Two Gators Named to Men’s Hoops All-SEC Teams

It was announced Monday that two Gators men’s basketball standouts received SEC Honors.

Fifth-year senior Colin Castleton was named first-team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team, while freshman Riley Kugel earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team.

Castleton Gets Crowned

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The 2021-2022 season ended with the now-fifth-year senior being named second-team All-SEC. As a fourth-year senior, he averaged just over 16 points and nine rebounds per game.

At the end of this season, he averaged 16.0 points and 7.7 rebounds. Although his numbers may have dipped slightly, Castleton still led the Gators in both categories.

The forward from DeLand, Florida, also shined on the defensive end. He racked up 78 blocks on the season, averaging three per game. He ranks fourth in the nation in this category, while setting a program single-season record.

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A transfer from the Michigan Wolverines, Castleton has put up 1165 points in his three seasons for the Gators. He is one of two transfers in program history to reach 1,000 points (Dorian Finney-Smith, 2012-16).

Despite suffering a season-ending broken hand with five games left in the season, he still claimed two All-SEC Honors.

Freshman Makes His Mark

The guard from Orlando, Florida, has made a big impact on this Florida team in his first season. Kugel’s averaged 9.7 points per game (12.6 in conference-play), which lands him third on the roster in scoring — right behind sophomore Will Richard and Castleton.

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By the end of his freshman regular season, he boasted an impressive 38% clip from beyond-the-arc — racking up 50 threes on the season along with 106 made field goals. He ranked third on the team in both categories.

After his being named to the SEC All-Freshman Team, Florida has now had a player earn this honor in 11 of their past 16 seasons.

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What’s Next for the Gators?

Florida will head into battle against the Mississippi State Bulldogs Thursday in the first round of the SEC tournament. The matchup is set for 1 p.m. in Nashville.