Tag: Tyree Appleby

Florida’s Tyree Appleby cleared after head injury, will start against Oral Roberts

After suffering a facial laceration against Virginia Tech, the guard will be back in Florida’s lineup in the Round of 32 on Sunday night.

Florida got some good news just before tip-off of its Second Round game against Oral Roberts in the NCAA Tournament. Guard Tyree Appleby, who exited the Gators’ First Round victory over Virginia Tech after taking an elbow to the forehead that required stitches in the locker room, has been cleared by the team’s medical personnel to play on Sunday night. He will start against the Golden Eagles, according to UF basketball SID Denver Parler.

According to Parler, Appleby will wear a headband to cover his laceration.

Appleby averages 11.2 points per game, and his scoring will be welcome against an ORU defense that’s allowing 75.6 points on average. He scored six points against the Hokies before he had to leave the game.

There’s still no word on the status of Omar Payne, who was held out of Friday’s game for an “in-house” issue. There’s been no official confirmation of the reason, but Payne was ejected in Florida’s loss to Tennessee in the SEC Tournament in the prior game.

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In between all the games, mobile users can play USA TODAY Sports’ Couchketball virtual hoops challenge – the interactive basketball game where your skills determine the outcome.

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To play or not to play? That is the question for Florida’s Payne and Appleby

No decision at this point has been made regarding Payne (suspension) and Appleby (head). They’re considered game-time decisions against ORU.

Florida caught a break on Friday as No. 15 seeded Oral Roberts upset No. 2 Ohio State in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. Now, after its win over Virginia Tech, seventh-seeded UF draws the Golden Eagles instead of the Buckeyes in the Round of 32.

The Gators likely would have been severe underdogs against OSU, but they’re now the biggest favorite of Sunday’s games (the line is currently 8.5 points according to BetMGM). But they may be without two of their key players, as the status of guard Tyree Appleby and forward Omar Payne are still uncertain.

Appleby exited the victory over Virginia Tech after taking an elbow-shot to the forehead, which caused him to start bleeding. He was taken to the locker room to receive stitches before returning to the sideline, apparently with the possibility of returning, according to Florida basketball SID Denver Parler.

He didn’t re-enter the game, though, and according to a report from CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein on Sunday morning, he’s a game-time decision for the Second Round contest. Considering he returned to the sideline with the potential of coming back into the game, it’s fair to assume he cleared the initial concussion protocol on Friday. But further testing this weekend would have been required to confirm a diagnosis, which is likely contributing to the uncertainty.

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It seems likely that the mystery is an attempt at subterfuge and Appleby will play, given how the injury was handled during Friday’s game. But we may not know for sure until shortly before tip-off.

Rothstein also reported that Omar Payne is a “coach’s decision” on Sunday. Payne was ejected from Florida’s losing effort against Tennessee in the SEC quarterfinals after drawing a flagrant 2 foul when he elbowed Volunteers’ forward John Fulkerson in the head, ending his SEC Tournament.

Though no action was taken against Payne by either the SEC or NCAA, coach Mike White made the decision to hold him out of the first game of the tournament. According to Rothstein, a decision on whether that team suspension will carry over another game is “unlikely” to be made before game time.

Florida’s interior defense struggled tremendously without Payne, and if he’s not able to go against Oral Roberts, it will present a layer of complication to what should (on paper) be a relatively easy victory.

Brackets. Are. BACK.

It’s that time again – when dunks, brackets and buzzer-beaters inspire widespread incidents of March Madness. Get the jump on your friends by filling out your selections now!

In between all the games, mobile users can play USA TODAY Sports’ Couchketball virtual hoops challenge – the interactive basketball game where your skills determine the outcome.

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WATCH: Gators’ Tyree Appleby takes a brutal shot to the head against Hokies

While playing defense, guard Tyree Appleby took a shark elbow directly to the forehead from forward Keve Aluma, resulting in a head injury.

The No. 7 seed Florida Gators took the court on Friday against the No. 10 Virginia Tech Hokies in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament on Friday as the two schools look to fulfill their post-season dreams.

VT took a six-point lead into halftime after a first half that was a bit uninspiring by both teams. Coming out of the break, Florida began pushing back and managed to cut into that lead. Then something awful happened.

While playing defense, guard Tyree Appleby took a sharp elbow directly to the forehead from forward Keve Aluma, resulting in a head injury that spilled blood and could possibly be worse.

Appleby was assisted off the court by Keyontae Johnson and a member of the training staff. He was reported with a forehead laceration and is currently receiving stitches in the training room at the time of publication. Hopefully, he did not sustain a concussion or any further injury as a result of the blow.

We will be sure to provide updates as they become available.

Fun facts for Florida vs Virginia Tech in the 2021 NCAA Tournament

Betting odds for Florida vs Virginia Tech NCAA Tournament Round 1, per BetMGM

Everything you need to know for Florida vs Virginia Tech in the NCAA Tournament

Brackets. Are. BACK.

It’s that time again – when dunks, brackets and buzzer-beaters inspire widespread incidents of March Madness. Get the jump on your friends by filling out your selections now!

In between all the games, mobile users can play USA TODAY Sports’ Couchketball virtual hoops challenge – the interactive basketball game where your skills determine the outcome.

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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

Colin Castleton and Scottie Lewis shine in the defeat of Vanderbilt

Florida defeated the Commodores in a 91-72 midweek matchup in their first game after losing Keyontae Johnson.

The Florida mens’ basketball team made their triumphant return to the court on Wednesday night, defeating the Vanderbilt Commodores with a final score of 91-72. The midweek matchup marks the beginning of the Gators’ conference schedule; the team cancelled the remainder of their non-conference games after losing Keyontae Johnson to a cardiac incident.

Vandy came out of the gate strong, playing competent offense and slowing down the Gators with good on-ball defense. A major factor in their early success was successfully shutting down starting Florida point guard Tre Mann, dogging him with double-teams and preventing him from making plays.

Gators head coach Mike White prepared his team well for this game, though. The offensive identity that served them so well in early games doesn’t work against better teams without Johnson at their disposal. Instead, they found their identity by playing old-school, physical basketball and limiting Vanderbilt’s opportunities.

Incredibly, center Colin Castleton was the leading scorer on either team. He scored 23 points by pounding the hoop on 11-of-13 shooting, all of those attempts coming in the paint. “Whenever they need me to do the dirty work, I’m all here for it,” said Castleton after the game. Scottie Lewis was another major factor in this game, scoring 16 points and accumulating 3 blocks.

There’s a whole lot of meat on this bone, as this team faced a whole slew of problems and won by implementing interesting solutions. Here are three things we observed during Florida’s victory over Vanderbilt.

Recap: Gators conquer Army in a nail-biting 76-69 finish

Florida defeated their first opponents of the 2020-2021 season in a game that was much closer than the final score would indicate.

Wednesday afternoon, Florida came away from their first game of the 2020-2021 season with a win, defeating the Army Black Knights by a final score of 76-69. Although the Gators had a none-too-comfortable seven-point margin when game ended, it felt downright paunchy compared to the razor thin lead that the two sides traded a handful of times within the last minutes of the game.

The Gators’ most notable player on the afternoon was guard Tre Mann. He shot 46.2 percent from the field (including half of his 3-point attempts) and went 6-for-8 from the free-throw line, tallying to a career-high 19 points. Mann added six rebounds and four assists to his already packed stat sheet for a performance that was downright impressive from any angle.

Also making meaningful contributions to the Gators’ victorious outing were forward Keyontae Johnson and guard Tyree Appleby. It’s no surprise that Johnson played a major role — he led the team in scoring last season and is an early favorite to be the SEC player of the year. He’s never been the best 3-point shooter, and scored on only a third of his attempts from beyond the arc, but he is still a cornerstone of the Gators’ offense.

As a transfer who didn’t receive the start, Appleby’s contributions were less expected. However, if Florida is going to improve on last season’s 19-12 record, they’ll need to consistently see rotational players play well. Appleby took that step on Wednesday, providing 15 points thanks to his steady shooting from the field and capitalizing on his frequent free throw opportunities.

On the other side of the court, Army’s top scorer was Lonnie Grayson. The small guard took over a starting role for the Black Knights in 2019 and looks to reprieve his role this season as well. He notched 13 points for Army and hit both of his free throws. His shooting percentage from the field was not especially dazzling, but he hauled in eight rebounds and was crucial in his team’s effort to keep the game close.

Florida’s next game tomorrow will be the second of their two contests scheduled to take place at Mohegan Sun Arena during the Bubbleville event. They will take on the Boston College Eagles at 9:30 p.m. EST. The Eagles are three games deep into their schedule and will be looking to bounce back from a loss to St. John’s on Monday.

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Tyree Appleby among ESPN’s top up-and-coming NCAA basketball newcomers

One of Gators men’s basketball’s newest editions via the transfer portal Tyree Appleby looks to lead the way this season for Mike White.

There is still more than a month before the 2020-21 Division I college basketball schedule starts on Nov. 25 but as the date creeps closer and teams continue to prepare for the season, it is time to start taking a look at some of the stories coming up over the horizon.

Jeff Borzello at ESPN published his Newcomer Impact Rankings on Monday, which lists the various freshmen and transfers from around men’s basketball most likely to lead their teams this season. One Florida Gator earned a mention: Cleveland State transfer guard Tyree Appleby, who came in at No. 34 on the 80-player list. Here is what Borzello had to say about the talented ballhandler.

34. Tyree Appleby, Florida (transfer): Not as highly touted as some other sit-out transfers, Appleby averaged 17.2 points and 5.6 assists for Cleveland State in 2018-19. Earned rave reviews last season out of Gainesville.

Appleby will likely step in for Andrew Nembhard — who utilized the transfer portal to leave Gainesville for the greener pastures of the Gonzaga Bulldogs — at the starting point guard position. Fellow transfer forward Andrew Duruji, who played previously at Louisiana Tech, will also be expected to contribute to Florida’s efforts this coming season.

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SEC Basketball Power Rankings: Where does Florida stack up?

Fittingly, Florida Gators men’s basketball is once again receiving a solid amount of offseason recognition based on their potential.

As we approach the fall and get closer to college basketball’s currently projected start in November, Sports Illustrated has released a power ranking of the 14 teams in the SEC.

Though Florida lost point guard Andrew Nembhard to the transfer portal, it retained Tre Mann, who decided to withdraw from the draft and return to Gainesville, as well as added a pair of talented transfers in Tyree Appleby and Anthony Duruji. Fittingly, the Gators are once again receiving a solid amount of offseason recognition based on their potential.

SI currently has Florida as the No. 2 team in the conference behind Kentucky, who may be vulnerable this season after returning just one player from last year’s rotation. Writer Jeremy Woo is optimistic about the talent that UF returns.

Keeping Scottie Lewis and Keyontae Johnson for another year was a major coup for Mike White, and the Gators should be able to build on last year’s 11–7 conference mark. Someone will have to step up at point guard, preferably Tre Mann, who had a slightly disappointing freshman season but should get the first crack at replacing Andrew Nembhard. Transfers Tyree Appleby and Anthony Duruji should step into the rotation, and the Gators should be sound defensively again. If a go-to scorer emerges from the group, Florida should have a real shot to win the league. To be fair, we said that last year.

Here is the full SEC power ranking.

  1. Kentucky
  2. Florida
  3. Tennessee
  4. LSU
  5. Arkansas
  6. Alabama
  7. South Carolina
  8. Ole Miss
  9. Auburn
  10. Missouri
  11. Texas A&M
  12. Mississippi State
  13. Georgia
  14. Vanderbilt

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Where do Duruji and Appleby stand in latest transfer rankings?

In the most recent iteration of ESPN’s transfer ratings, both Anthony Duruji and Tyree Appleby were both featured on the rankings.

In the most recent iteration of ESPN’s transfer ratings, both Anthony Duruji, a Louisiana Tech transfer, and Tyree Appleby, a Cleveland State transfer, were both featured on the rankings.

Duruji and Appleby joined the Gators team prior to the start of the 2019-20 season, but each sat out the year in accordance with NCAA transfer policy. They are both eligible to play for Florida starting this fall.

Duruji, who averaged 12.2 points and 6.2 rebounds as a sophomore with the Bulldogs in 2019-20, is ranked as the No. 5 transfer on the list of spring sit-out transfers eligible to play in 2020-21. A tremendous athlete who has good size for a wing player at 6-foot-7, Duruji will likely compete for a starting spot this season. If he’s coming off the bench, he’s sure to play a significant role as Florida doesn’t have another player with his skillset.

Appleby, on the other hand, came from the Horizon League where he was a dominant force as a sophomore. He averaged 17.2 points and 5.6 assists, asserting himself as one of the best point guards in the conference. He’s ranked No. 26 on the list of transfers eligible this year, and he will likely assume Florida’s starting point guard spot this season. Time will tell if his production from the mid-majors will translate to the SEC.

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Gators guard Tre Mann will return to Florida for sophomore year

Mann joins a loaded backcourt and will likely compete for the starting point guard job with Cleveland State transfer Tyree Appleby.

Gators basketball fans got the news they were waiting for Tuesday morning as guard Tre Mann decided to withdraw from the 2020 NBA Draft and return to Gainesville for his sophomore year, per CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein.

Mann was a five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American in the 2019 recruiting class, and he was heralded for his scoring ability. That didn’t exactly manifest during his true freshman season, as he averaged just 5.3 points on 35.6 percent shooting despite playing 17.8 minutes a game.

Following the cancellation of the season in March due to COVID-19, Mann announced that he would enter the NBA Draft and sign an NCAA-approved agent in order to maintain his college eligibility. On May 30, there were rumors that Mann had decided to withdraw from the draft, but he refuted the validity of those rumors on Twitter.

Now, he makes it official. Mann joins a loaded backcourt and will likely compete for the starting point guard job with Cleveland State transfer Tyree Appleby. Regardless, he is a key component of UF’s plans for the 2020-21 season, and he will be expected to make a big leap forward after a disappointing freshman season.

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