Florida
Florida opens SEC play with rare top-10 matchup at Kentucky
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Top-10 matchup in the regular season have been rare for the Florida Gators in program history. They’ll open SEC play this year with back-to-back games against top-10 teams, starting at No. 10 Kentucky (11-2).
Saturday’s matchup marks the 23rd time UF has been in a top-10 matchup, and only five have taken place in the regular season previously. It hasn’t happened since No. 8 Florida visited top-ranked Kentucky in 2012.
The Gators (13-0) have lost the last seven top-10 matchups they’ve been a part of, with their last win coming in 2007.
“This opportunity is incredibly exciting,” UF coach Todd Golden said of the SEC opener at Kentucky. “Two top-10 teams going at it first game of league play, and for us to get this opportunity in what we anticipate to be a really raucous environment, you know, I think will be a great challenge for us.
“We got a little bit of a taste of it in Charlotte. It wasn’t on Carolina’s home floor, but it was pretty close to a dominating North Carolina crowd. And we weathered the storm in that game. I think this one will be even more challenging, and I know our guys are excited to get out there, though, and give it a shot.”
Florida Gators issue initial injury report ahead of Kentucky game
The matchup will feature a pair of top-10 scoring offenses. The Wildcats rank No. 3 nationally at 89.0 points per game and the Gators are ranked ninth in the country at 87.4 PPG.
Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh leads Kentucky with 15.9 points per game and 20 steals. Also scoring double figures are Lamont Butler (13.3 ppg), Jaxson Robinson (11.9), Koby Brea (11.9), Andrew Carr (11.3) and Amari Williams (10.1).
When asked what kind of challenge UK poses offensively, Golden replied, “A big one.”
“They’re a top 10 offense. They’re very good offensively. I think this game is going to come down to two things for us on the defensive end. It’s going to come down to really having a great understanding of their personnel, knowing what each specific guy (does). They’re playing seven, maybe an eight-guy rotation right now, with Kriisa being hurt. So, knowing exactly what each of these guys is trying to do offensively is incredibly important, as well as executing our coverages.
“I think for Kentucky, it’s going to be really important for us to execute guarding them the way we want to guard,” Golden said. “And if we can do those two things for 40 minutes, we’ll be in good shape. But they are hard to guard, and they do some good things offensively, and they play through their bigs on the perimeter. They’re more, you know, four and five out. So again, just if we can execute and know our personnel, we’ll give ourselves a good chance.”
Williams also leads the Wildcats with 8.5 rebounds per game and 22 blocked shots, while Butler has a team-best 45 assists. Florida (No. 1) and Kentucky (No. 9) also rank in the top 10 nationally in rebounds per game, so the battle on the boards will be key.
The Gators won the last meeting in overtime on Kentucky’s floor, as Walter Clayton Jr. knocked in one of his seven 3-pointers with 3.0 seconds left in regulation and another to take the lead with 1:35 left in overtime.
UF is going for back-to-back wins at Kentucky on Saturday for just the third time in series history (2006/2007 and 1988/1989).
“Last year was special, just climbing back, getting into the game. We’re down, and then Walt hitting that big 3 to send us into overtime, and then just winning overtime was special,” Florida senior guard Will Richard said.
“That’s top level. Winning at Rupp is definitely big time. It’s a great environment. There’s a lot of history and tradition there. So, it’s always fun to go to Rupp. … I’m excited. I feel like we’re prepared. So, I’m ready to go.”
Florida
South Florida faith leaders call for Miami mental health center to finally open
Florida
SNAP benefits will be changing in Florida starting Monday
TAMPA, Fla – New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.
What we know:
These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.
Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.
Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.
“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”
Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.
“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”
The other side:
This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”
What they’re saying:
Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.
“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.
This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.
“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”
The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.
Big picture view:
The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.
The Source: Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.
Florida
GALLERY: Barrett-Jackson ‘Super Saturday’ takes over South Florida Fairgrounds
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.
“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.
What to expect
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
- 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
- 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
- 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
- Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.
For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.
Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.
Other Friday highlights included:
- 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
- 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
- 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
- 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.
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