Tag: men’s basketball

Florida basketball rises in CBS Sports rankings after transfer portal additions

Florida is losing a few players to the pros and graduation, but Todd Golden is making enough moves in the portal to keep the Gators ranked.

Florida men’s basketball head coach Todd Golden has stayed busy during the current transfer portal period, and the Gators are on the rise in the CBS Sports rankings because of it.

CBS Sports insider Gary Parrish updated his Top 25 And 1 rankings Sunday night, following a flurry of key transfer additions across the country, and the Gators moved up four spots to No. 17 in the nation. The main reason for the jump is the portal additions of former Florida Atlantic guard Alijah Martin and Chattanooga forward Sam Alexis.

Both Alexis and Martin should compete for significant minutes, and perhaps starting roles. Florida returns a good group of players too, though, including two starting guards — Walter Clayton Jr. and Will Richard. Both are testing draft waters, but they are expected to return unless they get high evaluation grades.

Golden is only losing three players that factored into the rotation last season. Tyrese Samuel’s presence will be missed down low, especially with Micah Handlogten recovering from a gruesome leg injury, and Zyon Pullin was an All-SEC talent who ran out of college eligibility.

There’s also guard Riley Kugel, who had draft buzz at this time a year ago but fell out of favor under Golden at Florida. He has entered the portal and committed to Kansas, which sits at the top of CBS Sports’ rankings.

Florida is also losing redshirt sophomore forward Aleks Szymczyk, who missed the entire season with an injury.

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Gators earn commitment from former FAU standout via transfer portal

Todd Golden adds his third transfer of the spring as the Gators’ roster continues to round out.

Add another transfer portal coup to Florida basketball’s list of offseason achievements.

On Sunday, the Gators got a pledge from former Florida Atlantic Owls combo guard [autotag]Alijah Martin[/autotag] — not long after announcing his entrance into the portal on Saturday night on Twitter. The news of him going the Orange and Blue was also announced on his personal Twitter account just before noon ET.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 210-pound graduate is Todd Golden’s third transfer to commit this spring, joining former Washington State Cougars forward Rueben Chinyelu and former Chattanooga Mocs forward Sam Alexis. The Summit, Mississippi, native has one year of eligibility remaining to use in Gainesville.

In his final season at FAU, Martin averaged 13.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 41.4% from the field and 33.8% from beyond the arc; he also shot 75% from the charity stripe. On the defensive side, he ranked No. 165 in steal percentage, snagging 56 in 2023-24 along with nine blocks; he grabbed 201 total rebounds, with 50 coming on offensive and the other 151 on defense boards.

His skill set and pedigree suggest that he will mesh quite well with the current roster, much like Zyon Pullin last season, but with some added defensive chops as well. Martin is the 107th-ranked prospect and 15th-ranked combo guard in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports.

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Florida scores another transfer portal win with former Cougars center

The Gators may have found their stand-in for Handlogten this season in this west coast transfer.

Florida basketball added another player from the transfer portal to its 2024-25 roster on Thursday. Former Washington State Cougars center [autotag]Rueben Chinyelu[/autotag] — a rising sophomore originally from Enugu Agidi, Nigeria — committed to the Gators for the second portal score of the offseason for Todd Golden’s gang.

“We are thrilled to welcome Reuben into our basketball family here at Florida,” Golden announced. “He is an ultra-talented young man who fits into the culture of our program seamlessly. He has fantastic tools on both the offensive and defensive end, and we expect him to make a big jump across the board as he enters his second collegiate season.”

Chinyelu played 35 games for WSU last season with 12 starts, averaging 4.7 points per game while adding five rebounds per game and 45 total blocks in 14-ish minutes of playing time per game.

The Gators had pursued him during the 2023 cycle, hosting Chinyelu on an official visit in September 2022, but ultimately chose the Cougars over Florida, the Tennessee Volunteers and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

The 6-foot-11-inch, 245-pound transfer will ostensibly fill the role that Micah Handlogten — who will need some time to recover from a severe leg fracture — had in the rotation next season.

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CBS Sports moves Florida up in early college basketball rankings

It’s way too early to be concerned but it is nice that the national media is showing the Gators some off-season respect these days.

The 2024-25 men’s basketball campaign is still a long way away but CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish has already been busy publishing his weekly rankings in a top-25-plus-1 format. The Florida Gators have been among the group stretching back to the end of last season and once again remain in the upper tier of the collegiate sport.

In his update last week, Parrish had the Orange and Blue ranked No. 22 overall thanks to the acquisition of Sam Alexis via the transfer portal. This week, he ranked Todd Golden’s gang a notch higher at No. 21 — between the No. 20 Miami Hurricanes and No. 22 Seton Hall Pirates.

Parrish did not update his blurb for this week’s entry, but this is what he had to offer last week.

“This ranking is based on Todd Golden’s Gators returning six of the top nine scorers — everybody besides Zyon Pullin, Tyrese Samuel and Riley Kugel — from a team that secured a No. 7 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament,” Parrish said. “The addition of Sam Alexis gives Florida a 6-9 forward who averaged 10.8 points and 9.1 rebounds at Chattanooga as a sophomore.”

Not mentioned was the acquisition of center Rueben Chinyelu on Thursday, a 6-foot-11-inch, 245-pound transfer from the Washington State Cougars. He will ostensibly fill the role that Micah Handlogten — who will need some time to recover from a severe leg fracture — had in the rotation.

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Florida basketball’s seed in ESPN’s early bracketology will surprise you

The Gators are in the thick of the tournament discussion months ahead of the season’s start.

Florida basketball had a heck of a run during the 2023-24 campaign that unfortunately fell a bit short of the potential the team possessed. Nonetheless. the Gators made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the Todd Golden era while also making a deep push in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

While the Orange and Blue lost some key players to eligibility expiration — plus the inevitable loss of center Micah Handlogten for the foreseeable future — the national sports media has been fairly bullish on the upcoming edition of Golden’s gang. Having already snagged a solid replacement from the transfer portal, things are looking good in Gainesville.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi recently released his very early projections for next March’s Big Dance, with Florida earning a No. 6 seed in the South Region based in Atlanta, Georgia, with its opening game against either the No. 11 Clemson Tigers or Providence Friars in Cleveland, Ohio.

Looking at the rest of the SEC,  the Alabama Crimson Tide are the No. 1 seed in the South, followed by the Auburn Tigers (No. 3, Midwest), Texas Longhorns (No. 4, East), Tennessee Volunteers (No. 5, West), Mississippi State Bulldogs (No. 8, East), Texas A&M Aggies (No. 9, Midwest), South Carolina Gamecocks (No. 10, East) and Missouri Tigers (No. 11, West).

South Carolina is one of the last four byes, while Missouri is one of the last four in. The LSU Tigers and Ole Miss Rebels are among the first four out while the Georgia Bulldogs are in the next four out.

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Florida basketball high in ESPN’s way-too-early rankings for 2024-25

Believe it or not, ESPN thinks the Gators are a top-15 team right now among their men’s basketball peers.

The college basketball season is well in the rearview mirror but that only means the next cycle of predictions and prognostications is ready to begin.

The Florida Gators had a successful campaign, earning its first NCAA Tournament appearance in three years while making it all the way to the Southeastern Conference Tournament Finals. The fans and media alike have gained a great deal of confidence in Todd Golden after he navigated his team through some dire straights in 2023-24.

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello recently published his way-too-early rankings for the upcoming season that still lies many months away, surprisingly putting the Orange and Blue at No. 13 in the nation.

“Florida struck gold in the portal last spring and bringing in a few more reinforcements on the wing could be beneficial for the Gators again,” Borzello begins.

“But they should have an All-America candidate at the guard position in Walter Clayton Jr., one of the nation’s top scorers, and Will Richard is a double-figure scorer. Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh and a hopefully healthy Micah Handlogten form a terrific frontcourt group — but another perimeter piece or two would be huge.”

It seems pretty unlikely that Handlogten will contribute much — if anything — next season, but otherwise the roster does look very tidy with some room left for additions. A projected starting five consisting of Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, Denzel Aberdeen, Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon could bring some serious beef to the court this fall.

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Transfer from Chattanooga ready to get to work for Florida basketball

The Apopka, Florida, native is returning to his home state and thinks that UF will be his best chance to make it into the NBA.

Florida basketball welcomed its latest transfer over the past weekend, quickly taking the steps to make sure that the program returns with an upgraded team from last season.

Former Chattanooga power forward [autotag]Sam Alexis[/autotag] made an official visit to Gainesville and it seems like both parties are eager to get started for the 2024-25 campaign.

Alexis spoke with Swamp247, detailing his trip and why he made the rapid decision to join the Gators. The Apopka, Florida, native is returning to his home state and thinks that UF will be his best chance to make it into the NBA.

“I just want to compete at the highest level and show that I belong here,” Alexis said. “I have dreams and aspirations to play in the NBA, but I’m focused on what’s in front of me which is just getting better this offseason and getting stronger and more athletic. That SEC bounce is crazy.”

The 6-foot-9-inch power forward is also ecstatic about what head coach Todd Golden has to bring to the table and is looking for a coach that’s loud on the sidelines to keep him and the team in check.

“I feel like Todd the kind of coach that when I’m in the game, he’s going to give me energy to keep going,” Alexis said. “I don’t want no coach that’s going to be like quiet. Todd is about the game only. I wanted a coach that’s going to dap me up when I’m running down the floor and make me better and I think he can do that for sure.”

Alexis’ presence brings much-needed depth for the Florida bigs, especially after center Micah Handlogten suffered the unfortunate right-leg fracture in the SEC tournament in March.

The transfer also believes he can be more than a rebounding machine for Florida, something the team harped on numerous last offseason.

“That made a major impact on my decision,” Alexis said. “I’m only 6-foot-9 so I feel like I might be able to be versatile and do everything like shoot the 3, pass the ball, score in the post and defend all positions. That was a big factor in my decision.”

The Gators and Alexis will continue to prep for the team’s next campaign, but until then, it will be all eyes on how Golden builds another team after falling in the round of 64.

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Florida basketball losing second-year forward to transfer portal

Florida forward Aleks Szymczyk spent his second year in Gainesville sidelined with an injury, and now he’s entering the transfer portal.

Florida forward Alek Szymczyk has entered the transfer portal, according to both 247Sports and On3.

An international signee with the program out of Germany in the class of 2022 cycle, Szymczyk played in 14 games as a freshman. He averaged 2.1 points and 1.3 rebounds over 7.8 minutes per game. Nineteen of his 28 shots were 3-pointers, but he only converted four of them. He shot 4 for 19 at the free-throw line.

A broken left foot suffered in preseason camp kept him on the sidelines for the entire 2023-24 season. Szymczyk wasn’t guaranteed a prominent spot in the rotation, but it looked as if he would get a significant bump in minutes before the injury.

Florida returns just two forwards — Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh. Center Micah Handlogten is also on the roster, but he’ll miss most of the season after breaking his leg in the SEC Tournament. Just after Szymczyk’s announcement, Florida earned a commitment from Chattanooga transfer Sam Alexis.

Szymczyk will have three years of eligibility wherever goes. There aren’t any obvious landing spots for him. He is the second player to transfer from Florida this offseason, following Riley Kugel’s commitment to Kansas.

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Florida lands Chattanooga forward from transfer portal

Todd Golden and the Florida Gators have earned their first transfer commitment of the cycle from Chattanooga forward Sam Alexis.

Florida earned a commitment from Chattanooga transfer forward [autotag]Sam Alexis[/autotag] over Georgia, Mississippi State, Providence and Xavier on Saturday, according to On3’s Joe Tipton.

“I committed (to Florida) because it was a great fit and has always been a dream to come play for the Gators growing up,” Alexis said. “Honestly, I’m a UCF guy, but the Gators have always been second and it felt like home and I love coach Golden and the staff.”

Alexis is No. 29 overall among players in the transfer portal, according to On3. He averaged 5 points and 3.8 rebounds over 32 games off the bench as a freshman and nearly averaged a double-double (10.8 points and 9.1 rebounds) as a starter for Chattanooga this past season. Alexis improved on the defensive end, blocking 2.1 shots per game.

He should compete for a starting spot given Florida’s current roster. Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh both gained experience as freshmen, but they’re the only forward left in Gainesville. Micah Handlogten is the other frontcourt player on the roster. He’ll miss most, if not all, of next season, recovering from the gruesome leg injury he suffered in the SEC Tournament championship.

In a way, Alexis will replace Handlogten in the frontcourt rotation. He’s a defensive presence that finished at an extremely effective rate in the paint. He’s 6-foot-9 inches tall, so he might not take over Handlogten’s spot in center, but he should play a similar role for the team.

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Florida drops out of top 25 in final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

The Coaches Poll puts the Gators at a de facto No. 27 ranking at the end of the season.

The men’s college basketball season came to a close on Monday night with the UConn Huskies prevailing over the Purdue Boilermakers in the NCAA Tournament Finals, 75-60, for their second-straight title.

The Huskies got to the title game by beating the Southeastern Conference’s lone survivor, the Alabama Crimson Tide, in the Final Four on Saturday, 86-72. The Boilermakers got past the Cinderella NC State Wolfpack in the semis to make their championship appearance, 63-50.

The Florida Gators were unable to make it past the opening game, falling to the Colorado Buffaloes, 102-100, after making a deep run in the SEC Tournament. In the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll update, the Orange and Blue fell from No. 23 in the nation out of the top 25 to a de facto rank of No. 27 with 44 votes.

Around the Southeastern Conference, Alabama is the top-ranked team at No. 4, followed by the Tennessee Volunteers (No. 5), Auburn Tigers (No. 17), Kentucky Wildcats (No. 19) and South Carolina Gamecocks (No. 23). The Texas A&M Aggies also took home 13 final votes.

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