Immigration Attorneys in Gainesville, FL

Florida basketball is back in March Madness.

The top-seeded Gators (30-4) begin the 2025 NCAA Tournament Friday in Raleigh against No. 16 Norfolk State in the West Region. The game will be held at the Lenovo Center. The winner faces No. 8 UConn or No. 9 Oklahoma Sunday for a spot in the Sweet 16 Friday in San Francisco.

UF rides into the madness as hot as any team in the country. Florida is on a six-game win streak and won its first Southeastern Conference Tournament title since 2014 Sunday over fourth-seeded Tennessee 86-77. The Gators defeated Missouri Friday 95-81 and Alabama 104-82 Saturday.

The 104 vs. the Crimson Tide was an SEC Tournament record. Saturday and Sunday, Florida was led by Walter Clayton Jr.'s 22 points.

Last season, the Gators returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021. It fell 102-100 to Colorado. UF last advanced to the second weekend in 2017, when it lost to South Carolina in the Elite Eight.

Florida's last Final Four trip came in 2014 — the last time it was a No. 1 seed as well.

Below is ticket information for Florida basketball's first-round game:

Florida basketball vs. Norfolk State tickets for NCAA Tournament 2025

STUBHUB: Starting at $56

Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at Nram@gannett.com and follow him @Noah_ram1 on X/Twitter.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

NASHVILLE, Tenn ― As Florida basketball coaches and players bathed in confetti following Sunday's SEC Tournament championship win over Tennessee, thoughts moved ahead to a bigger prize.

At 30-4, the Florida Gators showed few weaknesses in eliminating Missouri, Alabama and Tennessee over the weekend at Bridgestone Arena to clinch their fifth SEC Tournament title in school history and first since 2014. UF faced it share of adversity along the way, overcoming 16 turnovers against Missouri, a high-powered offensive Alabama team and a rugged, physical Tennessee squad that had a partisan crowd behind them.

"We continue to prove what we have been all season, which is being one of the best teams in America, continuing to show that we can beat anybody in America," Florida basketball coach Todd Golden said. "When we're playing like this, I think we are the best team in America. We've got to keep going."

Florida can win in a variety of ways ― either offensively, defensively or on the boards. The Gators have length and depth in the frontcourt with a rotation that starts with 6-foot-10 center Rueben Chinyelu and 6-11 forward Alex Condon and continues with 6-9 forward Thomas Haugh and 7-1 center Micah Handlogten. UF also has a lead guard who's not afraid to shy away from the big moment. Walter Clayton Jr., who earned SEC Tournament MVP honors by averaging 20.7 points and 4.7 assists, sank a pair of big 3-pointers in the second half to help quell Tennessee runs.

"Coach Golden, they had a vision," said Clayton, who transferred from Iona to UF before the start of the 2023-24 season. "Obviously, I committed here, I came here because I believed in that vision. See it come to fruition, it actually happening, is great.,"

Why Florida basketball will be a tough out in the NCAA Tournament

Florida is coming into the NCAA Tournament healthy with a nine-deep rotation that can possibly extend to 10 if forward Sam Alexis returns from a sprained ankle next week. UF is ranked in the top 10 nationally per KenPom in both offensive and defensive efficiency and as a No. 1 seed will have a favorable path in its quest to reach its first Final Four since 2014.

"We're in much better shape going into the NCAA tournament this year than last year," Golden said. "Trying to get through Micah's injury, playing four games in four days. I thought we were a little fatigued. I think this year we'll be more ready to go as we step into the NCAA tournament this week."

There were plenty of hugs and selfies as Florida basketball players and staff members climbed the ladder to cut down pieces of the net (except for 7-9 Olivier Rioux, who didn't need a ladder to cut his piece of the net down). Florida has won 12 of its last 13 games, but the feeling throughout the postgame celebration was completing a first step of more that's left to accomplish.

"We've got to have the mental toughness to keep pushing through, not be content and satisfied to what we've done to this point," Golden said. "This is a huge goal of ours to get the SEC tournament championship. We still have a lot left to do here in March and playing for the NCAA tournament as well."

Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun's Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1

What is the best internet provider in Gainesville?

Whether you’re shopping around for a better internet provider, or you’re signing up for the first time, these are CNET’s top recommendations to help you find the best broadband option for you. For most households in Gainesville, CNET recommends Cox Communications as the top choice. With broad coverage across the city and multiple speed tiers, Cox provides flexibility to suit different needs. If Cox isn’t an option at your address, consider AT&T Fiber or T-Mobile Home Internet, both of which are excellent alternatives.

We’ve also identified the best deals and fastest plans in Gainesville. If budget is your primary concern, T-Mobile Home Internet offers great value at $50 per month, delivering speeds of up to 415Mbps. For those seeking top-tier performance, AT&T Fiber 5000 leads the pack with lightning-fast symmetrical speeds of up to 5Gbps. Whether you’re after affordability or raw speed, Gainesville has you covered.

Best internet in Gainesville in 2025

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Gainesville

Cheap internet options in Gainesville

Despite Kinetic by Windstream taking the cake for the cheapest internet plan in Gainesville, it probably isn’t the best. Most of Kinetic's coverage in the city is through its DSL network, so you may experience lag or delay more often than you would with other connections. For the best overall value -- while still staying relatively cheap -- turn to T-Mobile Home Internet. Its base price is the same as Cox Essential and Verizon 5G Home Internet, but customers can save significantly more if they're an eligible mobile customer.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Gainesville

The best internet deals and top promotions in Gainesville depend on what discounts are available during that time period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.

Take our quiz

How Fast Should Your Home Internet Be?

Answer 3 easy questions to discover our recommended speed for your household.

Some Gainesville internet providers, such as Cox Communications, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T Fiber, T-Mobile and Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round.

For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide to the best internet deals.

How fast is Gainesville broadband?

Among the 50 states, Florida places third for the fastest broadband speeds, with a median download speed of 238Mbps in the fourth quarter of 2023. The state's fastest provider is AT&T Fiber, with a median download speed of 287Mbps. So how does Gainesville stack up? This small Florida city isn't far behind, with a median speed of 262Mbps. That's pretty fast.

People looking for more speed than 221Mbps have plenty of options. The fastest speed you’ll find in Gainesville is 5,000Mbps, which is offered by AT&T Fiber for $245 per month. Cox also offers a 2 gigabit plan for $100 monthly, which is a great option if you want to bundle your internet and television service.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What's a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines -- and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Gainesville

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it's impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. So what's our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

But it doesn't end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP's service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

Though the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

What's the final word on internet providers in Gainesville?

When it comes to home internet, fiber-optic connections are usually the best option. However, AT&T Fiber isn't widespread across Gainesville -- your address will likely only be able to get AT&T's DSL service. You’re better off with Cox Communications, which covers almost the entire city and offers faster speeds than DSL. Plus, Cox offers its new fiber network to select households in Gainesville, which is why it takes the number one spot for ISPs in the area.

Florida softball plays its biggest home regular season series in years this weekend vs. No. 2 Texas.

Yet, it remains unclear if the third-ranked Gators’ top pitcher will be back in the circle.

Keagan Rothrock, a sophomore, has been on the injured list for the last two weeks.

Following Florida’s win over UCF Wednesday night, coach Tim Walton offered an update on Rothrock’s injury. Walton said her injury is still day-to-day, but that she is making good progress.

“If it was something really serious, we would have said, ‘Hey, this is really serious, and this is where we're at,’” Walton said. “We're just being a little bit careful with her making sure that we get her to 100%.”

Rothrock didn’t travel with the squad to Texas A&M this past weekend. Instead, she stayed in Gainesville and focused on her recovery. Walton said Rothrock even did some rehab at the Heavener Center – home of the football team – where she spent time in a hyperbaric chamber.

Prior to Wednesday’s game, Rothrock threw and practiced some cardio in the dugout. She hasn’t pitched since a February 22^nd win over Grand Canyon.

Fortunately for the Gators, their pitching has thrived without Rothrock. Walton added pitching depth to help Rothrock, who pitched more innings than any pitcher in the Southeastern Conference in 2024.

UF added Kara Hammock in the transfer portal, and Katelynn Oxley as a recruit. The two have become Florida’s top two pitchers in Rothrock’s absence.

Oxley started two of three games at Texas A&M, and Hammock pitched a near-complete-game shutout in the 3-0 win over UCF.

The Gators begin vs. Texas Saturday at 2 p.m. from Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium and on the SEC Network +.

Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at Nram@gannett.com and follow him @Noah_ram1 on X/Twitter.

Moving to a new city comes with many considerations, but one of the most crucial is the cost of living. Understanding how much you’ll spend on everyday expenses can help you plan your move more effectively.

This is particularly true when relocating to a city like Gainesville, FL, where costs can vary depending on housing, utilities, food, and other factors.

Are you wondering if Gainesville is affordable? Absolutely. The overall cost of living here is about 5% lower than the national average, which can be a huge relief for anyone planning a move.

Let’s dive deeper into living in Gainesville to give you a clear picture of what to expect.

Housing Costs

In Gainesville, housing costs are significantly lower than in many parts of the country. Whether you’re renting or buying, the prices here can be quite reasonable compared to national averages.

Utilities

Utility costs can add up quickly and impact your monthly budget. Fortunately, Gainesville’s utility rates are relatively affordable, especially compared to major metropolitan areas.

Here’s a breakdown of typical monthly utility costs:

How does this affect you? Utility costs in Gainesville are manageable and don’t add too much pressure to your overall budget.

Groceries And Food Expenses

Grocery costs can vary depending on your eating habits, but they are relatively affordable in Gainesville. A family of four can expect to spend around $600 to $800 monthly on groceries, depending on dietary preferences.

Here’s a quick overview of typical grocery prices:

Moreover, Gainesville offers several farmers’ markets and local stores where you can find fresh produce at great prices. If you like cooking with fresh ingredients, you’ll love shopping here.

Transportation

Gainesville offers a variety of transportation options. Whether you drive your own car or use public transportation, the costs are manageable.

Here’s what you can expect:

Thus, transportation in Gainesville is cost-effective and convenient.

Healthcare Costs

Gainesville has a strong healthcare system, and medical costs here are reasonable, as shown below.

So, Gainesville’s healthcare is affordable, making it an excellent place for individuals and families who need quality care without excessive costs.

Education Expenses

Childcare Costs

For families with young children, childcare costs are another important consideration. Gainesville’s childcare costs are relatively low compared to larger cities, making it a great choice for raising children. Here, you’ll find a range of childcare options, including the following:

Entertainment And Recreation Expenses

Gainesville offers many outdoor activities, which can be both fun and affordable. Whether you enjoy hiking, biking, or simply exploring nature, there are plenty of options for entertainment here. The costs of local activities are generally low. For instance:

What’s more? Gainesville’s vibrant arts and culture scene offers something for everyone, making it an exciting city to live in without spending too much on entertainment.

Dining Out And Restaurant Prices

If you love dining out, Gainesville has plenty of affordable options. Whether you’re craving casual dining or a fine dining experience, you’ll find choices to suit your budget.

Here’s a quick look at typical restaurant prices:

Therefore, dining out in Gainesville is easy on the wallet, with options for every budget.

Tax Burden

When considering a move to Gainesville, it’s essential to understand the local tax structure. Fortunately, Florida offers some tax advantages, including the following:

So, what does this mean for you? Gainesville offers a tax-friendly environment, making it a great place for individuals looking to save on taxes.

Job Market And Salary Expectations

If you are moving to Gainesville for work, the job market here is growing, especially in healthcare, education, and technology. But you may ask, what salary do you need to live in Gainesville?

The average salary in this city is around $45,000 per year. This is close to the national average, though slightly lower than major metro areas.

What’s great about that? The affordable cost of living combined with competitive salaries makes Gainesville an attractive place to work and live.

So, is Gainesville a good place to live? From the details in this article, it’s clear that the cost of living is lower than the national average, making it a great place to live. Whether you’re concerned about housing, groceries, or healthcare, you’ll find that costs are manageable.So, ready to make the move? Reach out to Movers Gainesville to get started on your exciting new adventure in the city. With their expertise, you can focus on settling into your new life, knowing everything is in good hands

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