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Gators Forward Tyrese Samuel Earns SEC Player of the Week Honors

Following dominant performances against Pitt and Baylor, Gators forward Tyrese Samuel was named SEC Player of the Week on Monday.

Brandon Carroll

Gators Forward Tyrese Samuel Earns SEC Player of the Week Honors
Gators Forward Tyrese Samuel Earns SEC Player of the Week Honors /
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Following a combined 38 points, 16 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and five steals in the NIT Season Tip-Off in Brooklyn, N.Y., Gators guard Tyrese Samuel has earned SEC Player of the Week honors, the league announced Monday.

The forward was a critical factor in Florida's 15-point victory over Pitt on Wednesday, totaling 20 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 30 minutes. 

He maintained the scoring success in the unit's NIT Season Tip-Off championship game with 18 points to give the Gators an opportunity to upset No. 13 Baylor even without usual starting center Micah Handlogten, although Florida ultimately fell 95-91.

The two contests were a microcosm of Samuel's contributions since arriving in Gainesville as a coveted transfer addition from Seton Hall. He's proven to be a key cog to the Gators' offensive success — ranking 16th out of 362 programs in adjusted offensive efficiency (points scored per 100 possessions) per KenPom — through the first three weeks of the 2023-24 campaign. 

Averaging 14.5 points per contest, the Montreal, Quebec, Canada, native has produced at a high clip while demonstrating an impressive blend of power and athleticism to provide Todd Golden and Co. a mismatch down low against opposing bigs.

His ability to provide size from the four spot when Florida operates at full strength has considerably aided the unit in realizing exponential growth from year one to year two of Golden's reign.

Samuel has added a team-leading 8.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game to provide a dominant two-way force to the Florida backcourt.

The forward will strive to maintain his dominant production as the Gators head to Wiston-Salem, N.C., to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Wednesday as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge. 

Tip-off for the contest is set for 7:15 p.m. ET on ESPNU. 

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Brandon Carroll
BRANDON CARROLL

Brandon Carroll is a recent graduate of the University of Florida. He serves as the lead reporter for the Florida Gators FanNation-Sports Illustrated website, covering football, basketball and recruiting. When he isn't hard at work, he enjoys listening to music, playing flag football and basketball, spending time with his friends and family, and watching an array of television shows. Follow him on Twitter @itsbcarroll.

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