With Eli Carter (leg) struggling to regain full strength and Dillon Graham (ankle, hips) out indefinitely, the Gators needed another guard on their bench Saturday.
Enter Lexx Edwards.
The redshirt sophomore walk-on was the new guy on a shorthanded Gators roster Saturday. He suited up in his first collegiate game, playing the final two minutes of Florida’s 86-56 win against Arkansas Little-Rock in the O'Connell Center and grabbing one rebound.
“It’s a blessing, man,” Edwards said. “It’s something I’ve been waiting on for a long time.”
A long time, indeed.
Edwards enrolled at UF in the summer of 2011. He practiced with the team in 2011-12 but did not dress for any games. A year later, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound guard did not compete at all for the Gators.
After the team’s walk-through Friday night, Edwards found out from assistant coach John Pelphrey and director of basketball operations Darren Hertz that he would suit up Saturday. The Orlando native wore No. 11 and did not even have his last name printed on the back of his jersey.
When a reporter asked coach Billy Donovan if the reason he brought in Edwards was because of injuries, Donovan proved that he is not as familiar with him as he is with his other players.
“Edwards?” he responded.
“Lexx,” the reporter said.
“Oh, yes. Lexx,” Donovan said. “I was getting ready to say that.
“Yes, we had Lexx there just in case because Dillon wasn’t going to play. Some days, Eli has very, very good days. Sometimes, he doesn’t have very good days.”
Edwards said he’s not sure if Florida will dress him again, but he will be ready if the team needs him.
“It was just a one-time thing for right now,” Edwards said. “Right now, I’m just focusing on [Saturday night] and taking it all in.”
Follow Landon Watnick on Twitter @LandonWatnick.
Walk-on guard Lexx Edwards (11) dribbles down the court during No. 11 Florida's 86-56 win against Arkansas Little-Rock on Saturday in the O'Connell Center.
