Kevarrius Hayes has averaged just over 10 minutes per game this season. He'll get a lot more Sunday at Ohio State.
'Spidey' Spinning Bigger Web Now
Saturday, March 19, 2016 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
Freshman Kevarrius Hayes takes on bigger role in absence of center John Egbunu
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- John Egbunu would have been the largest man on the floor Sunday at Value City Arena, but instead the Florida center was the biggest player the Florida Gators left behind Saturday when the team pulled out of Gainesville for their next stop in the National Invitational Tournament.
Egbunu's season ended Thursday morning when he underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. The 6-foot-11, 255-pound postman suffered the injury nine days earlier, yet played hurt (and valiantly) in averaging 10.6 points on 72.2-percent shooting and 8.7 rebounds while wearing a protective brace until the swelling was such the team's health staff could proceed with surgery. His farewell game was Tuesday night's double-double effort (13 points, 10 rebounds) on the road in a 96-67 vaporizing of North Florida in the tournament's opening round.
Now, the Gators (20-14), with a hole in their middle, must venture into Big Ten territory for a second-round game against Ohio State (21-13), a big and banging bunch that reflects its blue-collar league.
"It's up to us to come together and just pick up for what we lost," UF sophomore forward Devin Robinson said. "It's important for the to take responsibility and just play as hard as you can."
Coach Mike White simplified it even more.
"Next man up," he said.
That would be 6-9, 210-pound freshman Kevarrius Hayes, who started the team's two Southeastern Conference Tournament games after Egubun first suffered the injury. Hayes is neither the scoring nor defensive threat of Egbunu. Far from it. In reality, he's significantly less polished than even Egbunu, who's raw in his own right when it comes to basketball skills.
But however many minutes Hayes gets on the floor against the Buckyes -- he's averaged 10.3 during the season; nearly 13 since Egbunu's injury -- the UF coaches know he'll play with as much energy and fervor as anyone on the squad.
They know that because that's what Hayes gives them every day at practice.
"He's going to play really hard," White said. "He's going to be in a stance and sprinting around the court, trying to do his best to get to the offensive glass, communicating ball screens, moving his feet. ... He's an intensity guy, a motor guy. Whether he scores it effectively for us or converts from the foul line or makes a freshman mistake or two, we don't know those things. But from an effort standpoint, he's been really consistent."
To his team, Hayes is known as "Spidey," as in Spider-Man. It's a compliment.
"I guess it's because I'm long and sort of lanky-quick and always seem to get a hand on the ball," Hayes said. "Like, you know, 'Spidey's gonna catch you!' "
In the case of Sunday, "Spidey's" gonna have to deal with a Buckeyes squad that may have lost one of its more productive bigs (sophomore forward Jae'Sean Take) to season-ending surgery late last month, but still rolls out three forwards (all 6-7), plus a 6-11 center in its starting lineup. Without Egbunu, it'll be imperative that Hayes keeps fundamentally sound on the defensive end and doesn't get into foul trouble, as he's prone to do.
Though Hayes ranks eighth on the team in minutes played this season, he's sixth in fouls.
"I have to be smarter, more cautious. I have to work even harder as far as not getting stupid fouls by being lazy and maybe reaching over people," he said. "I think it's going to motivate me even more knowing it's time to step up and do what I can without really overthinking. I just have to do what I normally do, play smart and sort of let the rest fall into place."
White seconded the playing smart part.
"He's got to beat guys to spots, 'cause when he gets in wrestling matches he usually loses those -- and those result in fouls," White said. "It's going to be a physical game."
But not like the game Hayes had last week in the SEC quarterfinal loss to Texas A&M. In that one, Hayes was overpowered by 6-11, 265-pound highly skilled freshman Tyler Davis, who hit six of his 10 shots, grabbed eight rebounds and finished with 15 points. Hayes had no points, two rebounds in just 11 minutes and was off the floor early when it was clear he could not contend with Davis' physicality and savvy.
The Buckeyes don't have Davis-like dudes, but they have a stable of bigs who will challenge the Gators inside. So this is an opportunity for growth for a freshman who figures prominently in future years.
Not to mention an opportunity for the Gators to continue their season.
"I don't want to build him up too much," White said of Hayes. "He has a ways to go as a player, of course, but from a maturity standpoint, as a freshman, he's been really impressive. We know what we'll get from him today. And every day."
But wouldn't it be nice if Hayes surprised the Gators and gave them just a little bit more.
Egbunu's season ended Thursday morning when he underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. The 6-foot-11, 255-pound postman suffered the injury nine days earlier, yet played hurt (and valiantly) in averaging 10.6 points on 72.2-percent shooting and 8.7 rebounds while wearing a protective brace until the swelling was such the team's health staff could proceed with surgery. His farewell game was Tuesday night's double-double effort (13 points, 10 rebounds) on the road in a 96-67 vaporizing of North Florida in the tournament's opening round.
Now, the Gators (20-14), with a hole in their middle, must venture into Big Ten territory for a second-round game against Ohio State (21-13), a big and banging bunch that reflects its blue-collar league.
"It's up to us to come together and just pick up for what we lost," UF sophomore forward Devin Robinson said. "It's important for the to take responsibility and just play as hard as you can."
Coach Mike White simplified it even more.
"Next man up," he said.
That would be 6-9, 210-pound freshman Kevarrius Hayes, who started the team's two Southeastern Conference Tournament games after Egubun first suffered the injury. Hayes is neither the scoring nor defensive threat of Egbunu. Far from it. In reality, he's significantly less polished than even Egbunu, who's raw in his own right when it comes to basketball skills.
But however many minutes Hayes gets on the floor against the Buckyes -- he's averaged 10.3 during the season; nearly 13 since Egbunu's injury -- the UF coaches know he'll play with as much energy and fervor as anyone on the squad.
They know that because that's what Hayes gives them every day at practice.
"He's going to play really hard," White said. "He's going to be in a stance and sprinting around the court, trying to do his best to get to the offensive glass, communicating ball screens, moving his feet. ... He's an intensity guy, a motor guy. Whether he scores it effectively for us or converts from the foul line or makes a freshman mistake or two, we don't know those things. But from an effort standpoint, he's been really consistent."
To his team, Hayes is known as "Spidey," as in Spider-Man. It's a compliment.
"I guess it's because I'm long and sort of lanky-quick and always seem to get a hand on the ball," Hayes said. "Like, you know, 'Spidey's gonna catch you!' "
In the case of Sunday, "Spidey's" gonna have to deal with a Buckeyes squad that may have lost one of its more productive bigs (sophomore forward Jae'Sean Take) to season-ending surgery late last month, but still rolls out three forwards (all 6-7), plus a 6-11 center in its starting lineup. Without Egbunu, it'll be imperative that Hayes keeps fundamentally sound on the defensive end and doesn't get into foul trouble, as he's prone to do.
Though Hayes ranks eighth on the team in minutes played this season, he's sixth in fouls.
"I have to be smarter, more cautious. I have to work even harder as far as not getting stupid fouls by being lazy and maybe reaching over people," he said. "I think it's going to motivate me even more knowing it's time to step up and do what I can without really overthinking. I just have to do what I normally do, play smart and sort of let the rest fall into place."
White seconded the playing smart part.
"He's got to beat guys to spots, 'cause when he gets in wrestling matches he usually loses those -- and those result in fouls," White said. "It's going to be a physical game."
But not like the game Hayes had last week in the SEC quarterfinal loss to Texas A&M. In that one, Hayes was overpowered by 6-11, 265-pound highly skilled freshman Tyler Davis, who hit six of his 10 shots, grabbed eight rebounds and finished with 15 points. Hayes had no points, two rebounds in just 11 minutes and was off the floor early when it was clear he could not contend with Davis' physicality and savvy.
The Buckeyes don't have Davis-like dudes, but they have a stable of bigs who will challenge the Gators inside. So this is an opportunity for growth for a freshman who figures prominently in future years.
Not to mention an opportunity for the Gators to continue their season.
"I don't want to build him up too much," White said of Hayes. "He has a ways to go as a player, of course, but from a maturity standpoint, as a freshman, he's been really impressive. We know what we'll get from him today. And every day."
But wouldn't it be nice if Hayes surprised the Gators and gave them just a little bit more.
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