Next-Day Takeaway (Vanderbilt 60, Florida 59)

Tuesday, January 26

Nashville, TN

9:00 PM

Florida Gators

Vanderbilt

UF trainer Dave Werner (left) and Coach Mike White tend to forward Justin Leon, who was hit in the head three minutes into Tuesday night's loss at Vanderbilt and was forced from the game.

Next-Day Takeaway (Vanderbilt 60, Florida 59)

Wednesday, January 27, 2016 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry

Box Score

By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Three follow-up observations from Florida's loss Tuesday night that dropped the Gators to 13-7 on the season and 5-3 in the Southeastern Conference.

1) In his postgame news conference, Mike White stated his team may not have beaten Vandy if Justin Leon had played more than three minutes, but it was clear the Florida coach was thinking -- and why not? -- that his blue-collar glue guy would really have helped on a night the Commodores won the 50-50 ball battles and hustle plays. Barely three minutes into the game, Leon drove to the basket and took an inadvertent elbow to the temple from 7-foot-1 Luke Kornet, a collision that sent Leon to the floor, where he did not move for a couple minutes. Leon eventually was led by the training staff to the locker room and stayed there the rest of the game and thus avoided the noise inside the arena. Leon started the last eight games -- ever since the SEC season kicked in -- and was averaging 9.7 points and 4.7 rebounds and led the team in 3-point shooting (.565) in league play. His status for Saturday's big game against No. 9 West Virginia (17-3) will be determined through the health staff's protocol for head injuries. If Leon can't go, some of his minutes will fall to junior DeVon Walker, who is a very good defender on the perimeter but has not made a field goal -- 17 straight misses -- since the Miami game Dec. 8.

2) The game at Vandy marked yet another road date where sophomore center John Egbunu got in early foul trouble and really never was a factor. He played only six minutes in the first half, which meant the inside-out game that had worked so well the past few weeks was quickly without a major "inside" component. No surprise the Gators offense suffered (though 7-for-33 from the floor and 0-for-10 can't all fall on the big guy's absence). Egbunu played 17 second-half minutes, but he's looking more and more like a guy who has to get lathered up and be engaged in games to be at his best. He finished with two points (just four shots) and four rebounds in 23 minutes.

3) Freshman guard KeVaughn Allen had a Jekyll-Hyde sort of game. He started off somewhat passivly, especially with his willingness to shoot (just five field-goal attempts before halftime). After he missed a couple jumpers, his shot -- when he took it, usually with some hesitation -- seemed short. That's why he sat for an extended stretch in the second half, which so happened to be when Florida missed 13 of 14 shots at one point. But then, late in the game, when the Gators just had to get points, you saw Allen playing with a pure scorer's mentality, pouring in 11 points in the final 31 seconds, including three 3-pointers. Truth be told, that's when the game is easiest. When it's basically decided and there's less to think about. Allen needs to have that let-it-fly mindset from tip to final horn. You're a scorer, kid, one of the most gifted to come through here in years. Go into every game with the trigger cocked and ready to fire.