiracy theory regarding injuries although I’m not so sure DJ Lagway is necessarily hurt all that bad. The kid is the franchise and potentially a Heisman Trophy winner before he leaves the University of Florida for the NFL. A few more reps in the spring won’t change anything. Why take the risk?

The Florida Gators begin the fourth spring under Billy Napier with arguably its best group of pass catchers. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com , Football Analyst Receivers J. Michael Sturdivant and Tre' Wilson (GatorBait photo) There was a familiar sound coming from right inside the Heavener Indoor facility as the Florida Gators were in the midst of their first of 15 spring practices. The Gators coming off their first 8-win season since 2021 are one of the media darlings of the offseason due to a resurgent defense and star quarterback DJ Lagway.  The sound that was noted earlier was that of receiver coach Billy Gonzales, who continues to be one of, if not the best receiver coach in the entire country. Known for his meticulous nature, and almost sadistic attention to detail, Gonzales was in midseason form taking his group to task about the little things that separate his group from those in other programs. Known as a stickler for blocking, pad level, and route depth, Gonzales has at his disposal arguably the most talented group he has had since returning to Florida in 2022. The Gators return receivers Tre’ Wilson, Aiden Mizell, Tank Hawkins and TJ Abrams from last year’s roster, while adding 5-star recruits Vernell Brown III, Dallas Wilson, and Nashaun Montgomery. All three newcomers flashed early in practice Thursday with SEC ready physiques and talent, while the four returnees mentioned look more mature mentally and physically. Rounding out the group is transfer J. Michael Sturdivant who comes to Gainesville from UCLA with 123 catches and 13 touchdowns. At 6-2.5, 216 pounds Sturdivant is a big body that brings proven production and experience to an immensely talented group. Attention to detail!!-Receivers coach Billy Gonzales (GatorBait Photo) The receivers are thought to be solid at all three positions and offer enough depth that the Gators may look to explore personnel groupings with four receivers in addition to the two and three receiver groupings commonly used by the Gator offense.  Florida will resume practice on Saturday morning and will continue with three practices per week leading up to the Orange and Blue Game on April 12th. J. Michael Sturdivant (GatorBait photo) Other Notes: Quarterback DJ Lagway was on a limited pitch count as noted by Head Coach Billy Napier early in the day. The limited participation is thought to be precautionary and not long term. Transfer quarterback Harrison Bailey took additional reps and looked good on deep and intermediate throws.

Alex Condon scores over Bama's Grant Nelson (UAA Photo) If ever there was a case to be a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament, the Florida Gators made it Wednesday night in Tuscaloosa. In taking down Alabama (23-7, 12-5 SEC), 99-94, the Gators made a statement that they might very well be the best team in the Southeastern Conference, certainly one of the four best in the country.   Prior to Wednesday night, both Joe Lunardi (ESPN) and Jerry Palm (CBS) had No. 1 Auburn and No. 5 Tennessee as No. 1 seeds from the SEC with the Gators perched on the No. 2 line. Lunardi and Palm might want to re-think their brackets. No doubt Southeastern Conference regular season champion Auburn (27-3, 15-2 SEC) will be the No. 1 seed even with Tuesday night’s loss to Texas A&M in College Station. That’s the same bunch of Aggies that the Gators physically pounded into submission five days ago. Tennessee, meanwhile, lost to unranked Ole Miss (21-9, 10-7 SEC) in Oxford Wednesday night.   Florida, meanwhile, made it eight wins in its last nine games, plus clinched a second place finish in the SEC and the double bye at the SEC Tournament that goes with it. Because the SEC is the nation’s strongest conference by a wide margin, second place should be worthy a No. 1 seed. The Gators can solidify their claim to a No. 1 Saturday when they host Ole Miss in the regular season finale.   Should the NCAA selection committee need further evidence, the Gators are the only team in the country with wins over two No. 1 ranked teams (Auburn and Tennessee). If the Gators aren’t the only team in the country to beat two top ten teams (Auburn and Alabama) in true road games, then they are on the short list. The Gators have five wins over ranked teams – then No. 1 Tennessee, No. 1 Auburn, No. 8 Alabama, then No. 12 Texas A&M and then No. 22 Mississippi State.   Florida belongs in the discussion of the few teams truly capable of winning a national championship in large part because the way Todd Golden has constructed his roster. He plays 10 guys, five inside and five on the perimeter. The Gators have five guys 6-9 or taller. Not many teams can match Florida’s size. Golden has five shooters, all of them capable of burying opponents with a barrage of 3-pointers.   Want a rock fight? The Gators are ever so happy to oblige. Want a track meet? Florida can run with anyone. The Gators are deep enough that Golden can sub in and out with barely any noticeable dropoff.     “I think we’re one of the best teams in America and to do that you have to go on the road to beat good teams,” Golden said. We did that with Auburn and we did that tonight with Alabama.”   Florida didn’t just beat Alabama Wednesday night. The Gators physically overpowered the Crimson Tide as evidenced by the rebounding stats. Alabama came into the game leading the nation in rebounding but the Crimson Tide was no match for the Gators. Florida won the battle of the backboards by 15, 50-35.    Florida converted 16 offensive rebounds into 19 second chance points. The Gators dunked on Bama eight times and scored 24 points on layups. This wasn’t anything close to what Alabama head coach Nate Oats envisioned when the game tipped off.   “We knew they were a tough rebounding team,” Oats said. “We’re usually better than that, when we go into a game knowing we’ve got the rebounds. It seemed like they beat us to about every 50-50 ball. They obviously destroyed us on the glass.”   In the final 15 minutes of the game, the Gators went from five down to as many as 14 up. Alabama was ahead 52-47 when the Gators went on a 13-3 run that completely changed the game’s complexion. On the offensive end, things got started with threes by Walter Clayton Jr. and Thomas Haugh sandwiched a fast break dunk by Will Richard, to tie the score at 55-55 with 14:45 to go.   A little bit of defense helped put the Gators ahead for good when Clayton made the best defensive play of the game when he blocked a three by Alabama’s Mark Sears. Twelve seconds later Richard threw down another dunk to give Florida a lead that was never relinquished at 57-55 with 14:10 left in the game.   It was 62-57 when Clayton and Alex Condon took the game over. Condon scored 10 of Florida’s next 17 points with Clayton assisting on a pair of spectacular alley-oop dunk finishes. Clayton’s fast break layup with 5:41 left in the game gave the Gators a 14-point lead at 79-65.   Alabama wouldn’t go away, chipping as many as 10 points off Florida’s lead but the Gators always had answers – an alley-oop dunk by Condon on an assist from Clayton, a 3-pointer by Tommy Haugh on another assist by Clayton, a thunder dunk by Alijah Martin and plenty of free throws. Down the stretch the Gators went 12-15 at the foul line.   Condon had the best game of his career, certainly the best since his injury at Mississippi State. The 6-11 sophomore finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds, one assists, one steal and two blocked shots. Clayton, who was in an offensive funk for the last three games, broke out with 22 points to go with five rebounds, eight assists and a blocked shot.   “I thought Walter did a great job controlling the game – eight assists, one turnover, five rebounds, 22 points and just really kept us poised, making great decisions,” Golden said. “Condo obviously had his best game as a Gator tonight. Just did a remarkable job finishing around the rim, hitting big threes in the first half, just playing with great physicality and effort and setting the tone.”   Those two had plenty of help. Haugh chipped in with 12 points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one blocked shot. Martin finished with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Rueben Chinyelu had nine points, 11 rebounds, one blocked shot and two steals.   This was a statement win for Golden and the Gators. The loss to Georgia a week ago was a fluke but coming back to beat the Aggies soundly at home, then beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa should more than make up for that one night.   Florida might be the most versatile team in the country, one that can win any style. While Golden and the Gators would prefer to run teams out of the gym, they are every bit as capable of pounding teams into submission. The have scorers, rebounders and defenders. They’re big, they’re quick and they’re deep.   The evidence that Florida belongs as a No. 1 seed is compelling. Florida’s regular season finale at the O-Dome Saturday (6 p.m., SEC Network) against a very good Ole Miss team should provide all the confirmation needed.   SEC BASKETBALL Wednesday’s scores No. 5 FLORIDA (26-4, 13-4 SEC) 99, No. 8 Alabama (23-7, 12-5 SEC) Ole Miss (21-9, 10-7 SEC) 78, No. 4 Tennessee (24-6, 11-6 SEC) 76 Oklahoma (18-12, 5-13 SEC) 96, No. 15 Missouri (21-9, 10-7 SEC) 84   Saturday’s games Ole Miss (20-9, 9-7 SEC) at No. 5 FLORIDA (26-4, 13-4 SEC) No. 7 Alabama (23-7, 12-5 SEC) at No. 1 Auburn (27-3, 15-2 SEC) South Carolina (12-18, 2-15 SEC) at No. 4 Tennessee (24-5, 11-5 SEC) No. 22 Texas A&M (21-9, 10-7 SEC) at LSU (14-16, 3-14 SEC) No. 19 Kentucky (20-10, 9-8 SEC) at No. 15 Missouri (21-9, 10-7 SEC) No. 25 Mississippi State (20-10, 8-9 SEC) at Arkansas (18-12, 7-10 SEC) Vanderbilt (20-10, 8-9 SEC) at Georgia (19-11, 7-10 SEC) Oklahoma (18-12, 5-12 SEC) at Texas (17-13, 6-11 SEC)   BUSTING BRACKETS IN THE SEC No. 8 Alabama (23-7, 12-5 SEC): If Alabama falls on the road at Auburn Saturday the Crimson Tide could drop down to a No. 3 seed.   Arkansas (18-12, 7-10 SEC): When the Razorbacks started out 1-6 in SEC play there was no way they would make the tournament. Win Saturday and maybe they’re a No. 9.   No. 1 Auburn (27-3, 15-2 SEC): The Tigers need to get Johni Broome untracked to get their mojo back. They will be the overall No. 1 seed.   No. 5 FLORIDA (26-4, 13-4 SEC): The Gators are the team nobody in the SEC wants to play right now.   Georgia (19-11, 7-10 SEC): The way Georgia is playing they will be somebody’s SEC Tournament nightmare. Georgia is on a 3-game roll.   No. 19 Kentucky (20-10, 9-8 SEC): Kentucky is 3-6 on the road. The Wildcats are at Mizzou Saturday and in serious need of a win to avoid having to play Wednesday in Nashville.   No. 25 Mississippi State (20-10, 8-9 SEC): The Bulldogs would be contenders for a championship in just about any other league. They’re NCAA bound but their stock will drop if they lose to Arkansas Saturday.   No. 15 Missouri (21-9, 10-7 SEC): Any hope the Tigers had of getting the double bye ended in Norman where Oklahoma pulled off the shocker, beating Mizzou by 12. The Tigers need a win against Kentucky if they have any hope of a top four seed.   Oklahoma (18-12, 5-12 SEC): The Sooners could play their way back into the NCAA field if they can beat Texas in Austin Saturday.   Ole Miss (21-9, 10-7 SEC): Beating No. 4 Tennessee will get the Rebels at least to the No. 5 line.   No. 4 Tennessee (24-6, 11-6 SEC): The Vols will probably drop to the No. 2 line after the Ole Miss loss.   No. 22 Texas A&M (21-9, 10-7 SEC): The win over Auburn should keep the Aggies a top four seed. They are in the NCAA Tournament but a loss to LSU Saturday would really hurt their seeding.   Vanderbilt (20-10, 8-9 SEC): The Commodores are in the tournament, but to avoid the dreaded No. 11 seed they need to beat Georgia Saturday in Athens.