Tag: North Florida Ospreys

Three takeaways from Florida basketball’s blowout win over UNF Ospreys

If there were any concerns about a trap game or two for Florida basketball at the end of the calendar year, a 54-point win over UNF on Saturday squashed it.

Florida basketball broke out with a 10-0 run against North Florida on Saturday and never looked back. The Gators led for all 40 minutes, held a 37-point lead at the half and won 99-45 at the final buzzer.

Complete dominance.

[autotag]Will Richard[/autotag] led all scorers with 26 points on 9 of 12 shooting, including six three-pointers. He outscored UNF in the first half, 18-5. Sam Alexis, Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh also reached double figures, including a double-double from Alexis.

Florida dominated every statistical category, beating UNF by 40 rebounds, 38 points in the paint, 27 points off the bench, 19 second-chance points and 11 assists.

Not a trap game

After a pair of tough Quadrant 1 wins, the fear becomes falling into a so-called trap game. Not for these Florida Gators, though. The Orange and Blue were happy to get back to O’Connell Center and treated the fans to a near-perfect win.

Florida has won plenty of games by 20-plus and even has a 30-point win on its resume, but a 40-point win is uncharted territory for the Gators. Todd Golden has his squad playing complementary basketball and winning in different ways each time out. Sometimes it’s the guards, sometimes it’s the bigs. In both cases, Florida finds a way to dominate its opponent.

The Gators have one more non-conference matchup on the schedule, a home game against Stetson on Dec. 29. Assuming another dominant win, Florida will be 13-0 entering SEC play, and they have to feel like they can compete with some of the best teams in the country moving forward.

Teams such as Auburn, Kentucky and Tennessee may be ranked ahead of Florida right now, but that can change in a hurry if Golden gets this group to play the same way in January.

Will Richard getting hot

The three-headed monster in Florida’s backcourt takes turns having big games, and today was Richard’s to go off. He scored 26 and shot 6 of 8 from three-point range while adding five rebounds and three assists over 21 minutes.

Richard finding a consistent stroke from deep is the best thing that can happen for this club. As a sophomore, he made a name for himself shooting just under 40% from three but wasn’t as sharp a year ago. Starting off the season shooting 25% through the first 10 games sparked some worry, but Richard has found his shot over the past two games making 9-of-13 (69.2%) against North Carolina and UNF.

Florida has to be eyeing the NCAA Tournament at this point, and Richard might be the biggest key to a deep run in March. Walter Clayton Jr. is a pure scorer and Alijah Martin has the experience and leadership to guide the team through the Big Dance, but Richard’s streaky shot is the make-or-break division of this roster.

Let the kids play

Blowout games like this allow young players to get more minutes, and Florida got to play first-years Urban Klavzar and Isaiah Brown for some solid minutes.

Klavzar has looked pretty rough since joining the team, but he’s still adjusting from the European style and was kept away from the program while sorting out his eligibility. Those are big hurdles to overcome, but it’s clear that he’s a strong passer and can drive the line well. He’s still looking for his outside shot; once he finds it, Klavzar will be a legitimate threat in Florida’s backcourt alongside Denzel Aberdeen off the bench.

Brown shows flashes of scoring ability, but he’s simply not on the court enough to really emerge as a significant piece of Florida’s rotation. He looks like a potential wing replacement for Martin and Richard next year, though, and it’s good for him to get 10 minutes in games like this to find his footing.

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PHOTOS: Highlights from Gators baseball’s win at North Florida

Take a look at highlights from Florida’s win at UNF Tuesday night.

Florida baseball recovered from a weird opening weekend that left the Gators 0-1 with a home-and-home sweep of the North Florida Ospreys this week to improve to 2-1 early on in the 2024 campaign.

The first game was played in Jacksonville. Thanks to freshman Liam Peterson’s sparkling collegiate debut, plus a plethora of run support, the Orange and Blue triumphed, 10-0, in a run-ruled seven-inning game.

The tail-end of the two-game series was played back inside Condron Family Ballpark with a lot more excitement involved. UNF scored four runs by the seventh inning to pull it within three, but Florida added six insurance runs before the ninth for a 13-4 final.

Take a look below at highlights from the Gators’ victory in Jacksonville on Tuesday night.

Five takeaways from Florida’s midweek series against UNF

Florida baseball swept a home-and-home series against UNF this week, moving back over the .500 mark after a slow start to the season.

Florida baseball recorded its first two wins of the season on Tuesday and Wednesday, beating the North Florida Ospreys 10-0 and 13-4, respectively.

After a slow start to the season against St. John’s (and Mother Nature), Florida came out to play during the midweek home-and-home series. The first game was played in Jacksonville and only lasted seven innings thanks to the run rule. Freshman Liam Peterson made his debut on the mound and received plenty of run support from the offense.

Wednesday’s game was played back in Gainesville at Condron Family Ballpark and was a bit more competitive until the final innings. North Florida scored four runs by the seventh inning to pull it within three, but the Gators tacked on six insurance runs before the ninth.

This is how things are supposed to go against mid-major programs when you’re ranked inside the top five. Losing the season opener might end up being a good thing, if this is how Florida plays with a chip on its shoulder.

Let’s take a closer look at what we learned about the team this week.

Series Preview: Florida and UNF set for home-and-home series

After falling in the season opener and seeing the rest of the weekend washed away by rain, Florida is set for a home-and-home with UNF.

Hardly anything went right for Florida baseball over the first weekend of the 2024 season, but the Gators have a chance to right the ship this week with a home-and-home series against the North Florida Ospreys.

Florida needs to make a statement against UNF this week after losing the opener to St. John’s and seeing the rest of the weekend washed away by rain. To do so, Kevin O’Sullivan will turn to his Saturday starter, freshman Liam Peterson, on Tuesday at UNF to bring the Gators back to a .500 record.

Then, it’s back at Condron Family Ballpark on Wednesday. Here’s everything you need to know about the series.

A chip-in led this college senior to an individual title while facing the reigning national champs

Higgins delivered the birdie that gave him his second college tournament title.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — After Ian Gilligan of Florida and Nick Gabrelcik of North Florida battled for the individual lead during the first 12 holes of the Sea Best Invitational’s final round on Tuesday, Gabrelcik’s teammate Robbie Higgins, playing in the group ahead, passed them both with short birdie putts at Nos. 13 and 15 at the TPC Sawgrass Dye’s Valley Course.

Higgins then hit neither fairway nor green at the toughest par-4 hole on the course and delivered the birdie that gave him his second college tournament title.

Higgins, a senior left-hander from Bradenton, chipped in from behind the 17th green and with a shout and a fist pump gave himself a three-shot lead that assured the individual title in the opening spring tournament for 15 teams.

Higgins was able to play No. 18 for a safe bogey and with a 65, finished at 5-under-par 205, one shot ahead of Gilligan (69) and three over Gabrelcik (69).

The defending national champion Gators won their third Sea Best title in a row and seventh overall at 2-over-par 842, slipping past UNF by three shots. The next nearest team was Louisville, another 15 shots behind the Ospreys.

Robbie Higgins had one bogey

Higgins nearly chipped in at the final hole, with the ball sliding past the cup on the high side and leaving an 8-foot par putt, which he missed for his only bogey of the day.

But the shot of the day was his chip at No. 17, to a tight pin from about 18 feet away.

The hole is one of two par-5 holes on the course that play as par-4s for the tournament. Higgins’ drive went into the right rough, leaving him 186 yards from the hole, with a tree in his way.

Higgins took a 6-iron and punched it under the tree, hoping to be short or have the ball roll onto the green. But he caught it heavy and the ball ran through the green to the back apron.

He hit the chip low and it skidded, checked up and then hit the back of the hole.

Higgins said he charged the hole on the chip and felt if he missed it, he would have, at worst, an 8-foot putt coming back.

“It’s so grainy around the green … I told myself I’m going to hit a great shot,” he said. “If it rolls 8 feet past, then I’ve got to make a putt for par. I executed a perfect shot and the hole got in the way.”

Ian Gilligan of the University of Florida watches a tee shot during Tuesday’s final round of the Sea Best Invitational, at the TPC Sawgrass Dye’s Valley Course. Gilligan finished second to lead the Gators to a third consecutive team title. (Photo: Katie Park/UAA Creative Services)

Robbie Higgins has delivered in the clutch before

Higgins has been there before. Two years ago he chipped in the last to give the Ospreys the title by one shot in The Hayt, the tournament they host at the Sawgrass Country Club.

“He doesn’t mind the moment,” said UNF coach Scott Schroeder. “He enjoys that challenge.”

Higgins said he would have preferred his chip-in meant the team title before an individual trophy.

“I’m a team-first guy,” he said. “I’m about whether we win before I worry about whether I’ll win.”

Ian Gilligan, Nick Gabrelcik traded birdies, bogeys

While Higgins was making birdie on three of five holes to charge into the lead, Gilligan and Gabrelcik had problems. Gilligan, a junior transfer from Long Beach State, began the day with a two-shot lead, still held that margin at the turn, but lost it with a bogey at No. 10 coupled with Gabrelcik’s 8-foot birdie putt.

Gilligan then found the water on the par-3 11th hole and bogeyed his fourth hole in a row to give Gabrelcik a two-shot lead.

It was Gabrelcik’s turn to give shots back. He three-putted No. 13 for a bogey while Gilligan was righting the ship with a 25-foot birdie putt, on the heels of a gutty 6-foot putt for par at No. 12. Gabrelcik then doubled the par-3 14th after pulling his tee shot long and left.

Neither player could catch Higgins but Florida coach J.C. Deacon admired Gilligan’s fortitude for rallying from five bogeys in eight holes to secure second place.

“He’s got a lot of heart … he’s a very talented player and that experience today is going to help a lot going forward,” Deacon said. “I’m excited for him.”

Gators’ depth carries them to the team title

Florida led by seven shots to start the day but when Gabrelcik and Higgins were a combined 6-under through 12 holes, with no bogeys, UNF caught the Gators and led by two shots.

With Gilligan recovering from his bogey streak, Tyler Wilkes (70) tying for fourth and freshman Jack Turner (70) tying for seventh, the Gators regained the lead and got their spring off to a satisfying start: winning a tournament on a tough course, turning back a tough opponent.

“That was huge for a young team,” said Deacon, who started two players from the national championship team this week, Matthew Kress and John DuBois. “Most of our lineups have never really been in that situation so for them to have to get out and hit shots down the stretch on such a challenging golf course should give us a lot of confidence.”

Schroeder was no less optimistic about what the second-place finish might mean for a team that is the clear favorite in the ASUN, behind seniors Gabrelcik, Higgins and Davis Lee, and junior Andrew Riley, who won the NCAA Division II individual national championship last year at Palm Beach Atlantic.

“It was good for us to get in the mix,” Schroeder said. “We got a two-shot lead at one point and then we made a lot of mistakes for about an hour. Hopefully a learning lesson and something that will motivate them for the next three months.”

The two teams will see each other soon, at the Gator Invitational in Gainesville Feb. 17-18.

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LSU survives rough second half to beat North Florida

LSU moves to 4-2 on the season ahead of a road game against Syracuse.

It wasn’t quite the blowout it looked like it was shaping up to be, but LSU held on despite a less-than-ideal second half to beat North Florida 75-63 on Friday night.

LSU got off to a hot start and led 36-18 at halftime, but it was outscored by the Ospreys in the second half as their offense started to wake up. UNF cut the lead down to as little as nine with less than four minutes to play, but the Tigers didn’t let it get any closer than that.

Will Baker continues to be the focal point of the offense, leading the way with 18 points and eight rebounds. While [autotag]Jalen Reed[/autotag] was held to just two points, he did lead the team with nine rebounds in this one.

Jordan Wright also scored in double figures with 15 points, as did [autotag]Tyrell Ward[/autotag] and [autotag]Mike Williams III[/autotag] with 14 points and 11 points, respectively. It was a solid shooting game overall for the Tigers at 46%, and they scored 25 points at the free-throw line, eight of which came from Baker.

With the win, LSU moves to 4-2 on the year. Coach Matt McMahon’s team will be back in action on Tuesday night as it travels to take on Syracuse in the ACC/SEC Challenge.

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How to watch LSU men’s basketball take on North Florida on Friday night

The Tigers will look to avoid another home loss to a mid-major opponent on Friday night.

After a 2-1 showing at the Charleston Classic that saw the Tigers win their last two including an overtime victory over Wake Forest, coach Matt McMahon’s team is returning to Baton Rouge to play host to North Florida in a Friday night battle.

LSU is 3-2 on the year and plays host to an Ospreys team that enters at 4-2 having yet to face a power conference opponent on the season. They’ll face their toughest test yet as they head to Baton Rouge to take on a Tigers team that can’t afford another loss to a mid-major.

Here’s everything you need to know to watch this game.

Florida comes alive late against UNF in tight midweek contest

Yoel Tejeda Jr. put together his best start of the season for Florida en route to a 6-2 win over the North Florida Ospreys. BT Riopelle and Luke Heyman each had two runs batted in.

The Florida Gators got back to their winning ways Tuesday night, 6-2, but the offense didn’t explode as many expected them to.

[autotag]Yoel Tejada Jr[/autotag]. delivered his best start of the season, allowing zero runs across four innings of work. He ran into trouble a few times but got timely strikeouts and ground balls to get out of whatever jam he found himself in.

Tejeda could have easily set a new career-high in innings pitched or strikeouts had he come out in the fifth, but Kevin O’Sullivan isn’t in the business of overusing arms.

Unfortunately, [autotag]Nick Ficarrotta[/autotag] struggled in the fifth and gave up a pair of runs. That’s all North Florida would get to him for, but it’s a blemish an otherwise decent outing.

Ficarrotta sat the Ospreys down in order in the sixth, but he was removed after surrendering a leadoff walk in the seventh. Left-hander [autotag]Phillp Abner[/autotag] took over and got out of the inning without any trouble, but he struggled in the eighth giving up back-to-back singles.

[autotag]Ryan Slater [/autotag]saved Abner with a strikeout and a lazy fly out into shallow left field.

Florida’s bullpen was overall shaky Tuesday night, but the same can’t be said about North Florida’s relievers. Tony Roca entered the game with an earned run average above 9.20, but he kept the Gators hitless for three-straight innings.

UF finally got to him in the eighth. [autotag]Wyatt Langford[/autotag] produced a leadoff single, and Josh Rivera walked before [autotag]BT Riopelle[/autotag] came up with a much-needed RBI single. Riopelle has been in a slump and striking out a ton, so it’s good to see him get one after a really tough series against South Carolina.

Riopelle’s RBI single was technically an insurance run since Florida had been leading all game, but it had been half a ball game since the Gators last scored and felt a whole lot bigger. Rivera singled, [autotag]Luke Heyman[/autotag] homered (8) and Riopelle got a lucky sacrifice fly RBI on a foul out in the third to give Florida the three early runs.

Heyman came through in the eighth after Riopelle for an RBI single of his own, so it was a big day for the catchers altogether. [autotag]Colby Halter[/autotag] added another to the lead with a sacrifice fly, but that was all UF could muster up.

Slater finished off the ninth, stranding a man a third base on a game-ending fly out to the warning track.

Florida hosts Missouri over the weekend starting on Friday at 7 p.m. EDT.

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Game Preview: Florida looking to get back on track against UNF

Florida might put a hurting on UNF after being swept over the weekend. The Gators are back at home Tuesday night to face the Ospreys at 6 p.m.

It was an ugly weekend for the Gators in Columbia, South Carolina, but the Florida baseball team has a chance to right the ship with a home game against North Florida Tuesday night.

Kevin O’Sullivan typically gives the reserves a chance to play during midweek games, but the starter might need a get-right game after losing to South Carolina in all phases of the game.

A few changes could be made, though. [autotag]Matt Prevesk[/autotag] could take over [autotag]Ty Evans'[/autotag] spot in right field. Evans has been scuffling and is hitting just below .100 against the conference following the weekend. Prevesk is hitting .240 and doesn’t walk a ton, but he’s the better option right now.

The Gators will go with freshman midweek starter [autotag]Yoel Tejeda Jr[/autotag]., who has made it through four innings in each of his starts since a rough outing against Florida Atlantic.

Here’s everything you need to know coming into the game.

How to Watch: Florida baseball vs North Florida Ospreys on Tuesday

Here’s what you need to know to follow this evening’s college baseball action in Condron Family Ballpark.

Florida baseball returns home to host the North Florida Ospreys on Tuesday, April 25, for a single midweek matchup at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Florida, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

The Gators got off to a strong start in non-conference play before earning a series win over the Alabama Crimson Tide at home to open SEC competition. Florida then took a single midweek game from the Florida State Seminoles in Tallahassee before sweeping a doubleheader over the Ole Miss Rebels on the road, following that up with two out of three at home from the Auburn Tigers.

Florida prevailed over the visiting Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at home before taking two of three on the road against the Tennessee Volunteers. Then on Tuesday, the Gators prevailed over the Seminoles again before dropping the opener to the Georgia Bulldogs on Friday. They bounced back on Saturday, before clinching the series on Sunday. The Orange and Blue then mercy-ruled the Florida A&M Rattlers.

Last weekend, the Gators were swept on the road by the South Carolina Gamecocks — their first series loss of the season. Can Florida bounce back strong against UNF?