Tag: Osayi Osifo

This former Florida big man is headed to Jacksonville via the transfer portal

Florida lost power forward Osayi Osifo to the Jacksonville Dolphins via the transfer portal after a single year in Mike White’s program.

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Tuesday evening, former Florida Gators power forward Osayi Osifo announced via his Twitter account that he has committed to play for Jacksonville University next season.

It’s possible that the coaching staff saw him as a project that would pay off down the road when recruiting him out of JUCO, but upon being granted immediate eligibility, he was able to be tested against SEC competition in 2020-2021. However, Osifo’s story with the Gators went off-script pretty much immediately and things evidently went afoul between the two parties by season’s end.

He entered the transfer portal shortly after the Gators were upset by Oral Roberts, which was a predictable choice.

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There’s only so much that went wrong last season that can be blamed on the cardiac incident that sidelined Keyontae Johnson, but overexposing Osifo to high major competition is squarely one of those things. He plays hard and, by all accounts, practices just as hard. Unfortunately, his newness to the sport and lack of nuanced basketball instincts was put fully on display with the Gators.

Pressed into service as the backup forward in head coach Mike White‘s preferred three-guard lineup, Osifo was used more than anyone expected. He averaged 1.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in 10 minutes per game.

As for the next chapter in his story, Jacksonville is a natural choice. The Atlantic Sun Conference is a significant step down in talent from the SEC, which means he’ll have a better chance at latching onto a long-term role. Playing against softer competition, his high-energy rebounding can be a trump card and his physicality can work to greater effect.

Additionally, he’ll be maintaining a level of continuity in coaching. The new head coach of Jacksonville’s men’s basketball team is a former Mike White assistant who worked with Osifo last season.

We at Gators Wire offer Osifo a hearty thank you for his time in the Florida system and wish him the best in his future endeavors.

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These are the players departing the Florida Gators mens’ basketball team

The Gators are losing a number of players after a difficult season, headlined by Tre Mann and including four who filed to transfer.

In light of all they had to face in the 2020-21 season, it’s tough not to think of the Gators as a success after managing a not-too-shabby 15-10 record and getting to the second round of both the SEC and NCAA tournaments. However, despite their accomplishments, the program is witnessing something of a mass exodus of talent, extending to both the players and the coaching staff.

Because of the unusually large number of players departing for other teams, let’s take a look at each. Of course, there could be more bad news for the team coming down the pipe, but so far only these players have declared their intent to find new homes. Additionally, those who have entered the transfer portal could remove their names from the market and return to Gainesville if they have a change of heart.

Florida basketball loses third player to NCAA transfer portal

Junior forward Osayi Osifo became the third Florida player to enter the transfer portal when he announced his intentions to leave on Friday.

Florida lost yet another piece of its 2020-21 team on Friday, as junior forward Osayi Osifo announced on Twitter that he will be entering the transfer portal after just one year on campus. He joined Noah Locke and Ques Glover as the third UF player to enter the portal in less than two days.

Osifo originally joined the team as part of the 2020 recruiting class. He was a junior college transfer from East Florida State College, where he was a three-star prospect and the No. 10 overall JUCO player available. He committed to Florida on Oct. 1, 2019, and he signed the following month.

He appeared in 20 games during his first season with the team, averaging 1.9 points and 2.6 rebounds. In UF’s loss to Oral Roberts in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32, Osifo played a season-high 16 minutes, though he only managed two points and three rebounds.

Now, as a transfer, he will likely have to sit out the 2021-22 season with one final year of eligibility remaining after. Meanwhile, Florida has to replace yet another piece, as Tre Mann also declared for the draft in addition to the three players that transferred, and coach Mike White will have his work cut out for him next season.

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Here’s what the Gators need to do to defeat Georgia on the road

The Gators are tipping off against the ‘Dawgs this afternoon – here’s what they need to do to turn their win over Tennessee into a streak.

The Florida Gators are slated to tip off against the Georgia Bulldogs in a Saturday afternoon matchup. The teams are both 2-of-5 in their recent games against SEC opponents, with Georgia defeating Kentucky on a buzzer-beater and the Gators coming off a shocking blowout of Tennessee in their last game, respectively.

Without a doubt, Florida has been the better team this season despite their seemingly endless string of setbacks. The expert consensus seems to be that the Gators will come out on top in this game. BetMGM gives Florida a 4.5 point advantage, and other sportsbooks echo that sentiment with similar spreads across the board. The ESPN Basketball Power Index puts UF’s chances of victory at 74.6 percent, which is nearly the highest it’s been since the team entered conference play.

Almost nothing has come easily to this team, though, and the Gators need to stay locked in if they’re going to turn their win over Tennessee into a streak. Here are three keys to a Florida win over the Bulldogs.

Betting odds for Florida men’s basketball vs. Georgia, per BetMGM

Everything you need to know to follow Florida basketball at Georgia