By Franz Beard
A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning:
REPORTS: RUSS CALLAWAY TO JOIN NAPIER’S STAFF
Matt Zenitz, who is one of the most reliable reporters out there, says Billy Napier is about to add Russ Callaway in an off-the-field capacity. Callaway, who spent six years at Samford, the final four as the offensive coordinator, was an offensive analyst at LSU in 2020 and last year worked for the New York Giants.
The connection with Napier dates back to Alabama where Callaway was a defensive analyst on the Crimson Tide’s 2011-12 national championship teams. After Alabama, Callaway spent two seasons working as the wide receivers coach at Murray State.
Callaway played collegiately at Valdosta State, where he was a quarterback and two-time team captain.
CAN THE GATORS MAKE IT TWO MUST WINS IN A ROW?
With Georgia out of the way thanks to what Mike White called Florida’s best offensive game of the years, the Gators (18-11, 8-8 SEC) turn their attention to a Vanderbilt team that they’ve already beaten once. That was back in January when UF destroyed the Commodores, 61-42, in perhaps their best defensive effort of the season. A win Tuesday night (8:30 p.m., SEC Network) won’t get the Gators into the NCAA Tournament, but a loss would make getting into the Big Dance enormously difficult. Currently, UF has an NCAA Net Ranking of 51, which puts the Gators squarely on the bubble. CBS bracketologist Jerry Palm has the Gators in with a 12 seed.
In whacking Georgia, 84-72, the Gators shot 51.7 percent from the field and hit 14-31 from the 3-point line. What was impressive was 20 assists on 31 made baskets. Yes, it was Georgia, but assists on 64.5 percent of your made baskets is impressive.
With Anthony Duruji questionable, the Gators will need another impressive outing from Phlandrous Fleming Jr., who played a lot of power forward against Georgia, responding with 27 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal.
SEC Basketball
Tuesday’s games: FLORIDA (18-11, 8-8 SEC) at Vanderbilt (14-14, 6-10 SEC); No. 17 Tennessee (21-7, 12-4 SEC) at Georgia (6-23, 1-15); Ole Miss (13-16, 4-12 SEC) at No. 6 Kentucky (23-6, 12-4 SEC); Missouri (10-19, 4-12 SEC) at South Carolina (17-11, 8-8 SEC)
Wednesday’s games: Texas A&M (18-11, 7-9 SEC) at No. 24 Alabama (19-10, 9-7 SEC); No. 3 Auburn (25-4, 13-3 SEC) at Mississippi State (17-12, 8-8 SEC); LSU (20-9, 8-8 SEC) at No. 18 Arkansas (23-6, 12-4 SEC)
Alabama: The Crimson Tide continues to hold down the No. 22 NCAA Net Ranking.
Arkansas: The Hogs are tied with Kentucky and Tennessee, one game behind first place Auburn in the SEC standings … Counting his first two seasons at JU, J.D. Notae has scored 1,873 points in his collegiate career. He’s the second leading scorer in the SEC at 19.07 per game.
Auburn: Auburn can clinch the SEC regular season championship with wins at Mississippi State and home against South Carolina.
Georgia: The rumblings are increasing in Athens. With their loss to Florida, the Bulldogs have set a school record for losses in a season. Tom Crean is now 47-72 in four years on the job with a 10th place SEC finish, two 13th place finishes and this year’s dead last.
Kentucky: Despite the loss to Arkansas Saturday, Kentucky holds down the No. 4 NCAA Net Ranking.
LSU: Normally a team with an 8-8 record in conference play wouldn’t merit a No. 16 NCAA Net Ranking. LSU’s high ranking means the Tigers are a mortal lock for the NCAA Tournament and likely to get a seed somewhere between 5-7.
Mississippi State: The Bulldogs are No. 52 in the NCAA Net Rankings, which puts them squarely on the tournament bubble. If they could upset Arkansas in Starkville Wednesday, they could play themselves in even before the SEC Tournament.
Missouri: There are some rumblings out there that Cuonzo Martin has been pink-slipped. He’s 10-19 this year, 76-75 for his five years at Mizzou with three losing seasons.
Ole Miss: Despite a losing record, head coach Kermit Davis Jr. is not in any trouble. Injuries and illness have plagued his team this year and the Ole Miss admin thinks that is a forgivable offense.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks have a No. 91 NCAA Net Ranking which means they’ll have to do some serious damage in the SEC Tournament to have a chance at the Big Dance.
Tennessee: The Vols find themselves in a three-way tie for second in the SEC, just one game behind Auburn. The Vols have won seven out of their last eight, their only loss on the road at Arkansas.
Texas A&M: The Aggies are No. 66 in the NCAA Net Rankings. They probably need three wins to make the NIT.
Vanderbilt: The Commodores have lost their last two games by a combined seven points. Vandy is without question the most improved team in the SEC.
BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE ON SENIOR DAY FOR UF WOMEN
With 4:43 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Florida women found themselves trailing Missouri by 13 points. What happened in the final 4:43 almost salvaged a game in which UF blew too many layups and bunnies at the rim and in the first half gave the visiting Tigers too many straight line drives to the rim.
The Gators’ (20-9, 10-6 SEC) 77-73 loss to Missouri (18-11, 7-9 SEC) was the third in a row and costly as UF dropped down to fourth in the final SEC regular season standings and out of a double-bye for the SEC Tournament. Florida finishes fifth in the regular season, still a remarkable turnaround after five straight losing seasons and the dismissal of head coach Cameron Newbauer for running a toxic program back in the summer.
What the Gators have done under the direction of interim head coach Kelly Rae Finley is a testament to Finley’s upbeat personality and her demand for honest, accountability and responsibility. This is a program that is in good shape for the future when athletic director Scott Stricklin yanks the interim tag off Finley.
Sunday, however, wasn’t Florida’s day. Through the first three quarters, leading scorer Kiki Smith was 0-9 from the field with only two free throws to show for her day. She scored 13 in the fourth quarter, 11 in the final 1:59. Second leading scorer Zippy Broughton managed only seven points and Nina Rickards had three. It was Jordyn Merritt who caught fire in the third quarter and kept the Gators within striking distance. Merritt, who was scoreless at the half, scored eight in the third quarter and 15 in the fourth.
The Gators will open play in the SEC Tournament Thursday at 3:30 p.m. against the winner of Wednesday’s Vanderbilt-Texas A&M game.
Sunday’s games: Missouri (18-11, 7-9 SEC) 78, NO. 15 FLORIDA (20-9, 10-6 SEC) 73; No. 8 LSU (25-4, 13-3 SEC) 57, No. 16 Tennessee (22-7, 11-5 SEC) 54; No. 1 South Carolina (27-1, 15-1 SEC) 71, Ole Miss (22-7, 10-6 SEC) 57; No. 25 Georgia (20-8, 9-7 SEC) 67, Texas A&M (14-14, 4-12 SEC) 58; Alabama (15-12, 6-10 SEC) 77, Vanderbilt (13-17, 4-12 SEC) 71; Kentucky (15-11, 8-8 SEC) 90, Auburn (10-17, 2-14 SEC) 62
GATORS SWEEP GEORGIA STATE
The Gators (6-2) got another superb start from Hunter Barco and nine homers as they swept Georgia State, outscoring the Panthers, 29-6. Barco gave up three hits and struck out 12 Friday night with Nick Ficarrotta pitching the last three, striking out six without giving up a hit.
Leadoff man Colby Halter was 8-13 for the weekend, hitting two home runs, one on Saturday when the Gators pounded Georgia State 13-4, and another Sunday when UF clobbered GSU, 12-4. Also going yard during the three games were Wyatt Langford (twice), Jud Fabian, Josh Rivera, Kris Armstrong and freshmen Rene Lastres and Ty Evans.
The Gators travel to North Florida Tuesday, play FAMU at home Wednesday and go to Miami for three next weekend.
UF SOFTBALL: HOW LONG WILL HIGHTOWER BE OUT?
The good news is the 3rd-ranked Gators (16-0) remained unbeaten by going 4-0 at the UCF Knights Classic in Orlando. The bad news is ace Elizabeth Hightower has some back issues that could keep her out awhile. Without Hightower, the Gators relied heavily on Natalie Lugo, who won her Saturday start against Oakland, her Sunday start against James Madison, and who pitched the final two innings for save as the Gators beat UCF 12-11 Sunday evening.
Lexie Delbrey was effective in relief Friday night and again Saturday, but Sunday was troublesome as she had all sorts of problems finding the plate. When she is throwing strikes she can dominate, but when she can’t locate, she’s very beatable. Marrisa Mesiemore and Rylee Trlicek aren’t long term answers although they can give an inning here or there.
The Gators got two home runs from Hannah Adams Sunday as she raised her batting average to .462. Charla Echols had two homers Sunday and seven RBI, raising her season total to a team-leading 22. Kendra Falby hit a homer and had four stolen bases over the weekend. She now leads the team with 17. The Gators have stolen 45 bases in 49 attempts. They were 56-59 for all of 2021.
UF faces Southern Miss Wednesday and will play doubleheaders Friday, Saturday and Sunday as they host the Bubly Invitational.
UF MEN/WOMEN FINISH SECOND IN SEC INDOOR TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Gators finished second to Arkansas in both the men’s and women’s competition at the SEC Track and Field Championships in College Station. It was the second straight second place finish for the Florida women who have won three SEC titles and finished in the top three two other times since Mike Holloway became head coach. As for the UF men who have five SEC indoor titles under Holloway, it was the 15th time they have finished in the top three during his tenure.
The weekend star for the Gators was Jasmine Moore, who won her third straight SEC indoor triple jump championship and combined that with a title in the long jump. With 20 points, she shared the Commissioner’s Trophy for most points by an individual.
A PERFECT 13
The 3rd-ranked Gators (10-0) beat No. 2 Oklahoma 198.100-197.750 Friday night before a record crowd of 9,685 at the O-Dome as Trinity Thomas scored the 13th perfect 10 of her storied collegiate career. Thomas hit her 10 on floor, the fifth time this season she’s had a perfect score, to seal the deal against the Sooners. Thomas won the all-around title by winning or share all four events – 9.925 on vault, 9.950 on bars, 9.975 on beam and her 10 on floor.
The Gators already have a piece of the regular season SEC title but they can win it outright Friday night at Auburn.
ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: When it comes to college sports, Greg Sankey is the smartest guy in the room. Always, but that doesn’t mean he can’t make a mistake. Over the weekend he admitted he wasn’t transparent enough when he went about announcing that Texas and Oklahoma were bolting the Big 12 to join the SEC. That move will take place, but probably not before the 2025 season, Sankey told the Houston Chronicle during a visit to Texas A&M for the SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Sankey said that the focus is on 2025 but he is adaptable. Translation: If he, with some help from Notre Dame, can help the Big 12 land a decent television contract and, with some help from ESPN, pitch in some of the buyout money (somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million) for Texas and Oklahoma to leave the Big 12, then it could happen sooner.
It would make sense for Sankey, Notre Dame and ESPN to work together for this since (a) the ESPN contract with the SEC kicks in following the 2023 football season so having Texas and Oklahoma on board for 2024 instead of the 2026 season would be huge; (b) UCF, Houston and Cincinnati leave the American Athletic Conference to join the Big 12 (BYU will join next year since it is an independent) so having the cash to help with their collective $51 million exit fees from the AAC would be a big help; and (3) it would position the SEC and Notre Dame to ensure that the Big 12 will remain a Power 5 Conference.
Sankey is patient and if it makes the most sense for Texas and Oklahoma to join following their 2025 exit from the Big 12, he’ll accept that, but he didn’t get to be the most powerful man in college sports by being patient.
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