http://gatorcountry.com/basketball/ GatorCountry.com basketball news feed English ray@gatorcountry.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-08T02:00:00-05:00 http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/cats_crush_gators_78_58_at_rupp_arena/13472 {title_permalink=http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/cats_crush_gators_78_58_at_rupp_arena/13472/article}#When:02:00:00Z
Instead, the No. 8 Gators (19-5, 7-2 SEC) couldn’t buy a three-pointer against the No. 1 Wildcats (24-1, 10-0 SEC), and a slew of first-half turnovers brought an end to Florida’s seven-game winning streak with a 78-58 loss.

“We took some careless shots at the basket that got blocked, and then we had a couple turnovers which led to them getting out on the fast break,” coach Billy Donovan said on the Gator Radio Network. ]]> 2012-02-08T02:00:00-05:00 http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/florida_preparing_for_toughest_test_yet/13463 {title_permalink=http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/florida_preparing_for_toughest_test_yet/13463/article}#When:23:44:00Z
What Donovan wants his team to focus on instead are the matchups they’ll face. There isn’t a single one the Gators have a decided edge in.

The Wildcats boast three of the league’s best players in center Anthony Davis, power forward Terrence Jones and small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

“Rankings are going to change throughout the course of the year,” Donovan said. “What you try to get your guys prepared for are things that are realities in the game. Whether they’re ranked No. 1, No. 5 or No. 25, you’re still dealing with their personnel, and they’ve got phenomenal personnel.” ]]> 2012-02-06T23:44:00-05:00 http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/brad_beal_carries_uf_back_into_top_10/13462 {title_permalink=http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/brad_beal_carries_uf_back_into_top_10/13462/article}#When:18:23:00Z
Freshman guard Brad Beal is one of the main reasons why, as the league’s top rebounding guard. The former McDonald’s All-American was named the Southeastern Conference's Freshman of the Week for the second straight week and a league-high fifth time following Florida’s wins against South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

Beal helped Florida get back into the game against Vanderbilt in the second half after the Gators sputtered, despite finishing the first half just 1-6 from the floor. ]]> 2012-02-06T18:23:00-05:00 http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/the_worm_willing_gators_to_wins/13455 {title_permalink=http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/the_worm_willing_gators_to_wins/13455/article}#When:22:01:01Z
Florida was able to stave off a strong start to the second half by Vanderbilt on Saturday, in large part, thanks to Yeguete’s relentless effort being the point man in Florida’s press defense.

“He was really, really good in the press,” coach Billy Donovan said. “He was disruptive; steals, deflections. He really exerted a lot of energy. He was a difference-maker in the press for us.” ]]> Feature image story, Wide article (exclude from top stories) 2012-02-05T22:01:01-05:00 http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/sec_week_in_review_kentucky_cruises/13452 {title_permalink=http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/sec_week_in_review_kentucky_cruises/13452/article}#When:19:19:00Z Wide article 2012-02-05T19:19:00-05:00 http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/gators_down_dores_in_73_65_thriller/13447 {title_permalink=http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/gators_down_dores_in_73_65_thriller/13447/article}#When:21:07:01Z
Just like Thursday night, Florida (19-4, 7-1 SEC) used a burst of energy midway through the second half to take down Vanderbilt (16-7, 5-3 SEC) 73-65 and extend its home winning streak to 19 games.

“I thought we were teetering to start the second half,” coach Billy Donovan said. “I just encouraged those guys to keep battling and fighting, and I thought we did that.” ]]> 2012-02-04T21:07:01-05:00 http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/tg_florida_ready_for_tough_sec_stretch/13442 {title_permalink=http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/tg_florida_ready_for_tough_sec_stretch/13442/article}#When:22:38:00Z
After ripping off six straight conference wins, Florida is coming up on a nine-game close to the SEC slate that includes two games each against Kentucky and Vanderbilt.

“Tomorrow puts us at the halfway point; we’ll have eight games under our belt,” coach Billy Donovan said. “There’s no question the stretch that we have coming up is going to be very demanding, very tough. Playing against a lot of good teams.” ]]> 2012-02-03T22:38:00-05:00 http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/florida_holds_on_for_tight_win_vs_usc/13438 {title_permalink=http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/florida_holds_on_for_tight_win_vs_usc/13438/article}#When:05:09:00Z
Yet less than a minute into the second half, Florida led by just six thanks to a sloppy finish to the first half and a slow start to the second as South Carolina put together a 12-1 run.

“I just thought it deflated our team in a lot of ways, and I didn’t think from a maturity standpoint we handled that very well,” Donovan said. “What happened was our focus went from playing defense and rebounding defensively to making shots.” ]]> 2012-02-03T05:09:00-05:00 http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/young_yeguete_grows_into_role/13419 {title_permalink=http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/young_yeguete_grows_into_role/13419/article}#When:23:29:00Z
The 6-foot-7 Frenchman, a sophomore known more for contributions not measured in a box score, drew the assignment of covering junior Arnett Moultrie of MSU in the 69-57 Florida home victory on Saturday.

Moultrie is four inches taller, 26 pounds heavier and the fourth-ranked scorer in the Southeastern Conference at 16.8 points per game.]]> 2012-02-01T23:29:00-05:00 http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/selfless_gators_earn_donovans_praise/13400 {title_permalink=http://www.gatorcountry.com/basketball/article/selfless_gators_earn_donovans_praise/13400/article}#When:17:03:00Z
“Coach, keep it like it is. I’m fine,” Young told Donovan.

Yet, it’s just that mentality that pins him as a “real team guy” in Donovan’s eyes.]]> 2012-01-31T17:03:00-05:00