Preseason magazines high on Gators

[News Bot]

Two major preseason college basketball magazines expect Florida to pick up where it left off last season.
The Sporting News picks the Gators to finish second behind Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference and ranks Florida seventh in the nation in its preseason top 25. Lindy’s ranks Florida third in the SEC behind Kentucky and Vanderbilt, and 10th in its preseason top 25.
Florida lost its starting frontcourt from a team that won the SEC and reached the Elite Eight last season. But the Gators add two standout guards — Rutgers transfer Mike Rosario and incoming freshman Brad Beal — along with freshman forward Walter Pitchford.
Florida coach Billy Donovan said in the Sporting News article that he is hopeful that Patric Young and recently re-instated forward Erik Murphy will pick up the slack to replace the losses of Chandler Parsons, Alex Tyus in Vernon Macklin.
In the Sporting News’ Florida preseason preview, Jimmy Hyams wrote: “Is Florida’s deep and talented backcourt good enough to carry the team? Not entirely. But if Young and one other big man emerges, Florida should make the big dance for the 12th time in Donovan’s 16 seasons in Gainesville.”
In the Lindy’s Florida preview, Gregg Doyel wrote: “After three ho-hum seasons following their back-to-back national championships of 2006 and 2007, the Gators returned to national excellence last season. Expect them to stay there now, albeit in a completely different way: A balanced team that lacked backcourt depth will become guard-heavy, both in production and minutes played.”
As an aside, senior guard Erving Walker is featured on both the local Sporting News and Lindy’s covers.

Source: GatorSports.com - Hoops Scoop

 

[CaliZona_Gator]

So Murphy is reinstated. That's tremendous news. What about Larson?

 

[MahxFahn]

Hey CaliZona!

Cody Larson Back On Gator Basketball Team?

With his legal issues settled at least for the time being, Cody Larson could be reinstated to the Gator basketball team after accepting a deferred prosecution deal.
Larson and teammate Erik Murphy were arrested in April for allegedly trying to break into a car in St.Augustine outside a bar and both were suspended indefinitely after the arrest. Murphy was just recently reinstated to the team.
Under the plea deal, Larson will have to abide by several agreed upon items to stay out of trouble, including continued counseling, community service and payback of money for court costs and to the alleged victims in the case.
However, it is not clear if Larson has been reinstated to the team but he is listed on the roster of the team on Florida’s Gator Zone website.
Larson still faces issues in his home state of South Dakota if it is determined that he violated terms of his probation there stemming from a misdemeanor drug charge in 2010. Prosecutors must determine if Larson’s incident in St. Augustine violates terms of his probation.
Posted: Wednesday, Sep 14, 2011, 06:39 AM