The Gator men’s basketball team gets a player who left back, the Miami Heat win again and so do the Atlanta Braves in our Tuesday Sports News and Notes…

** The Gator men’s basketball team will get back the services of guard DeVon Walker who had announced a few days ago he was leaving the program.   In a statement released yesterday, Walker said the more he thought about it, “I just realized this is where I want to be.”

** Former Gator quarterback Chris Leak is returning to Gainesville, hired by Gator football coach Will Muschamp as a quality control coach, a position typically created to help someone start a coaching career.

** The Miami Heat have taken a commanding 3-1 lead in their NBA playoff series with the Chicago Bulls after an 88-65 win last night.   Memphis beat Oklahoma City as well to go up 3-1 in that series.  Tonight, Indiana hosts New York up 2-1 and Golden State visits San Antonio with the series tied 2-2.

** In the NHL playoffs, the New York Rangers and the Boston Bruins each won deciding Game 7 contests; the Rangers blast Washington 5-0 while Boston comes back from a 4-1 third period deficit to win 5-4 in overtime over Toronto.

In MLB action Atlanta pounds Arizona 10-1; Tampa Bay had the night off and plays Boston at home tonight.   Miami is hosting Cincinnati tonight.

A lot of Gator news, NBA playoffs and more in our Monday Sports News and Notes…

** The Gator softball team is a number two national seed after the NCAA announced selections to the NCAA Tournament late last night.   UF will host Hampton, USF and Georgia Southern starting this weekend.

** The Gator lacrosse team advances to the Elite Eight after beating Denver 16-5 at home on Sunday.   Next for UF is Syracuse on the road this weekend.

** The Gator women’s tennis team advances to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament with a 4-0 beating of Georgia Tech Sunday.   UF now plays Duke in Illinois.

** The Gator baseball team drops a series to Auburn after losing 4-1 on Sunday.  UF is 13-14 in the SEC and2 28-25 overall and ends its regular season at Georgia starting on Thursday.

** The Gator track teams come home with some individual hardware from the SEC Championships this weekend.  UF’s men finished second and the women fourth in the competition.

** Tiger Woods is a winner again, winning the TPC by two shots after a final round 70.  He wins the tournament for the first time since 2001.

** In the NBA playoffs, Golden State pulls even with San Antonio with a 97-87 overtime home win Sunday.   The series is even at 2-2.  Tonight, Miami is at Chicago up 2-1 and Memphis hosts Oklahoma City up 2-1.

** In the MLB, San Francisco beats Atlanta 5-1 to take three of four in the series; the Braves travel to Arizona tonight.  Miami lost to Los Angeles 5-3 and have the night off while Tampa Bay beat San Diego 4-2 for its fifth straight win.   The Rays have the day off.

There is a lot going on in Gator sports and in sports in general today.

** The Gator lacrosse team begins play today in the NCAA Tournament, hosting Denver.  The Pioneers beat Jacksonville to advance.  The Gator women’s tennis team is in second round action at home today in the NCAA Tournament after crushing Marist 4-0 yesterday.  UF plays Georgia Tech Sunday.

** The Gator women’s golf team advances to NCAA Tournament play after a fourth place finish in an NCAA Regional and the Gator track teams are in the final day of the SEC Championships.

** The Gator softball team will know its NCAA Tournament draw tonight when the field is announced.  And the Gator baseball team clinched a spot in the SEC Tournament with a come from behind 5-4 win over Auburn.   Josh Tobias hit a three run homer with two outs in the ninth inning to tie the game and UF won it from there.

** At the TPC golf championship, Tiger Woods trails leader David Lingmerth by one shot heading into today’s final round.  Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia are also a shot back.

** In the NBA playoffs, Memphis beats Oklahoma City 87-81 to go up 2-1 in the series and Indiana rips New York 82-71 to go up 2-1 in that series.  Today, San Antonio is at Golden State up 2-1.

** And in NASCAR, Matt Kenseth wins the Southern 500 at Darlington Speedway on Saturday, beating Denny Hamlin and Jeff Gordon.

In

The Gator baseball team loses, Gator men’s tennis has its season end, the Miami Heat rally for a win and more in our Saturday Sports News And Notes…

** The Gator baseball team falls to 27-24 and to 12-13 in SEC play after losing to Auburn 7-4 Friday night in Gainesville; the loss is Florida’s fifth straight in SEC games.   The teams play tonight at 7pm.

** Rain washed out SEC Tournament play in softball so Florida tries to play again today in the semifinals against Georgia.   UF became the first time to win 50 games this year when it beat Alabama a couple of days ago.

** The Gator men’s tennis team saw its season come to a close when it was upset at home by Denver 4-3 in NCAA Tournament play.   The top seeded and two time defending champion Gator women’s team opens play today against Marist.

** Round three of the TPC today and Sergio Garcia has a one shot lead over Tiger Woods.  Garcia shot a seven under 65 Friday and Woods shot his second straight 67. 

** The Miami Heat rally to beat the Chicago Bulls 104-94 to go up 2-1 in their NBA Playoff series. 

** Finally the transfer of Rutgers guard Eli Carter to Florida is now official.  The 6’2″ guard averaged just over 14 points a game with the Scarlet Knights.  Florida needs guard help and Carter could provide that if it is ruled he can play right away because he left when his former coach was fired for allegedly hitting and berating his players.

Gator softball advances in SEC Tournament play, a good start for Gator women’s golf at the NCAA’s and more in our Friday Sports News and Notes…

** The Gator softball team becomes the first team to win 50 games this year after beating Alabama 8-4 in the SEC Tournament in Lexington, Kentucky.  Florida plays in the semifinals today against Georgia.

** The Florida women’s golf team has a one stroke lead after the first round of the NCAA Central Regional in Oklahoma.  Elcin Ulu shot a four under par 68 to lead Florida; second round action is today.

** Mark your calendars; Fan Day for Gator volleyball and football will be Saturday, August 17th.

** Former Gator linebacker Jon Bostic becomes one of the first 2013 NFL Draft choices to sign a contract when he agrees to a four year deal with the Chicago Bears.

** The NBA playoffs resume today as Miami travels to face Chicago with the series tied 1-1 and San Antonio visits Golden State with that series tied at 1-1.

** In MLB action, Tampa Bay beats Toronto 5-4; the Rays now host San Diego; Miami is at the LA Dodgers and Atlanta is at San Francisco.