Here is the latest SEC sports news from The Associated Press | Sports
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Colin Castleton had 20 points and nine rebounds, Kyle Lofton added 14 points and Florida used a 13-0 streak late in the second period to upset No. 2 Tennessee 67-54 on Wednesday evening. Playing with their best ranking in four years, the Volunteers lost for the first time in five games. They had won nine of 10. Tennessee (18-4, 7-2 Southeastern Conference) seemed to have taken control midway through the second half. But the Gators (13-9, 6-3) stormed behind Castleton, who scored 11 of the team’s 14 points as Florida rallied. Zakai Ziegler led the Vols with 15 points on 6-of-19 shooting.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Kobe Brown scored 26 points shooting 10-for-11 and Noah Carter scored 14 points as Missouri earned its third straight win by beating LSU 87-77. Brown matched his career high with 10 shots accomplishing the feat twice before. KJ Williams and Derek Fountain each posted double-doubles for LSU. They each had 11 rebounds while Williams scored 15 points and Fountain 11.
UNDATED (AP) — The opening of college football’s traditional signing period for high school prospects has seemingly ended two of the cycle’s most notable recruits. Top-notch quarterback Jaden Rashada, who signed with Florida in December and then asked to be released from the commitment when a name, image and likeness deal fell through, has announced that he was going to the state of Arizona. Also in the Pac-12, Cormani McClain signed with Colorado to make it two straight years that coach Deion Sanders landed a five-star cornerback. McClain had already committed to Miami.
UNDATED (AP) – Southeastern Conference schools continue to rule the recruiting track, almost as completely as they rule the field. Alabama has assembled the best class of 2023 in the country, according to the composite ranking of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports. The SEC has eight of the top 17 classes, including Georgia at No. 2, LSU at No. 6, and Tennessee at No. 9. An SEC school has topped the team recruiting rankings every year since 2010, the first year for which the 247Sports composite contains data.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida coach Billy Napier has offered little information about how and why the Gators lost four-star quarterback Jaden Rashada, but says he doesn’t expect that it would trigger an NCAA investigation. Napier dodged several questions about Rashada, who signed with Florida in December only to be released a month later following a failed name, image and likeness deal worth more than $13 million. of dollars. Napier has repeatedly said NCAA rules prohibit him from providing details. Napier implied he had done nothing wrong, saying, “At the end of the day, I can lay my head at night.”
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Johni Broome scored 19 points and tied a career-high 18 rebounds, Allen Flanigan scored a season-high 22 points and No. 25 Auburn beat Georgia 94-73. Wendell Green Jr. added 18 points and six assists and had two 3-pointers in a 17-0 first-half run for the Tigers. Broome had his seventh double-double of the season with 2:54 left in the first half, then added six points and six rebounds in the second half. Flanigan went 8 of 10 from the field to finish with his best scoring performance since February 2021. Mardrez McBride led Georgia with 20 points.
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — The prolific pace of school switching among college players has helped some NFL prospects have breakout seasons and show they can adapt to a new system. Players like Florida offensive tackle O’Cyrus Torrence hope their moves pay off in the draft. Torrence and dozens of others who played for multiple schools are trying to improve their draft stock at the East-West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl this week. They must answer questions about the reasons for their transfer. Some, like Torrence, Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley and Cincinnati linebacker Ivan Pace Jr., have had great seasons.
UNDATED (AP) – Oral Roberts’ Max Abmas won the NCAA scoring title as a sophomore in 2020-21 and helped his team become the second No. 15 seed in history to reach the Sweet 16. Abmas is once again among the nation’s leading scorers — and one of the top college players with questions to answer before an NBA future rolls around. The biggest for him and other top scorers like Chattanooga’s Jake Stephens, Gonzaga’s Drew Timme and Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis seems to have a familiar theme? Can they defend at the next level?
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