On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Following back-to-back games with a double-double, Florida Gators forward Alex Condon on Monday was named the SEC's Player of the Week.
It's the third time this season he's earned the accolade, and after a 27-point, 10-rebound effort in the road win over the Crimson Tide and a 17-point, 15-rebound effort in Saturday's win over Ole Miss, it's no surprise the league chose Condon.
"Hard pressed to find a guy that deserves SEC player the week more than him," head coach Todd Golden said Saturday. "And he's just playing with a lot of confidence right now, shooting the ball well, just really getting on the glass. You know, that's something that when he's playing with that reckless abandon, going to the backboard and clearing it, you know he's on his stuff, and just playing with a lot of confidence right now. It's fun to see."
With the accolade, Condon is only the second player in program history to earn three SEC Player of the Week awards in a single season, joining former guard Jalen Hudson (2017-18). He previously earned the award after posting double-doubles in wins over Tennessee and Alabama, both of which were ranked No. 1 at the time.
"Just coming out with good physicality," Condon said after Saturday's win. "Coach Hartman talks about it all the time, and, you know, set the tone early. So, yeah, it was an emphasis for our bigs. We thought they were going to play a little bit smaller today, so that's where our advantage was. I think our goal was plus 15 on the glass, and I think we got that in the end."
After closing the regular season with a 19-point win over the Rebels, the Gators, now ranked No. 4 in the newest AP Poll, turn its attention to the SEC Tournament as the league's No. 2 seed. With a double-bye, Florida won't play until the quarterfinals on Friday against the winner of No. 7 Missouri and No. 10 Mississippi State/No. 15 LSU.
More From Gators Illustrated
More must-reads:
- Jordan Love's thumb surgery comes at inopportune time for Packers
- Celtics' ownership move should concern Lakers governor Jeanie Buss
- The 'American League WAR leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Wisconsin's No. 1 basketball recruit for 2027 schedules unofficial visits with Badgers and Big Ten rivals
How Will MSU's Big Men Fare in 2025?
The Michigan State Spartans enjoyed an impressive season from their platoon of big men. Carson Cooper, Jaxon Kohler and Szymon Zapala all played important roles for a team that went to the Elite Eight. No big was as dominant as Draymond Green or Adreian Payne, but they played well in their own right. Zapala will not return next season, but Cooper and Kohler are a year older as they enter their senior seasons. Expect both big men to be leaders for this Spartan squad. Like last season, MSU’s bigs will face some of the best centers in college basketball. How will this Spartan group fare in the 2025-26 campaign? Jaxon Kohler It is hard to imagine Kohler not having an excellent season in his fourth year as a Spartan. Hampered with injuries in his first two seasons, Kohler enjoyed a career-best year where he remained healthy for all 37 games. He averaged career-highs in points, rebounds, field goal and 3-point percentage, steals, and blocks. He improved as a defender last season, becoming more than reliable on that side of the floor. He will hold his own even when he takes on some of the best bigs in the league, like Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn or Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg. Carson Cooper Like Kohler, Cooper enjoyed the best season of his Spartan career. Despite not starting a single game, Cooper saw upticks in points, rebounds, field-goal percentage and free-throw attempts. He was a defensive specialist off the bench who offered some offensive upside as a lob threat or pick-and-roll big. Cooper did a nice job protecting the rim for this Spartan team last season. He will earn more starts next season if he expands on his offensive game. Jesse McCulloch The redshirt freshman will slot in as the team’s third big man next season, and there is much to be excited about regarding McCulloch. The former four-star high school recruit is a 6-foot-10, 240-pound big who can stretch the floor and defend in space and at the rim. Tom Izzo called McCulloch a better defensive communicator than any guard he has ever seen when he signed in November of 2023. MSU redshirted McCulloch last season because Izzo felt he was good enough to rely on for the next few seasons. The team will likely start him off slow, but once he gets going, he should be a serious contributor on both sides of the floor. You can keep up with all of our Michigan State basketball content when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts on the Spartans' center rotation when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE. Don't forget to give us a follow on X @MSUSpartansOnSI as well.
Perhaps Superman Paul Skenes has found his kryptonite
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes may continue to be one of the top contenders for the National League Cy Young Award, but there is one place where he has appeared mortal this season. On Tuesday night, the Milwaukee Brewers did to Skenes what they have done to plenty of MLB pitchers in 2025 ... put up big offensive numbers. For the second time this season, Skenes also pitched in Milwaukee on June 25, the Brewers forced him from the game after just 4.0 innings on Tuesday night, logging six hits and four runs during his time on the mound. Both of those performances came at Milwaukee's home stadium (American Family Field) and both are now Skenes' shortest outings of the season. While another NL Central team has put up more runs against Skenes this season (the St. Louis Cardinals nicked him for five runs in 6.0 innings on April 8), no other team has had the same kind of success over multiple starts by Skenes in 2025 as have the Brewers inside their home stadium. In all this season, Skenes has given up 10 hits and eight runs in 8.0 innings in Milwaukee. It was his third career outing on the road against the Brewers, with his lone 2024 start representing arguably the best outing of his rookie season. On July 11, 2024, Skenes struck out 11 and didn't allow a hit over 7.0 innings as the Pirates would eventually post a 1-0 victory. Tuesday's short outing was highlighted by a pair of Milwaukee home runs, including a leadoff solo shot by Sal Frelick that quickly set the tone for the Brewers. While Milwaukee's hit parade helped raise Skenes' ERA on the season to 2.13, it's hardly any reason for concern in a season where the 23-year-old right-hander is still a heavy favorite (-600) to win the NL Cy Young Award, per BetMGM. Skenes struggling in Milwaukee is likely more yet another stamp of approval on the Brewers' potential to be a threat once the postseason arrives. With an 18-4 record since the All-Star break entering Tuesday, Milwaukee has taken over the NL Central race from the Chicago Cubs. So what's the good news for Skenes? This is Pittsburgh's last trip to Milwaukee this season and the next-to-last series for the Pirates against the red-hot Brewers. Milwaukee will visit PNC Park for a three-game series on Sept. 5-7 and, if Skenes gets a chance for revenge against Milwaukee, there couldn't be a better place for him to take the mound. This season, in 11 starts covering 68.2 innings, Skenes has a 1.70 ERA in the Steel City.
Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Makes Direct Statement About Mason Rudolph's Spot On QB Depth Chart
The Pittsburgh Steelers have quite an interesting quarterback room for the 2025 season. Of course, all the focus is truly on Aaron Rodgers and what he can bring to the team at this stage in his career. Behind him, the Steelers have Mason Rudolph serving as the primary backup. Skylar Thompson and Will Howard are competing for the third spot on the depth chart, but unfortunately for Howard, an injury has slowed his progress. Thompson took advantage of the opportunity, performing well in the first preseason game and possibly reclaiming the QB3 role. Before his injury, Howard had previously moved ahead of Thompson in the competition. Former teammate of Rudolph, Ben Roethlisberger, recently shared his honest thoughts about the veteran quarterback’s performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Roethlisberger, who spent years with Rudolph during his time in Pittsburgh, had a unique perspective on how his former understudy handled the game. While Roethlisberger acknowledged there were some areas where Rudolph could improve, he also praised his composure, decision-making, and ability to move the offense when needed. Roethlisberger discussed Rudolph’s performance on his Footbahlin podcast, noting that the veteran looked confident and in control despite limited opportunities. "You know I thought Mason [Rudolph] played really well," Roethlisberger said on his podcast. "I thought he did exactly what you would hope to see from your backup quarterback. He went out there I think, he solidified himself… as the two." He pointed out that Rudolph’s familiarity with the Steelers’ system allows him to step in without disrupting the flow of the offense. With Rodgers leading the way, Rudolph providing a steady backup presence, and the QB3 competition between Thompson and Howard continuing, the Steelers’ quarterback depth will be a storyline worth following as the 2025 season approaches. "Let’s see how he does this week and the next week," Roethlisberger said. "I thought he played really well. I thought he was efficient with the ball. He threw the ball down the field. As a team, you like seeing that because that gives you confidence going into the season that if something were to happen one game for Aaron… you have a guy that you feel confident who could go in there. Same thing when we had Charlie Batch, you had Bruce Gradkowski, you had Byron Leftwich, you had Dennis Dixon and Josh Dobbs. Any of those guys. You just feel confident he can go in and just get it done for you." Roethlisberger had high praise for Rudolph, and hearing him mention him alongside names like Charlie Batch shows he has faith in Rudolph’s ability to be a reliable backup in Pittsburgh. There is a strong argument that Rudolph is one of the most dependable backup quarterbacks in the NFL, which is a significant asset for the Steelers in the 2025 season. Steelers' Mason Rudolph Has Great Preseason Game Versus Jaguars Rudolph only attempted 10 passes on Saturday night against the Jaguars, but completed 90 percent of them. He threw for 84 yards and one touchdown. While preseason football can be difficult to evaluate, he performed well in roughly a quarter and some change of action. His efficiency and composure reinforced the notion that the Steelers have one of the league’s most steady and trustworthy backup quarterbacks heading into the regular season. Roethlisberger is confident Rudolph has now locked up his spot as QB2 for the 2025 season. Steelers fans are now super eager to get updates on when Howard will be back from his injury. Howard and Thompson will fight for the QB3 spot. What grade would you give Rudolph for his preseason outing against the Jaguars?
Shohei Ohtani named in lawsuit regarding $240M real estate project
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has been named in a lawsuit that was filed in Hawaii on Friday. Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo, are being sued by a real estate investor and a broker in Hawaii who have accused Ohtani and Balelo of sabotaging a $240M real estate deal for a development on the Big Island. According to court documents that were obtained by Jimmy Golen of The Associated Press, real estate developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto say Ohtani and Balelo deliberately had them removed from the project “for no reason other than their own financial self-interest.” The lawsuit claims Ohtani was brought into the deal for his promotional value and that he and his agent pushed the founders of the project out using “threats and baseless legal claims.” “Defendants must be held accountable for their actions, not shielded by fame or behind-the-scenes agents acting with impunity,” the lawsuit states. “Plaintiffs bring this suit to expose Defendants’ misconduct and to ensure that the rules of contract, fair dealing, and accountability apply equally to all — celebrity or not.” Hayes and Matsumoto have also accused Ohtani and Balelo of trying to push them out of a similar neighboring development project. The $240M Big Island development is located along Hapuna Beach, which is rated one of the top beaches in the world. Matsumoto was supposed to be the listing agent for the properties, which average more than $17.3M each. A brochure for the project stated that Ohtani, who was called “Japan’s Babe Ruth” has committed to buying one of the 14 properties and acting as a “celebrity spokesperson” for the development. Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700M contract with the Dodgers prior to the 2024 season. The two-way star is having another monster year with a .284 average, 42 home runs, 78 RBI and a 1.013 OPS entering Tuesday. Ohtani has also returned to pitching this season and has a 2.37 ERA across 19 innings. Ohtani was also connected to a massive gambling scandal last year, though Major League Baseball determined that the 31-year-old was not guilty of any wrongdoing.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
