2008–09 Florida Gators men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 2008–09 Florida Gators men's basketball team represented the University of Florida
in the sport of basketball
during the 2008–09 college basketball season
. The Gators competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference
(SEC). They were led by head coach Billy Donovan
, and played their home games in the O'Connell Center on the university's Gainesville, Florida
campus.
The Gators were looking to build on their 24–12 record from the 2007–08 season.
, who after his sophomore season, left for the 2008 NBA Draft
. Speights was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers
. To help replace his presence on the court, the Gators welcomed six freshmen to the team. The Gators won their two preseason games against Rollins and Warner.
| colspan="7" style="padding-left:10px;" | Overall Recruiting Rankings: Scout
– 9 Rivals
– 10 ESPN
– 2
|}
After the season, assistant coach Shaka Smart left to become head coach of the VCU Rams.
|-
!colspan=8| Exhibition
|-
!colspan=8| Regular season
|-
!colspan=8| SEC Tournament
|-
!colspan=8| National Invitational Tournament
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in the sport of basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
during the 2008–09 college basketball season
2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2008 and ended with the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament's championship game on April 6, 2009 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The season saw six different teams achieve the AP #1 ranking during the...
. The Gators competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC). They were led by head coach Billy Donovan
Billy Donovan
William John "Billy" Donovan, Jr. is an American college basketball coach and a former college and professional basketball player. Donovan is the current head coach of the Florida Gators men's basketball team of the University of Florida...
, and played their home games in the O'Connell Center on the university's Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
campus.
The Gators were looking to build on their 24–12 record from the 2007–08 season.
Preseason
Entering the season, the Gators had to overcome the loss of Marreese SpeightsMarreese Speights
Marreese Akeem Speights is an American professional basketball player who is a center for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association . Speights played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a freshman member of the Florida Gators' NCAA national...
, who after his sophomore season, left for the 2008 NBA Draft
2008 NBA Draft
The 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
. Speights was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. To help replace his presence on the court, the Gators welcomed six freshmen to the team. The Gators won their two preseason games against Rollins and Warner.
Class of 2008
|-| colspan="7" style="padding-left:10px;" | Overall Recruiting Rankings: Scout
Scout.com
Scout.com is an integrated sports publishing company that produces both an Internet and print product. Scout has more than 2.1 million visitors...
– 9 Rivals
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
– 10 ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
– 2
|}
Roster
| Name | Number | Position | Height | Weight | Class | Hometown |
| Adam Allen | 14 | F | 6–8 | 225 | Sophomore | Milton, Florida Milton, Florida Milton , or Milltown, because Milton had the largest mill around) is a city in Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States. The city was incorporated in 1844 and is home to Naval Air Station Whiting Field. The population was 7,045 at the 2000 census. In 2004, the population recorded by the U.S... |
| Nick Calathes Nick Calathes Nicholas William "Nick" Calathes is an American-born Greek professional basketball player. Calathes played American college basketball for the University of Florida. He currently plays for Panathinaikos, the Athens, Greece affiliate of the EuroLeague.-High school career:Calathes was born in... |
33 | G/F | 6–6 | 194 | Sophomore | Winter Park, Florida Winter Park, Florida Winter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
| Allan Chaney | 24 | F | 6–8 | 231 | Freshman | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Hudson Fricke | 40 | G | 6–1 | 193 | Sophomore | Greenville, South Carolina Greenville, South Carolina -Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families... |
| Walter Hodge | 15 | G | 6–0 | 170 | Senior | Guaynabo, Puerto Rico Guaynabo, Puerto Rico Guaynabo is a municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico, located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas; south of Cataño; east of Bayamón; and west of San Juan... |
| Kenny Kadji | 30 | F/C | 6–10 | 235 | Freshmen | Douala, Cameroon |
| Vernon Macklin Vernon Macklin Vernon L. Macklin is an American professional basketball player who is a power forward for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association . Macklin played college basketball for the University of Florida, and was selected by the Pistons in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft.-... |
32 | F | 6–10 | 230 | Junior | Portsmouth, Virginia Portsmouth, Virginia Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S... |
| Kyle McClanahan | 4 | G | 6–1 | 185 | Freshman | Maitland, Florida Maitland, Florida Maitland is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States, part of the Greater Metro Orlando area. The population was 12,019 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 14,172... |
| Chandler Parsons Chandler Parsons Chandler E. Parsons is an American professional basketball power forward with the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association . Parsons played college basketball at the University of Florida, and was drafted by the Rockets in second round of the 2011 NBA Draft.- Early years :Parsons... |
25 | F | 6–9 | 213 | Sophomore | Winter Park, Florida Winter Park, Florida Winter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
| Ray Shipman | 3 | G/F | 6–5 | 212 | Freshman | Miramar, Florida Miramar, Florida Miramar is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. The city was named after the Miramar district of Havana, Cuba. As of the 2010 census, the population was 122,041... |
| Alex Tyus | 23 | F | 6–8 | 220 | Sophomore | St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St... |
| Eloy Vargas | 1 | F/C | 6–10 | 215 | Freshman | Moca, Dominican Republic Moca, Dominican Republic Moca is the capital of Espaillat province in the Dominican Republic.Moca is located 11 miles/18 kilometers away from the country’s second biggest city, Santiago De Los Caballeros. Moca is also known for its many great crops and friendly people.... |
| Erving Walker | 11 | G | 5–8 | 161 | Freshman | Brooklyn, N.Y. |
| Dan Werner Dan Werner Dan Werner is a professional basketball player currently playing in Europe. He played collegiately at the University of Florida and was a freshman member of Florida's 2007 national champion team... |
21 | F | 6–7 | 230 | Junior | Middletown, New Jersey |
Coaches
| Name | Type | College | Graduating year |
| Billy Donovan Billy Donovan William John "Billy" Donovan, Jr. is an American college basketball coach and a former college and professional basketball player. Donovan is the current head coach of the Florida Gators men's basketball team of the University of Florida... |
Head Coach | Providence College Providence College Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic... |
1987 |
| Larry Shyatt Larry Shyatt Larry Shyatt is the men's basketball coach at the University of Wyoming. He previously served as the head coach at the University of Wyoming and Clemson University. He also previously served as an assistant coach at the University of Florida.... |
Associate Head Coach | College of Wooster | 1973 |
| Shaka Smart Shaka Smart Shaka Smart is an American college basketball coach, and the current head coach of the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams men's basketball program... |
Assistant Coach | Kenyon College Kenyon College Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of The Episcopal Church, in parallel with the Bexley Hall seminary. It is the oldest private college in Ohio... |
1999 |
| Rob Lanier Rob Lanier Rob Lanier is an assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Texas. In 2002, as the coach of Siena College, he led the Saints to the NCAA Tournament.-References:... |
Assistant Coach | St. Bonaventure University St. Bonaventure University St. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students.... |
1990 |
| Darren Hertz | Assistant to the Head Coach | Florida University of Florida The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906... |
1997 |
| Adam Beaupre | Video Coordinator | Florida University of Florida The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906... |
1999 |
| Matt Herring | Strength & Conditioning Coordinator | University of Texas Southwestern University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center is one of the biomedical research institutions of the University of Texas System, incorporating three degree-granting institutions, four affiliated hospitals, including Parkland Memorial, the teaching hospital, and biomedical research... |
1994 |
| Dave Werner | Athletic Trainer | Eastern Kentucky University Eastern Kentucky University Eastern Kentucky University, commonly referred to as Eastern or by the acronym EKU by local residents, is an undergraduate and graduate teaching and research institution located in Richmond, Kentucky, U.S.A.. EKU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools... |
1991 |
| Tom Williams | Academic Counselor | Florida University of Florida The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906... |
1978 |
After the season, assistant coach Shaka Smart left to become head coach of the VCU Rams.
2008–2009 Schedule and results
Retrieved from Gatorzone.com|-
!colspan=8| Exhibition
|-
!colspan=8| Regular season
|-
!colspan=8| SEC Tournament
2009 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2009 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament took place on March 12–15, 2009 in Tampa, Florida at the St. Pete Times Forum. The first, quarterfinal, and semifinal rounds were televised by Raycom/LF Sports, and the SEC Championship Game was seen on CBS....
|-
!colspan=8| National Invitational Tournament
2009 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals and finals:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 31 and April 2* denotes each overtime played-NIT Championship:...
Rankings
| Poll | Pre | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Wk 15 | Wk 16 | Wk 17 | Wk 18 | Wk 19 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 23 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 23 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Coaches | 21 | 21 | 19 | 19 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |