Alex Tyus' shoulders better be even broader than they appear.
They have to carry UF all the way into the NCAA Tournament.
On a night when Nick Calathes continued to show he has become one of the nation's elite players, Tyus proved he was one of the most valuable. When the Gators threw up every 3-point shot available, Tyus would be the lone orange-and-white jersey going up for the rebound. As fans fawn over Chandler Parsons' good looks, Tyus takes a well-timed midrange jump shot.
Calathes is UF's most talented and skilled player, but let's examine why he gets all those open 3-point looks that he did in the Gators' 83-57 romp against Georgia on Wednesday night. Opponents would be able to rotate a whole lot better on the perimeter defensively if they didn't have to worry about Tyus inside or a Calathes pass going over the top to him for an alley-oop.
Let's be honest, however.
Tyus has replaced a player in Marreese Speights who was bigger, taller and way more of a center than Tyus will ever be. Tyus still gets manhandled, but it's much better than any of UF's other post players do on the inside.
That's what makes him so valuable. Calathes could have another triple-double any night, and the Gators could still lose.
But if Tyus makes no impact, the Gators will lose.
"He's a huge piece to the puzzle," Calathes said. "When he's going, our team's going."
As Calathes stood with his hands crossed behind his back for the postgame interview and the Rowdy Reptiles waved their orange-and-blue shakers, Tyus was already in the locker room getting ready for the trip back home.
For a guy who used to play AAU ball with NBA players O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker, Tyus is fine with letting the others deal with the hoards of reporters and cameras. Calathes comes out, reporters' voice recorders come on and notepads come out, while Tyus stands a few feet away having a nice chat with the one or two reporters who still deem him important.
"I've always played with a lot of good talent," Tyus said. "So I just try and do my job."
That's a pretty simple way to put it.
I'll brag a bit more for him then.
He had 18 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes. He did get out-muscled on several occasions, but he also outran, out-jumped and outplayed his competition, too.
Tyus is not an elite player, and it's doubtful he ever will be. He has, however, found perhaps the most important role on a team probably bound for the NCAA Tournament.
"Alex is a totally different player than last year," Parsons said. "He's so much more involved in the game. He's more active. He rebounds. He finishes a lot better. He's shooting the ball at a crazy-high percentage."
OK, so maybe he has multiple roles. The most important impact Tyus has is that he's the lone post presence on a team that's horribly undersized and still lacking in the toughness department.
Keep on shooting the threes, fellas. Tyus will do the important work. At least you better hope he does. If he doesn't, have another fun trip to New York for the NIT.
