Florida Gators Have Best Chance Today Vs. Tennessee To Get Billy Donovan Win 500

Florida Gators Have Best Chance Today Vs. Tennessee To Get Billy Donovan Win 500 by Terry Lane

Gators Sweep Stony Brook to Move to 10-1 by Travis Coverston

With his team’s 66-49 win over Tennessee tonight, Florida Gator men’s basketball head coach BIlly Donovan earned his 500th career win. The Florida Gators move to 14-15, 7-9 in the SEC, and despite the disappointing season, his team delivered a dominant performance over the Volunteers that was worthy of the program he built and the legacy he’ll leave.

Here’s a look at Donovan’s career, by the numbers:

4 – Number of coaches who have both played in a Final 4 and won a national title, including Donovan, North Carolina’s Dean Smith, Indiana’s Bobby Knight and Kentucky’s Joe B. Hall.

35 – Number of wins at Marshall, where he coached from 1994-96.

3 – SEC Coach of the Year awards (2011, 2013, 2014)

235 – Number of wins by former Gator coach Norm Sloan, whom Donovan surpassed with Dec. 20, 2006 win over Stetson. He also defeated Stetson for his 400th win on Nov. 28, 2011.

65 – Number of times the Gators have led the SEC in a statistical category under Donovan.

4 – SEC Tournament championships (2005, 2006, 2007, 2014)

14 – NCAA tournament appearances, all with the Gators.

13 – Weeks the Gators ranked number 1 in the AP poll in the 2006-07 season.

2 – Number of coaches to achieve 500 wins before the age of 50, with Donovan joining Indiana’s Knight.

21 – SEC wins for the 2013-14 season, completing a perfect regular season conference record and three wins for the SEC conference title.

3 – NCAA tournament seed of 2006 national championship team.

6 – Number of days he was under contract with the Orlando Magic in 2007 before leaving his contract and returning to the Gators.

28 – Age Donovan accepted the head coach position at Marshall in 1994. At the time, he was the youngest NCAA coach in the nation.

170 – Steals as a player at Providence College.

6 – SEC regular season champions (2000, 2001, 2007, 2011, 2013 and 2014).

13 – Number of wins in Donovan’s first season as the Gator coach, 1996.

16 – Consecutive seasons of 20 wins, but in jeopardy to be broken this season as the Gators sit at 14 with only two regular season games left.

4 – Final Fours (2000, 2006, 2007, 2014)

1,328 – Points scored as player at Providence College.

2 – National Championships (2006, 2007)