GAINESVILLE — To survive the homestretch of a college basketball season, sometimes a power nap is in order.
UF coach Mike White surely needed one early Friday afternoon.
A quick snooze prior to meeting reporters likely was anything but peaceful. After all, White and his Gators cannot rest easy in the wake of center John Egbunu’s season-ending knee injury suffered Tuesday at Auburn.
The loss of Egbunu puts a damper on the No. 15 Gators’ seven-game win streak and creates a massive hole in the middle for a team poised for a run to the Sweet 16 — or possibly beyond — prior to the injury.
“You don’t plan on it happening,” White said. “So you’re sitting here, we’re playing really well. We’ve won seven in a row, we’re in a great rhythm. John’s starting to come, and it’s just, it’s tough. What do you do?
“As I told the guys, it’s part of the game of basketball. It’s part of life. It’s not the only adversity we’re going to face this season, next season. It’s not the only adversity John’s going to face the rest of his life.
“You have to deal with it.”
White and the Gators (21-5, 11-2 SEC) will have options and a plan, beginning Saturday at Mississippi State (14-11, 5-8).
Losing the biggest, strongest and most physical player ultimately will require a team effort.
“Guys needs to step up,” White said. “That’s our only choice.”
The Gators are ranked No. 15 and riding a seven-game winning streak. But coach Mike White’s team suffered a major blow Tuesday at Auburn when center John Egbunu tore his left ACL to end his season.
The Gators are ranked No. 15 and riding a seven-game winning streak. But coach Mike White’s team suffered a major blow Tuesday at Auburn when center John Egbunu tore his left ACL to end his season.
The Gators are ranked No. 15 and riding a seven-game winning streak. But coach Mike White’s team suffered a major blow Tuesday at Auburn when center John Egbunu tore his left ACL to end his season.
The Gators are ranked No. 15 and riding a seven-game winning streak. But coach Mike White’s team suffered a major blow Tuesday at Auburn when center John Egbunu tore his left ACL to end his season.
UF men’s golf coach J.C. Deacon had high hopes entering the 2016 postseason. But the Gators fizzled. Deacon and his players feel like they are a closer and better team because of this experiences.
UF men’s golf coach J.C. Deacon had high hopes entering the 2016 postseason. But the Gators fizzled. Deacon and his players feel like they are a closer and better team because of this experiences.
UF PG Kasey Hill’s improvement and consistency has been a big key to the Gators’ success. Hill looks to bounce back from an uncharacteristically poor outing vs. Texas A&M (three points, five turnovers).
UF PG Kasey Hill’s improvement and consistency has been a big key to the Gators’ success. Hill looks to bounce back from an uncharacteristically poor outing vs. Texas A&M (three points, five turnovers).
UF’s five-game winning streak was in jeopardy. But following a timeout the Gators came alive against Texas A&M and rode the play of some of the team’s veteran players to a 71-62 victory.
UF’s five-game winning streak was in jeopardy. But following a timeout the Gators came alive against Texas A&M and rode the play of some of the team’s veteran players to a 71-62 victory.
UF graduate transfer Canyon Barry has adjusted quickly and become a leader and go-to scorer for the Gators.
UF graduate transfer Canyon Barry has adjusted quickly and become a leader and go-to scorer for the Gators.
White and his staff will juggle lineups and move pieces around seeking the right mix.
Keith Stone, a 6-foot-8, 240-pound redshirt freshman, at times might line up at center, though his game is more suited for the perimeter than the interior. Senior forward Justin Leon (6-8, 206) and junior forward Devin Robinson (6-9, 200) can mix it up on the backboard, but are long and lanky and struggle to defend stronger players in the low post.
Much of the burden will fall on much-improved sophomore Kevarrius Hayes.
Hayes is the team’s top shot blocker, with 41 swats, a determined rebounder (3.8 a game) and shoots a team-leading 63.6 percent from the field while averaging 6.2 points.
But the 6-foot-9, 219-pound sophomore gives up two inches and nearly 40 pounds to Egbunu. He also averages just 15.4 minutes, compared with 22.3 for Egbunu, yet has committed just six fewer fouls than Egbunu’s team-high 61.
“We’ve been talking to him about it all year, him and John,” White said. “He can’t relax for a split second. He can’t get out of a stance, he can’t make a mistake, because they’re just more magnified.
“His fouls now are more important.”
Behind Hayes is serviceable senior Schuyler Rimmer of Orlando and little-used, slightly built freshman Gorjok Gak, who is out at least a week due to a foot sprain. Rimmer averages just 5.5 minutes, while the 6-foot-11 Gak has appeared in just 10 games.
“We’ll need something from him,” White said of Gak. “He’s capable with length and his athleticism. He just hasn’t been given a lot opportunity because you have John and Kevarrius both playing pretty well all year.”
Egbunu now faces a 10- to 12-month recovery just as he was playing his best basketball. The redshirt junior recorded a double-double last Saturday against Texas A&M and scored 10 of UF’s 20 points at the time of his injury against Auburn.
“It’s really unfortunate,” White said. “It was an emotional meeting when John let the team know that he was out for the season. Our guys were really shook up.
“But you feel terrible for John.”
Going forward, there are no clear-cut answers for the Gators. But White was quick to note, success never comes easy.
“We’ve got to play the game tomorrow,” he said. “Mississippi State doesn’t feel bad for us. I’m sure they’ve had their injuries, and other teams have had their injuries. We just have to make do.
“We have to find a way.”
egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
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