I.J. Ready went straight for Florida’s weakness.
Down two points with only 30 seconds on the clock, the Mississippi State guard drove to the rim.
The No. 15 Gators were playing the first game since their rim-protector, center John Egbunu, tore his ACL.
As Ready took his shot to tie the game, in swooped backup center Kevarrius Hayes.
Swat.
That block, Hayes’ fourth of the game, preserved the Gators’ 57-52 win in Starkville, Mississippi, on Saturday.
“You just practice it,” Hayes said. “I try not to make a big deal out of it.”
The win gave the Gators 22 on the year, enough to eclipse last year’s win total.
The win also showed that Florida could lose Egbunu — its leading rebounder and defensive anchor — and not be doomed.
And finally, the win showed that Florida (22-5, 12-2 SEC) can beat teams in more than one way: UF scored half as many points on Saturday as it did when it won 114-95 in Auburn four days earlier.
“We’ve been able to find different ways to win different games, and it’s been different guys,” UF coach Mike White said after the game.
“You’re coming off a game that was an absolute track meet,” White said about the Auburn game, an up-tempo, high-scoring contest where Florida made 33 field goals. He said the matchup in Mississippi State, where the Gators made just 20 shots, was equally as intense.
Since Egbunu’s ACL tear was diagnosed on Wednesday, the Gators have made clear the loss hits hard.
“Emotional week for us. Tough week,” White said.
But White added that after Saturday, the team will have to adjust to playing without one of its key rim-protectors.
“We don’t have two anymore, but we have one and he was tremendous today,” White said.
White was talking about Hayes. The sophomore registered four blocks and a career-high 10 rebounds in the win Saturday.
“I think we rallied around John being out,” White said.
Florida will likely miss the depth Egbunu brings most.
Hayes used to come into games when Egbunu was in foul trouble, so when Hayes picked up an early foul against Mississippi State, Florida had to sub in Schuyler Rimmer, who had played 83 minutes coming into Saturday.
After a couple minutes of shaky defense, Rimmer had to come out, and White put 6-foot-8 redshirt freshman Keith Stone at center.
Experimenting with the inexperienced Stone at center resulted in the Bulldogs’ largest lead of the game.
Florida’s defense improved when Hayes came back in the game, but he has to be careful about picking up fouls.
In every game that UF’s opponents have attempted more free throws, the Gators have lost.
Hayes said he’ll be focused on staying out of foul trouble, acknowledging the defensive burden that’s been thrust upon him without Egbunu.
“Now, instead of, like, starting over him or playing behind him,” Hayes said, “I know that he’s just not with us.”
Contact Matt Brannon at mbrannon@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @MattB_727.
Florida forward Kevarrius Hayes (13) dunks the ball over Texas A&M center Tyler Davis (34) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Ron Irby)
