Friday, January 28, 2022 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Injuries and illness have taken a toll on Florida's front court players this season — the last two seasons, actually, but that's a different story — and the hits continued Friday when junior center Jason Jitoboh, playing the best basketball of his career, had surgery on his left eye that will keep sideline him for the remainder of the season. CJ Felder
The 6-foot-11, 285-pound Jitoboh left Wednesday night's loss at 18th-ranked Tennessee with just over two minutes to go in the first half after taking a finger to his left eye. Jitoboh collapsed to the floor and remained there several minutes before being taken to the locker room and, eventually, the nearby hospital. The surgical procedure Friday lasted three hours.
"Feel so bad for him," UF coach Mike White. "He was really coming into his own."
Jitoboh had started the previous four games in relief of All-Southeastern Conference forward Colin Castleton, the team's leader in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. In Castleton's stead, Jitoboh averaged 9.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and shot 80 percent from the floor over 23.3 minutes per game.
Minus both "bigs," UF had to play undersized in what eventually was a 78-71 loss to the Volunteers. The plan figures to be similar Saturday as the Gators (12-8) look to snap a two-game losing skid when they step out of conference play Saturday afternoon to face Oklahoma State (10-9) in their SEC/Big 12 Challenge showdown at Exactech Arena.
[Read senior writer Chris Harry's "Pregame Stuff" setup here]
UF will have the services of CJ Felder, the 6-7, 235-pound backup forward who was hit with a nasty virus during the team's two-game SEC road swing through Ole Miss and Tennessee. Felder did not play in the former and, after Jitoboh went down, tried to give it a go in the latter, but was on the floor for less than three minutes. He was too weak to do anymore.
"The team needed me and I definitely tried to give it my best," Felder said Friday. "I just couldn't give my best."
Felder was feeling good after lifting weights and practicing Friday, so he'll have more to give Saturday. The Gators will need every bit of it. Look for UF to start 6-7 forward Anthony Duruji at the "5" spot in a so-called "small ball" lineup, with 6-5 guard Phlandrous Fleming Jr. taking his turn at the "4." Felder will give his team some more size, rebounding and defense inside off the bench, while White also will call again on slender junior-college transfer Tounghach Gatkek for some minutes down low.
The Cowboys, perhaps luckily for the Gators, lack size (also with a four-guard starting lineup) and may be without their second-leading scorer (guard Bryce Williams has missed the last two with an ankle injury). They'll still bring one of the best defenses in the country to the O'Dome and will try to be just the second team to leave here with a win in five SEC/Big 12 showdowns at Gainesville. UF, in fact, has the second-best record in the Challenge among SEC teams.
Here's a look at the previous eight.
CHARTING THE GATORS / UF in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge
Florida forward Colin Castleton (12) dunks on West Virginia forward Emmitt Matthews Jr. (11) during the second half of UF's upset of the 11th-ranked Mountaineers last Jan. 30 at Morgantown, W.Va. (AP Photo/Kathleen Batten)
ESPN started the SEC/Big 12 Challenge in 2013, then two years later came up with the idea to move the event to the middle of the college basketball season, for more interest, and picked the Saturday of the NFL's conference championship games for a marathon of 10 games. As far as conference versus conference, the Big 12 leads 4-2-2. As for the Gators, they're a combined 5-3 in their eight appearances in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, including 4-2 under Coach Mike White, which is second only to Tennessee (5-2) among SEC teams. Baylor is 7-1 in the event, with its lone loss in the chart below.
Date
Opponent
Outcome
What happened
Dec. 10, 2013
No. 13 Kansas
Won 67-61
Scottie Wilbekin (21 points, 6 assists, 4 steals) and Casey Prather (12 points, 8 rebounds, 10-12 from FT line) led the Gators, who used a dazzling 21-0 first-half run to build a big lead and hold on, despite 18 second-half points by KU freshman Andrew Wiggins.
Dec. 5, 2014
@No. 11 Kansas
Lost 71-65
The Jayhawks erased an 18-point second-half deficit, as the Gators went 7 1/2 of the final 8 1/2 minutes without a field goal on the way to a third loss in four games and falling below .500 for the first time in 17 seasons. Wayne Seldon led KU by scoring 15 of his 21 points in the second half.
Jan. 30, 2016
No. 9 West Virginia
Won 88-71
Dorian Finney-Smith (24 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists) keyed an offensive eruption for the Gators, who destroyed one of the nation's best defenses by shooting 53% overall and 12-for-20 from deep (60%).
Jan. 28, 2017
@Oklahoma
Won 84-52
Florida led by just one with six minutes to go in first half, then blew the game open with an 18-4 blitz before intermission. Kevarrius Hayes had 20 points, nine rebounds, 3 blocks, as the Gators handed Sooners their worst home loss in program history.
Jan. 27, 2018
Baylor
Won 81-60
UF never trailed, led by as many as 15 in the first half, shot 52% for the game and buried 14 of 25 from 3. Chris Chiozza (20 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) and Egor Koulechov (16 points, 8 boards) led the way. They combined to make 7 of 10 from deep.
Jan. 26, 2019
@Texas Christian
Lost 55-50
The Gators erased a 16-point deficit, but the Frogs scored 8 straight midway through the second half and finished things off with late free throws. UF shot just 30.6% for the game, with only one player in double figures (KeVaughn Allen with 11 points).
Jan. 25, 2020
No. 1 Baylor
Lost 72-61
MaCio Teague and Devonte Bandoo led 4 Bears into double figures with 16 points each. Baylor shot 57 percent in the first half (6-for-12 from 3) to build a hefty halftime lead. UF fell to 2-17 all-time against Associated Press No. 1 teams, including a run of 10 straight losses.
Jan. 30, 2021
@No. 11 West Virginia
Won 85-80
Colin Castleton had 21 points (9-9 from free-throw line), 7 rebounds, 5 blocks, as Gators ran past the Mountaineers, thanks to a 26-5 edge in fastbreak points. It was a wild game game of 14 ties, 13 lead changes.
