While Schuyler Rimmer’s first start for Florida seemed surreal, the elbow to the face from Arkansas’ Moses Kingsley was unmistakably authentic.
Trying to draw a charge, Rimmer hit the floor and the referees reviewed the play.
“When they went to the monitor, I thought maybe they were gonna call a foul on me or something,” Rimmer said.
But he didn’t have to worry. The referees called an offensive foul on Kingsley.
“He’s hard to stop,” Rimmer said. “So I think that was probably the best possible outcome.”
Rimmer hasn’t played much. The 6-foot-10 center has spent more than 90 percent of the season glued to the bench.
But Wednesday night was Senior Night.
And seniors start on Senior Night.
So after watching his first 54 games as a Gator tip off from the sideline, Rimmer was out at center court on Wednesday, lined up against Kingsley for the jump ball.
After losing the opening tip, UF conceded the game’s first points.
“I started every single game in high school, and I won a lot of those jump balls,” Rimmer said. “But it’s been a while.”
Arkansas had a 4-2 lead when Rimmer did something he hadn’t done yet in 2017: earn an assist.
Rimmer found an open Justin Leon under the basket for a layup, giving Rimmer his first assist since Dec. 21 — his first game in the renovated O’Connell center.
In his last game in the arena, it was his assist that tied the score for the last time.
No. 12 Florida never gave up the lead for the remaining 38 minutes after Rimmer’s assist, winning 78-65. But that wasn’t Rimmer’s biggest play of the night.
The Gators made an effort at the start of the game to have all four seniors score before coming off the floor.
First it was Canyon Barry. Then it was Leon. Then it was Kasey Hill.
Only Rimmer remained. And while the other three seniors are some of the team’s top scorers, putting Rimmer in the box score was going to be a challenge.
Not that Rimmer never scores. He’s tallied 26 points on the season.
But on Wednesday, Rimmer was matched up with Kingsley. The senior didn’t realize he was going up against the SEC’s best shot blocker.
Florida led 12-6 when Barry cut along the baseline with the ball, freeing Rimmer up under the basket.
Barry passed to Rimmer. Kingsley planted himself between the Orlando native and the rim.
“He’s an athletic guy, really long arms, so I didn’t wanna try to go over him or through him,” Rimmer said.
So Rimmer maneuvered around him and flipped up a jump hook. Two points.
“Thankfully it went in,” he said.
Rimmer said he didn’t have expectations for how long he'd play, but finished with 10 minutes.
“I think coach White trusts me enough to keep me in there for a minute or two,” he said.
Contact Matt Brannon at mbrannon@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @MattB_727.
UF center Schuyler Rimmer attempts a lay-up during Florida's 78-65 win against Arkansas on March 1, 2017, in the O'Connell Center.
