Forward Casey Prather is again dealing with injury.
Coach Billy Donovan expects Prather to be out for the next 10-14 days.
The junior suffered a high left ankle sprain late in the first half of No. 10 Florida’s 74-52 win against LSU on Saturday.
"We were having a hard time scoring in the first half against LSU, and he really kind of gave us a spark to close out the half before he got hurt," Donovan said.
"It’s unfortunate. He’s had to deal with some different things through the course of his career, but thank God it’s not a severe high ankle sprain where you’re out for a month to six weeks."
Prather’s ankle is the newest addition to his already extensive injury list. He began the season with a concussion, which he suffered on Oct. 27 in a scrimmage against Rollins College.
Prather missed Florida’s 101-71 exhibition win against Nebraska-Kearney on Nov. 1 in the O’Connell Center.
Prather’s luck did not improve when he returned to action.
During practice on Nov. 5, center Patric Young went up for a rebound and elbowed Prather in the head on the way down. Prather suffered his second concussion in nine days.
The junior forward missed a matchup against Georgetown that was canceled at half time and the next four games.
Finally, Prather returned to the court on Nov. 23 to help Florida defeat UCF 79-66.
Still, the forward didn’t escape without injury.
Prather took a hit to the face, which required him to get his lip stitched up during halftime.
Prather made it through the next eight games without any mishaps, but landed awkwardly on his foot after jumping for a rebound with 1:38 left in the half on Saturday in Baton Rouge, La.
"He kind of just landed on his foot and it wasn’t anything that looked on film to be too bad," Donovan said.
"Initially, I was told at halftime that he might have broken something, but obviously the X-rays came back negative. We will miss him because he is a versatile player, and he has played well for us so far."
Prather has averaged 6.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in his limited time.
Prather isn’t the only Gator nursing an injury. Mike Rosario (ankle), Will Yeguete (knee tendinitis) and Erik Murphy (fractured rib) are all expected to play Thursday when Florida heads to College Station, Texas, to take on Texas A&M.
Rosario sat out during Saturday’s win to rest his left ankle, which he sprained during Florida’s 77-44 win against Georgia on Jan. 9.
"We just came in knowing adversity’s going to hit," Patric Young said.
"Guys are going to get hurt. It just sucks that it has to be Casey right now and Mike. I’ve just been very blessed to not have anything major. We’re going to miss those guys, but we’re going to adjust and prepare and go out with what we have."
Contact Katie Agostin at kagostin@alligator.org.
Forward Casey Prather finishes a layup at the rim during Florida's 78-61 win against Air Force on Dec. 29 at the Orange Bowl Classic in Sunrise.
