1988–89 Florida Gators men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 1988–89 Florida Gators basketball Florida Gators script logo.svg Southeastern Conference SEC 21–13 13–5 Norm Sloan 9th Monte Towe 9th Clifford Lett O'Connell Center SEC Regular Season champions NCAA tournament first round The 1988–89 Florida Gators men's basketball team represented the University of Florida as a member of the Southeastern Conference during the 1988–89 NCAA men's basketball season. They were coached by Norm Sloan, who was in his ninth consecutive (and final) season at the school. The Gators were ranked in the AP preseason poll for only the second time in program history despite the loss of both starting guards from the previous season, Vernon Maxwell and Ronnie Montgomery. They were expected to be led by steady senior guard Clifford Lett and star center Dwayne Schintzius, but while Lett stepped into his new starting role with aplomb, Schintzius was suspended four games for getting involved in an altercation outside a Gainesville nightclub in which he allegedly wielded a tennis racket.Harry Chris 'They Were the First:' Current SEC Champion Gators Welcome Back 1988-89 SEC Champs for LSU Game https://floridagators.com/news/2014/3/1/27461 floridagators.com February 8, 2022 en Schintzius' temporary absence contributed to a disappointing start to the season, and the Gators' record stood at 5–7 after losing their first conference game in early January. However, the team improved markedly from that low point, with the turnaround beginning during a key conference road game at Vanderbilt. Florida committed a turnover with one second remaining while trailing 72–70, seemingly sealing a loss. However, before play resumed, several tennis balls were tossed onto the court from the stands, apparently in taunting reference to Schinztius's earlier altercation. The officials called a technical foul on the home team, and Schintzius hit the resulting two free throws to send the game into overtime. He then scored Florida's first seven points in the extra period to lead the Gators to an 81–78 win.Browne Jeff VANDERBILT FANS CAUSE BIG RACKET TECHNICAL ON CROWD LIFTS UF TO OT WIN https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1989-01-26-8901050852-story.html February 8, 2022 Orlando Sun Sentinel January 26, 1989 en The improbable win was the second victory in what grew into an 11-game conference streak that ran from mid-January until early March. The Gators ended the season one game ahead of Vanderbilt and Alabama in the conference standings to earn the program's first ever regular season SEC basketball championship. They were the runners-up to Alabama in the SEC tournament and received their third consecutive at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as a #7 seed. However, a poor shooting performance led to an upset loss to Colorado State in the first round, ending the Gators' season. Florida was again ranked in the AP preseason poll leading up to the following season, but days before the first game in November 1989, Sloan was forced to resign due to an NCAA investigation into the program. Dwayne Schintzius quit the team over conflicts with interim coach Don DeVoe, and the program's streak of consecutive NCAA tournament appearances ended in 1989–90 with their first losing record in six years. Roster 1988 Florida Gators y y Dwayne Schintzius C 7 1 JR y Brandon, Florida Brandon Clifford Lett G 6 3 SR y Pensacola, Florida Pensacola Renaldo Garcia G 6 2 JR n Tampa, Florida Tampa Catholic Livingston Chatman F 6 7 SO n Lakeland, Florida Kathleen Dwayne Davis F 6 7 SO n Norm Sloan (NC State) Monte Towe (NC State) https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/florida/1989.html 1988-89 Florida Gators Roster and Stats Sports Reference April 12, 2020 Schedule and results |- !colspan=9 style=Florida Gators| Regular season Nov 25, 1988 ESPNSEC's Television Basketball Schedule Associated Press Harlan Daily Enterprise August 12, 1988 6 https://books.google.com/books?id=sDlBAAAAIBAJ&dq=1988+1989+SEC+Basketball+TV&pg=PA4&article_id=5820,5033713 Google Books September 27, 2023 yes yes 15 1988 men California Golden Bears California Sullivan Arena Anchorage, Alaska Great Alaska Shootout 58–73 0–1 Nov 26, 1988 ESPNhde08121988 yes 15 1988 men Alaska Anchorage Seawolves Alaska-Anchorage Sullivan Arena Anchorage, Alaska Great Alaska Shootout 83–72 1–1 Nov 27, 1988 yes yes 15 1988 men Utah Utes Utah Sullivan Arena Anchorage, Alaska Great Alaska Shootout 77–68 2–1 Nov 30, 1988 yes 19 Siena O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida 71–67 3–1 Dec 3, 1988 yes yes 19 Florida State 14 Donald L. Tucker Center Tallahassee, Florida Rivalry 86–114 3–2 Dec 6, 1988 ESPNhde08121988 yes yes Illinois 7 Assembly Hall Champaign, Illinois 67–97 15,020 3–3 Dec 10, 1988 ESPN LSU O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida 101–111 3–4 0–1 Dec 19, 1988 yes 1988 men Miami Hurricanes Miami (FL) O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida 101–81 4–4 Dec 22, 1988 USAhde08121988 yes Pittsburgh O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida 87–90 4–5 Dec 27, 1988 yes yes 1988 men Ohio State Buckeyes Ohio State 15 68–93 4–6 Dec 28, 1988 yes yes 1988 men Fordham Rams Fordham 59–52 5–6 Jan 5, 1989 ESPNhde08121988 yes yes 1988 men Ole Miss Rebels Ole Miss Tad Smith Coliseum Oxford, Mississippi 71–80 5–7 0–2 Jan 7, 1989 yes 1988 men Georgia Bulldogs Georgia 20 Stegeman Coliseum Athens, Georgia 80–66 6–7 1–2 Jan 9, 1989 yes yes 1988 men South Florida Bulls South Florida Sun Dome Tampa, Florida 87–82 7–7 Jan 12, 1989 ESPNhde08121988 Kentucky O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida 56–69 7–8 1–3 Jan 14, 1989 yes Auburn Beard–Eaves–Memorial Auburn, Alabama 75–71 8–8 2–3 Jan 18, 1989 yes Tennessee 18 Thompson-Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee 76–83 8–9 2–4 Jan 21, 1989 1988 men Mississippi State Bulldogs Mississippi State O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida 81–57 9–9 3–4 Jan 25, 1989 yes Vanderbilt Memorial Gymnasium Nashville, Tennessee 81–78 OT 10–9 4–4 Feb 1, 1989 8:00 p.m. JPThde08121988 Alabama O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida 85–76 11–9 5–4 Feb 4, 1989 CBShde08121988 yes yes Stanford 20 Orlando, Florida 69–84 11–10 Feb 5, 1989 Ole Miss O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida 78–67 12–10 6–4 Feb 8, 1989 8:00 p.m. JPT Georgia O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida 65–60 13–10 7–4 Feb 11, 1989 NBChde08121988 yes Kentucky Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky 59–53 14–10 8–4 Feb 15, 1989 Auburn O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida 90–79 15–10 9–4 Feb 18, 1989 Tennessee O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida 99–81 16–10 10–4 Feb 22, 1989 yes Mississippi State Humphrey Coliseum Starkville, Mississippi 78–69 17–10 11–4 Feb 25, 1989 JPThde08121988 Vanderbilt O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida 83–80 18–10 12–4 Mar 1, 1989 JPThde08121988 yes LSU Maravich Assembly Center Baton Rouge, Louisiana 104–95 19–10 13–4 Mar 4, 1989 yes Alabama Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama 63–83 19–11 13–5 |- !colspan=9 style=Florida Gators| SEC tournament Mar 10, 1989 JPT yes yes Georgia Thompson-Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee SEC Tournament Quarterfinal 62–61 20–11 Mar 11, 1989 JPT yes yes Tennessee Thompson-Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee SEC Tournament Semifinal 76–71 21–11 Mar 12, 1989 ABC yes yes Alabama Thompson-Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee SEC tournament Championship 60–72 21–12 |- !colspan=9 style=Florida Gators| NCAA tournament Mar 17, 1989 yes yes 7 MW Colorado State 10 MW Reunion Arena Dallas, Texas First Round 46–68 21–13 AP Poll Eastern Time MW Midwest 2021-22 Florida Gator Mens Basketball Media Guide https://floridagators.com/documents/2021/10/26//2021_22_Media_Guide.pdf?id=32009 floridagators.com University of Florida Athletic Association January 31, 2022 en References Category:Florida Gators men's basketball seasons Florida Florida Florida Gators Florida Gators