Florida

What to know about Tennessee, Karlyn Pickens vs Florida in Women’s College World Series

Published

6 months ago

May 29, 2025

What to know about Tennessee, Karlyn Pickens vs Florida in Women’s College World Series

OKLAHOMA CITY – Tennessee softball faces elimination in the Women’s College World Series.

The No. 7 seed Lady Vols (45-16) lost their WCWS opener 4-3 to Oklahoma on a walk-off home run at Devon Park on May 29. Tennessee will face No. 3 seed Florida (48-16) on May 30 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2).

Here’s what you need need to know about the matchup with the Gators.

Buy tickets for Tennessee softball vs. Florida in WCWS

Florida’s offense struggled against Texas in WCWS opener

Florida got shut out by Texas in its WCWS opener, falling 3-0 to the Longhorns. Texas ace Teagan Kavan only threw one strikeout, but she kept the Gators off-balance and only gave up two walks.

Florida has struggled all year against elite pitchers all season. Including the regular-season series against Texas, the Gators faced Kavan for 15⅔ innings this season and had 12 hits, one earned run, nine strikeouts and four walks.

Florida also struggled against LSU pitcher Sydney Berzon and Texas A&M pitcher Emiley Kennedy, and its offensive performance against Kavan doesn’t bode well for facing Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens.

Tennessee’s offense will likely face Keagan Rothrock

The Lady Vols had one of their better offensive performances against the Sooners despite the loss. They got runners on base in every inning and recorded a hit in every inning except the third and fourth.

Tennessee was aggressive early and it paid off. Oklahoma’s defense stifled UT’s momentum, but the Lady Vols continue to build on their offensive performances each game of the postseason.

Florida will likely start ace Keagan Rothrock (16-7), who pitched the first five innings against Texas. Rothrock owns a 3.24 ERA with 105 strikeouts in 131⅔ innings this season. The sophomore is already a strong pitcher, but if Tennessee logged eight hits against OU pitcher Sam Landry, it should be able to hit off Rothrock, too.

Karlyn Pickens capable of pitching back-to-back

It’s not uncommon for Pickens (24-10) to pitch in back-to-back games for Tennessee, and it would be shocking if she didn’t start with the season on the line.

Pickens pitched complete games in two straight days in Tennessee’s road series win against Texas in the regular season and she did it against Nebraska in the super regional. Pickens only got better as the super regional wore on, and she threw 21 strikeouts and gave up seven hits and two walks in two straight elimination games.

Pickens had a strong outing against Oklahoma outside of the two home runs from Ella Parker. She held the Sooners to five hits with eight strikeouts and four walks.

Tennessee softball vs Florida WCWS prediction

Tennessee 4, Florida 1: The Gators’ offense won’t have any answers for Pickens, and they haven’t won a single game this season when they scored fewer than three runs. Tennessee will beat Florida and live to see another day in Oklahoma City.

Tennessee softball vs Florida: Series history

Tennessee is 35-54 all time against Florida, but the Lady Vols are 7-3 in the last 10 matchups with the Gators.

Tennessee has played Florida in the WCWS twice. The Lady Vols won 9-2 in 2013 and lost 7-2 in 2015. The last time Tennessee and Florida played was a three-game series in 2023, and UT swept UF. The Lady Vols won 11-0 in Game 1, 10-6 in Game 2 and 4-0 in Game 3.

Watch Tennessee softball vs. Florida on Fubo (free trial)

What time does Tennessee softball vs Florida start?

Date: Friday, May 30
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Devon Park in Oklahoma City

What TV channel is Tennessee softball vs Florida on?

Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on X @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.

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Florida

Five key takeaways from Florida’s 1-point loss to Duke

Published

4 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Press Room

Five key takeaways from Florida’s 1-point loss to Duke

No. 15 Florida lost a tight game against No. 4 Duke, 67-66, on Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The Gators were the better team for all but eight minutes of the game, but a 19-5 run from the Blue Devils to close the second half proved to be the difference. Once again, poor shooting doomed the Orange and Blue. Florida shot just 37.3% from the field and 25% from 3-point range.

Thomas Haugh did all he could to win, with 24 points, six rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal. It wasn’t enough. Cameron Boozer, who looked every bit the best player in the country, matched Haugh and then some. Boozer finished with 29 points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal.

A strong second half made things close. Boogie Fland and Alex Condon got going, offensive rebounds led to second-chance opportunities for Florida and strong defense forced more misses from Duke. The Gators took a two-point lead with 32 seconds left, but Duke returned the favor on a broken play. Urban Klavzar hadn’t left Isaiah Evans for most of the second half, but the last-minute scramble led to an open look.

Still, Florida proved that it’s still worthy of a top 10 ranking and that it can hang with the best teams in the country. It’s a work in progress, even if 5-3 looks ugly in the standings.

Someone has to help Haugh

Florida couldn’t buy a bucket in the first half, unless Thomas Haugh was shooting. Haugh played all 20 minutes before the break and scored or assisted on 19 of Florida’s 24 points. Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee went a combined 1-of-11 from the field, and the only make was a lucky roll off the back of the rim. In fact, if you take away Haugh’s shooting, the team went 4-of-26 from the field in the first half. Ugly.

Haugh can only do it by himself for so long. Eventually, Duke figured out that he was the only threat and all of Florida’s plays were designed to get Haugh driving to his right. Considering the poor shooting, it’s a miracle that Florida kept the game knotted at 19 through the first 12 minutes. The next eight minutes were all Duke. The Blue Devils went on a 19-5 run, leading by 12 at the break.

Florida should have won this game

Several little things buried Florida. Besides the forced 3-pointers, Condon was called on a lane violation to nullify a missed free throw from Cameron Boozer, and a blatant no-call on Duke goaltending was the difference on the scoreboard.

Coaches and players who point to referee errors are often labeled whiners, but sometimes it’s warranted. The ball hit the backboard and was then blocked. A year ago, a timeout gets called and the play is reviewed. The exact butterfly effect isn’t worth going into, but in a one-point loss, that moment looms large.

Of course, a better end to the first half from Florida makes all of this a non-issue.

Too little, too late from Boogie Fland

Fland was Florida’s leading scorer in the second half. Part of that is Duke adjusting at halftime to slow down Haugh, but he also seemed to find an offensive rhythm that hasn’t been present all season. He finished the day just under 50% shooting and had three steals. Four turnovers ot one assist isn’t great, but he had just one and one in the second half.

The change came once Fland stopped forcing 3-pointers. He came around screens quickly and found plenty of buckets inside the arc. For Florida to be successful, Fland must play that brand of basketball.

It’s an encouraging sign to see Fland figure it out, but it came way too late. Again, this could have been a multi-possession victory for Florida had the first half gone even a bit better.

Xaivian Lee does his Jekyll and Hyde routine

All the confidence Xaivian Lee built up in the second half against Providence might be gone. A 1-for-10 night with just one assist is not what starting point guards in the SEC do. Lee said he “was in a dark place” before that breakout game. He mustn’t return to the shadow realm.

The saying goes: play with emotion, not emotion. Lee can’t lose his “joy” every time the shots don’t fall. He was nearly a non-factor in this game, and there’s a reason Golden played Klavzar 15 minutes to Lee’s 10 in the second half. A bench role still feels right for Lee, at least until he gets his head on straight.

No shade. Adjusting to this pace is hard. But it’s what he came here to do.

Florida can win a national championship

Gator Nation is going to leave this one with a bad taste in their mouths, and rightfully so. But so-called moral victories will turn into real victories if this team continues to get better, as it has through the first month of the season.

Losing in November and December doesn’t matter if you don’t lose in March. Forget about TCU for a moment. Arizona and Duke are potential Final Four teams with elite freshman big men. The first thing Boozer said after the game was how good Florida’s frontcourt is.

It’s the backcourt that needs work, and they are improving. Back-to-back breakout games from transfers show what the Gators are capable of. If Fland plays like that for the whole game, or Lee doesn’t fall back into a slump, it’s a Florida win.

Todd Golden’s job is to get these guys firing on all cylinders before the NCAA Tournament. Seeding doesn’t matter. UConn is Florida’s last chance on the non-conference schedule to add a meaningful win. That complete team performance has to come next Tuesday.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

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Florida

Men’s ACC-SEC Challenge guide: What to watch in Duke-Florida, UNC-Kentucky, more

Published

16 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Press Room

Men’s ACC-SEC Challenge guide: What to watch in Duke-Florida, UNC-Kentucky, more

Jeff Borzello
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Jeff Borzello
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Myron Medcalf
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Myron Medcalf
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ESPN Staff Writer

Dec 2, 2025, 09:15 AM ET

The 2025 ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge features a bevy of AP Top 25 men’s college basketball teams in action.

Tuesday night’s showdown between No. 4 Duke and No. 15 Florida will be the first of three ranked matchups over the two-day event, followed by No. 16 North Carolina at No. 18 Kentucky later that night then No. 6 Louisville at No. 25 Arkansas on Wednesday.

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf preview six of the top games to watch over the next 48 hours below.

Tuesday games to watch

7 p.m. ET | ESPN

Syracuse had arguably the toughest draw of the Players Era Festival, finishing 0-3 against No. 8 Houston, No. 21 Kansas and No. 10 Iowa State. This game won’t be any easier. Tennessee is top-20 in offensive and defensive efficiency on KenPom and is led by shifty guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie and 6-foot-10 quagmire Nate Ament, who combined to score 114 points over last week’s three games in Las Vegas. Syracuse will have to solve that riddle to have a chance in this one.

The Orange’s offense is a work in progress but leaning on pick-and-roll action — one of their greatest strengths, per Synergy Sports data — would help. — Medcalf

7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN

Florida’s quest for back-to-back national championships has hit a couple of early speed bumps, losing in the season opener to Arizona and suffering an upset at the hands of TCU on Thanksgiving. Duke, meanwhile, is 8-0 after beating a ranked Arkansas team last week.

For Duke, the key will be Cameron Boozer continuing his incredible production against Florida’s elite frontcourt. His worst games have come against length — “worst” being 15 points and 12 rebounds against Texas then 18 and 11 against Kansas — and the Gators can throw plenty of size at him. On the other side, Florida has to take care of the ball. The Gators’ portal backcourt of Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee hasn’t hit its stride yet, but they can’t cough it up and let Duke get out and score in transition; the Blue Devils score nearly 18 fast-break points per game, per CBB Analytics. — Borzello

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0:24

Cameron Boozer stuffs in a two-handed jam

Cameron Boozer drives to the paint and elevates for a strong dunk for Duke.

9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN

In mid-November matchups against No. 6 Louisville and No. 7 Michigan State, Kentucky surrendered 179 combined points. North Carolina is also coming off a lopsided loss to Michigan in its last showing on the big stage.

Both of these teams excel offensively and defensively inside the 3-point line, but the Wildcats will need Malachi Moreno (1.1 BPG) & Co. to stall Tar Heels star freshman Caleb Wilson (19.9 PPG, 9.9 RPG) when he attacks — the projected NBA draft lottery pick has made 68% of his shots around the rim, per Synergy Sports data. — Medcalf

Wednesday games to watch

7:15 p.m. ET | ESPN

How the trio of projected first-round NBA draft picks — Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. (sixth), plus Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. (14th) and Meleek Thomas (27th) — will decide this game. They don’t have many weaknesses, but they will have to play to their strengths to help their respective teams win.

For Brown and Thomas, that means not forcing perimeter shots. Brown sometimes passes up easy drives to the rim for 3s (30.6%) while Thomas occasionally forces the same shots (34.5%) rather than rely on his explosiveness in the lane. And Acuff has been brilliant but didn’t do enough to get more shots around the rim in last week’s loss to Duke until the second half. He’ll have to get off to a faster start after missing five of his first six shots against the Blue Devils. — Medcalf

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0:55

Mikel Brown Jr.’s best Plays vs. NJIT Highlanders

7:15 p.m. ET | ESPNU

Alabama has played one of the most difficult schedules in the country, notching wins over No. 14 Illinois and No. 23 St. John’s while suffering defeats to No. 1 Purdue and No. 11 Gonzaga. But the Crimson Tide are firing on all cylinders offensively, scoring a combined 220 points in their final two Players Era games. Clemson, meanwhile, is about to see its schedule kick up another notch with a date against BYU at Madison Square Garden next Tuesday.

Pace will play a key part in this one, as Alabama loves to push the ball up the floor and bring some chaos to the game, while Clemson would prefer to have a half-court game without many turnovers. It’s hard to see the Tigers having the firepower to keep up with Nate Oats’ team, especially with the way Labaron Philon Jr. and Aden Holloway are playing. — Borzello

9:15 p.m. ET | ESPN

Both teams hit the road for marquee Feast Week tournaments, with Auburn having the better time of the two. The Tigers were destroyed by Michigan like every one of the Wolverines’ opponents en route to winning last week’s Players Era championship, but the Tigers notched double-digit wins over Oregon and St. John’s while in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, NC State suffered a surprising quarterfinal loss to Seton Hall at the Maui Invitational and gave up 102 points in a defeat to Texas.

It’s easy to make the case that Will Wade’s team needs this win more than Steven Pearl’s group. At this point in the season, both offenses are ahead of their defenses, which should make for a fun affair. The head-to-head matchup between Darrion Williams and Keyshawn Hall is as good as it gets, while the difference will be whether Tahaad Pettiford’s early-season slump is a thing of the past. He was terrific in Las Vegas, averaging 22.3 points over three games and going 7-for-14 from 3 in his past two games. — Borzello

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Florida

Florida Lottery Powerball, Cash4Life, Fantasy 5 results for Dec. 1, 2025

Published

1 day ago

December 2, 2025

Press Room

Florida Lottery Powerball, Cash4Life, Fantasy 5 results for Dec. 1, 2025

The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots. Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 1 drawing

05-18-26-47-59, Powerball: 01, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Dec. 1 drawing

14-25-38-47-55, Powerball: 19

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Dec. 1 drawing

12-18-19-40-60, Cash Ball: 02

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from Dec. 1 drawing

Midday: 02-19-28-29-31

Evening: 05-13-14-24-28

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 1 drawing

Morning: 02

Matinee: 06

Afternoon: 13

Evening: 01

Late Night: 07

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 2 numbers from Dec. 1 drawing

Midday: 7-0, FB: 9

Evening: 7-4, FB: 1

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 1 drawing

Midday: 0-8-8, FB: 9

Evening: 6-2-8, FB: 1

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 1 drawing

Midday: 2-8-0-5, FB: 9

Evening: 6-7-2-0, FB: 1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Dec. 1 drawing

Midday: 1-0-4-0-4, FB: 9

Evening: 8-9-9-8-5, FB: 1

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.

You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.

Florida law requires public disclosure of winners

If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:

Full name
City of residence
Game won
Date won
Amount won
Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.

When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Cash4Life: 9 p.m. daily.
Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.

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