Noah Locke dunks for first time as a Gator in SEC Tournament quarterfinal vs. Vanderbilt

Noah Locke, the only current Gators player aside from Keyontae Johnson to have previously played in the SEC Tournament, didn’t shy away from discussing the gravity of the moment in the week before the trip to Nashville. 

And he practiced what he preached midway through the first half by accomplishing a career-first: a dunk. 

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The 6-foot-3 shooting guard isn’t necessarily known for his athleticism, although that’s not entirely his fault.

He’s battled through various injuries throughout his time in Gainesville, including a nagging sports hernia that eventually required offseason surgery after the 2019-20 season was abruptly cut short.

Locke has been slowly getting back to his old ways, and he accentuated his athletic progression by dunking for the first time at the collegiate level when he flushed one through the rim with two hands in transition to put the Gators up 16-11 with 10:17 left in the first half. 

Locke’s three-pointer on Florida’s prior possession snapped the tie, and his dunk furthered Florida’s advantage. UF holds a 34-22 lead over Vanderbilt at halftime.