Florida Gators player to watch at NCAA tournament: Tyree Appleby

Tyree Appleby — a 6-foot-1, 170-pound junior point guard from Jacksonville, Arkansas — was eligible this season after transferring from Cleveland State, where he earned All-Horizon League honors as a sophomore, and sitting out the 2019-20 season due to NCAA transfer rules. It's hard to say he didn’t make the most of his time back on the court. 

Key Gators:Florida Gators player to watch at NCAA tournament: Tre Mann

Florida Gators player to watch at NCAA tournament: Colin Castleton

Appleby's older brother, Raheem, was a first team All-Conference USA performer at Louisiana Tech for current UF coach Mike White.

Appleby leaves first-round game vs. Virginia Tech after head injury

Appleby exited in the second half of the Gators' overtime win after taking a shot to the head on a pass by Virginia Tech's Keve Aluma. 

He would return to the floor in overtime but did not re-enter the game.

Appleby had six points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal before the inju

Appleby's time to shine for Gators in March Madness

Appleby, 22, averaged 11.4 points for the Gators this season and he’s started 15 of UF’s 23 games heading into the bubble in Indianapolis. He shot 36.4 percent from 3-point land in his first season as an upperclassmen while maintaining a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. Appleby scored a season-high 20 points in Florida’s one-possession loss at Mississippi State. He played a season-high 37 minutes in his return to his home state for UF’s 75-64 loss at Arkansas.