Scottie Lewis – Page 4 – Syndication Server

2021 aggregate NBA mock draft 2.0: How has the NCAA season changed rankings?

Now that the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball season is underway, we are getting a more clear picture of the top prospects in the upcoming class.

Former top recruits like Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley and Jalen Suggs have made a great first impression and have confirmed why many already feel they are going to be solid future professionals in the NBA.

Of course, considering the unusual nature of the college basketball season, some players are struggling a bit more than others. The performance on the court will likely stray closer to the mean with a larger sample size as the year continues.

But to get a better sense of where everyone stands right now, we compiled mock drafts from ESPN, NBADraft.net, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, The Athletic and USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s For The Win to see where the prospects rank at the moment.

We highlighted the prospects who have been the biggest risers since we published our last edition of this exercise.

College basketball standouts who have most drastically improved their draft stock through the early parts of the season include Keon Johnson (Tennessee), James Bouknight (UCONN), Jared Butler (Baylor), Corey Kispert (Gonzaga), Day’Ron Sharpe (UNC), Aaron Henry (Michigan State), Ayo Dosunmu (Illinois), Marcus Bagley (Arizona State), Moussa Cisse (Memphis), Charles Bassey (Western Kentucky), Jason Preston (Ohio) and Luka Garza (Iowa).

Below are the rankings based on the latest mock drafts from top analysts and experts:

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report

Three takeaways from Florida’s loss to the Seminoles

Florida Gators men’s basketball dropped its seventh-straight match with FSU after star forward Keyontae Johnson collapsed on the court.

The Gators lost their rivalry game against Florida State on Saturday, with a final score of 73-81. The biggest story of the game was, obviously, the loss of star forward Keyontae Johnson, who collapsed unresponsive on the court and was taken to the hospital.

The Seminoles looked great throughout this game, and while the Gators were not able to bounce back from the initial shock of losing Johnson, they were able to play well for the last 12-ish minutes of the game. Unfortunately, they fell too far behind Florida State in the intervening time. Florida was clearly in no state of mind to play in the minutes after Johnson’s departure, as many players were visibly shaken up. Scottie Lewis, Tyree Appleby, and Omar Payne were even brought to tears.

Despite the cloud that hung over this game, there were substantive basketball played. Every minute played is instructive about this team’s identity because the season is still so new. Although the Gators faced a worst-case scenario, Colin Castleton played what was arguably his best game so far, but the stars of the day were Tre Mann and Scottie Lewis. Here are some things we observed during the loss to FSU.

Here’s how the Gators can snap their 6-game losing streak to FSU

Florida has lost their last six matchups against Florida State, but here’s how that bleak streak could end on Saturday morning.

The Gators basketball team hasn’t taken to the court since their home opener on Sunday evening, but that rest was needed. Florida is set to take on their first ranked opponent of the season — the Florida State Seminoles.

The face of Florida State’s roster looks pretty different as the new season unfolds. The team’s 2019-2020 roster was plundered in the draft, sending two players to the NBA in the first round. The new-look Seminoles are no pushovers, though. The Gators are given a 58.2 percent chance of victory by ESPN’s Basketball Power Index. BetMGM predicts a good game as well, giving the Seminoles a razor thin 3-point edge.

Florida enters this game looking to end a losing streak against Florida State, dropping their last six matchups to the in-state rivals. Although that storyline will undoubtedly dominate the airwaves, simply seeing how well this team tightens their game while facing a tough opponent should be instructive as well. Here are three things the Gators have to do win this game.

Here are three keys to a Florida win vs Stetson on Sunday

The Gators are favored heavily to win their weekend matchup with the Hatters, and here’s what they can do to make it happen.

The Gators go into their third game of the season as victors in their first two contests. Their most recent game — a blowout against Boston College — was a huge confidence boost in this team’s ability to play at a high level on both ends of the court. With momentum on their side and another beatable team on the docket, it’s shaping up to be a fun afternoon for Florida fans.

The Stetson Hatters, who have lost both of their games on the young season, come to Gainesville licking their wounds after a loss to Miami that saw them walk off the court with a 22-point deficit. Their roster features two Preseason All-ASUN selections in center Mahamadou Diawara and guard Rob Perry. One under the radar player to keep an eye on is redshirt freshman Chase Johnston. He put up good numbers against Miami while the rest of his team stumbled.

There’s every reason to believe that Florida can win this game. ESPN’s basketball power index gives the Hatters only a 3 percent chance of victory. The odds are so in their favor of UF, this matchup is off the books at most betting sites. In the places you can gamble on the outcome, the Gators are favored by 21.5 points. However, there’s still no excuse to phone in their performance; upsets are an integral part of college basketball.

In that spirit, here are three things that Florida needs to accomplish to pull out a win on Sunday afternoon.

Three keys to a Florida Gators victory against Boston College

The Gators can’t afford to phone in their performance on Thursday evening – here are three things that need to happen for a Florida win.

The Gators are squaring off against the Boston College Eagles in their second and final game at the Bubbleville event at Mohegan Sun Area. With their first win under their belt, the Florida squad will be on the hunt for another. Boston College won’t go down without a fight, though, and the Gators could find themselves in a shootout with their offensively gifted opponents.

Like the Army game on Wednesday, Florida is favored by oddsmakers in this matchup, although BetMGM has them ahead by only a slim 5.5 point margin. If the team is going to pull out another victory, they’ll need to be firing on all cylinders.

In light of the competitive nature that this game is likely to take, here are three keys to a successful game for the Florida Gators.

Scottie Lewis is one of the top wings in the nation

Florida Gators men’s basketball swingman Scottie Lewis is among the best wing players in college basketball this season per The Athletic.

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The college basketball season draws near, awakening from a long slumber after the postseason was canceled last March due to the emerging coronavirus outbreak. Despite the lost games and the limitations placed on the schools in the offseason to combat COVID-19, it looks like at least the major programs are ready to take the court.

Among those teams starting up week is Florida, who faces the University of Massachusetts at Lowell next Wednesday in the Basketball Hall of Fame Bubbleville tournament in Uncasville, Conn. The Gators enter this season with much lower expectations than last but bring a roster chocked full of talent, including SEC Preseason Player of the Year junior Keyontae Johnson and sophomore swingman Scottie Lewis.

The latter was mentioned by The Athletic recently in an article ranking the 20 top wing players in the nation heading into the season. Staff writer Eammon Brennan ranked Lewis third in the nation, behind Sam Hauser of Virginia and Corey Kispert of Gonzaga, respectively.

Here is what he had to say about the talented sophomore swingman.

Scottie Lewis was on this list last year, before he had played a minute of college basketball. It’s a decision we stand by. Florida was disappointing as a unit last season — the Gators went from massive preseason hype to just gradually pulling themselves up off the bubble by early March — and Lewis had his fair share of growing pains along the way, enough to prevent him from making a much-anticipated leap straight to the NBA after one season. But Lewis showed enough to make the inclusion make sense, and make you think he’s only just getting started.

To wit, Lewis’s best offensive games all came down the stretch last season, when he averaged 13 points per game and finished the year shooting 19-of-34 from the floor. It took him a while to find his place in Florida’s half-court offense, where he often looked cramped and unsure of what to do from which positions. Mike White (whose La. Tech teams always got up and down, but has still yet to codify a real style at Florida) has professed a desire to play much faster this season, and a more open floor would absolutely suit Lewis’s strengths as an attacker in space. Still, despite the struggles, Lewis finished with a 110.1 offensive rating and a 56.2 true shooting percentage. He also, as a 6-foot-5 wing, simultaneously led his team in blocks and steals. If he makes anything like the standard sophomore leap, he could be one of the best players in the SEC, if not the country.

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These two Gators are among CBS Sports’ top 101 basketball players

College basketball is right around the corner and CBS Sports ranked two Florida Gators men’s basketball players among its top 101 in 2020-21

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The men’s college basketball season is quickly approaching with the first game on the Florida Gators’ schedule a little less than a week away. As the fans and media prepare for what will be a challenging season at best, an air of excitement builds as schools return to the parquet to tip off America’s favorite winter sport.

UF entered last season with high expectations but failed to meet them as the young team experienced a rollercoaster season that abruptly ended with the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the outlook is much more tempered, with Florida sitting outside of the AP Poll’s preseason top 25; however, a year older and wiser, plus some transfer reinforcements may help the Gators elevate to the next level.

One reason for optimism stems from the fact that Florida has some significant talent on its roster for the 2020-21 season. CBS Sports recently listed its top 101 men’s college basketball players which included two Gators that are expected to make a significant impact in the Southeastern Conference this season.

NEXT: Keyontae Johnson

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CBS Sports has Gators men’s basketball in top 25 of preseason rankings

Gators men’s basketball team sits at No. 21 on CBS Sports’ preseason rankings released last Thursday in anticipation of the upcoming season.

CBS Sports released its projected best 68 teams for the 2020-21 season last Thursday as the publication works through its college basketball rankings from No. 1 to No. 357 in anticipation of this year’s Division I hoops schedule.

Unlike last season, when the Florida Gators men’s basketball team started off ranked No. 6 by the Associated Press Preseason Poll, expectations are much more tempered this time around after UF failed to meet the high benchmark set and ultimately lost starting sophomore point guard Andrew Nembhard to the transfer portal.

Despite the difficulties encountered last season, as well as the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic since, CBS Sports feels fairly favorable towards Florida approaching the start of the college basketball schedule, placing them at No. 21 in the nation before action begins.

Here is what senior writer Matt Norlander had to say about Mike White’s squad coming into the 2020-21 season.

21. Florida: A couple of SEC coaches told me they’d tab UF’s Keyontae Johnson as the guy to be SEC Player of the Year. If that happens Florida’s a top-four seed to be sure. Mike White benefitted by getting Johnson, Scottie Lewis, Tre Mann and Noah Locke back. That’s a really solid quartet, and I’d expect the Gators to be more of a team, with better chemistry, than last season’s up-and-down group. After ranking 61st in defensive efficiency last season, I also expect this to be a top-30 crew in defending the rock. SEC is brawny at the top.

Who knows what lies in store for the coming months, but if the games do go on, there is a lot to be excited about with the men’s hoops team. Hopefully, they do a better job playing the underdog than they did the favorite last season.

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Gators guard Scottie Lewis named to Jerry West Award watch list

Dynamic guard Scottie Lewis found his name on a shortlist of players on watch for one of college basketball’s most prestigious awards.

Sophomore Gators guard Scottie Lewis has been named to the preseason Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award watch list, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Tuesday.

He is one of 20 players across the country named to the watch list for the award, which will be announced on April 9, 2021. There are three rounds of voting, with the first round beginning on Nov. 6. The list will be narrowed from 20 to 10 by mid-February, and then it will be cut to five in March.

Lewis was a five-star recruit in the 2019 recruiting class, and he had a productive freshman season that saw him average 8.5 points and 3.6 rebounds.

He led the team in blocked shots with 36, the first-ever guard to do so, and he also led the team in free throw percentage (.817).

An SEC All-Freshman team selection, he totaled 10 double-figure scoring games.

Lewis chose not to test the NBA Draft waters following the premature cancelation of the 2019-20 college basketball season, and he returns to Gainesville as one of the most highly anticipated players in the nation.

Here’s the full watch list for the Jerry West Award.

2021 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Watch List

John Petty Jr.	Alabama
Terry Taylor	Austin Peay
MaCio Teague	Baylor
Matt Bradley	California
James Bouknight	Connecticut
Mitch Ballock	Creighton
Kellan Grady	Davidson
Antoine Davis	Detroit Mercy
DJ Steward	Duke
Scottie Lewis	Florida
MJ Walker	Florida State
Joel Ayayi	Gonzaga
Caleb Mills	Houston
Joe Wieskamp	Iowa
Ochai Agbaji	Kansas
Terrence Clarke	Kentucky
Franz Wagner	Michigan
Jordan Goodwin	Saint Louis
Justin Moore	Villanova
Paul Scruggs	Xavier

*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2020-21 season

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Scottie Lewis is one of the most intriguing basketball players in the country

The Athletic ranked the top 25 “intriguing” basketball players, and sophomore Florida Gators guard Scottie Lewis came in at No. 4.

College basketball has some known quantities, such as Iowa’s Luke Garza and Illinois’ Ayo Dosunmu. But other players haven’t proven quite as much, despite possessing premier talent and showing signs of brilliance.

The Athletic ranked the top 25 such players, and sophomore Gators guard Scottie Lewis came in at No. 4. A former five-star recruit from New Jersey, Lewis had a slightly underwhelming freshman season, averaging just 8.5 points and 3.6 rebounds.

Still, he was improving by the end of the season and finished with 10 double-digit scoring games. As a result of this and his talent coming out of high school, many analysts believe he will be one of the top players in the SEC, if not the nation, in 2020-21.

Here’s what The Athletic said about Lewis.

The 6-8 sophomore is a player of his time. He led a Black Lives Matter protest in his home state of New Jersey over the summer, then stepped to the forefront again when he returned to Gainesville as one of the primary voices in a campus rally that included the entire Gators men’s basketball team, dozens of other athletes and many others from the school and community. Lewis has a dynamic, unabashed personality to begin with and how much he will continue to use his voice during the season — because he most likely won’t shy away if asked — will be fascinating. Oh, and the basketball part: Lewis was the consensus No. 9 recruit in the country in the Class of 2019, but his production (8.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists) didn’t totally align with that ranking. No one would question his athleticism or his ability to make an impact as a defender. The basketball-related production, holistically, is in question. Can Lewis be a breakout star for 2020-21, multitasking as a star for the Gators and for a movement among his peers?

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