GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Guard Kenny Boynton, Florida's leading scorer, announced Thursday on his Twitter page that he will return to school for his senior season.

"To confirm the questions being ask lately I have reached a decision and I am returning to Gainesville for my senior season #go gators" Boynton tweeted.

The university later confirmed Boynton's decision through its official basketball Twitter account.

The 6-foot-1 Boynton led the Gators in scoring, averaging 15.9 points per game, and shot 40.7 percent from 3-point range this past season. He is just 502 points shy of becoming the school's all-time leading scorer. He scored at least 525 points the past two seasons.

The move came as a bit of a surprise, as several people inside the program had expected Boynton to decide to forgo his senior season.

Had Boynton not returned, he was unlikely to be drafted and would have begun his professional career overseas. He is not listed among ESPN NBA Insider draft analyst Chad Ford's Top 100 draft prospects.

The Gators, who are coming off back-to-back NCAA tournament Elite Eight appearances, are waiting on word from guard Bradley Beal on whether he will return for his sophomore season. Beal, who averaged 14.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, has until April 29 to announce his decision.