Florida lands ex-Cleveland State point guard Tyree Appleby

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida has landed a third transfer in the last three months by signing former Cleveland State point guard Tyree Appleby.

Appleby averaged 17.2 points and 5.6 assists as a sophomore in the Horizon League last season. He has to sit out the 2019-20 season under NCAA transfer rules and will have two years of eligibility remaining. The Gators had a scholarship available after forward Isaiah Stokes transferred this month.

Appleby, a 6-foot-1 Arkansas native, joins fellow transfers Anthony Duruji and Kerry Blackshear Jr. in Gainesville. Duruji jumped from Louisiana Tech to Florida in April and must sit out next season. Blackshear can play right away as a graduate transfer from Virginia Tech.

With the addition of Blackshear, the Gators are expected to be a national championship contender. They return three starters from last year’s NCAA Tournament team and add a top-10 signing class that includes two McDonald’s All-Americans.