Never has the SEC‘s second best team look so beatable. The Florida Gators are more banged up than ever, and are dangerously close to losing their 10th ranking in CBB. G-F Casey Prather is the latest Gator to go down, as he will be out two weeks with a high left ankle sprain. Currently 12-2 and 2-0 in SEC play, the Gators look like a top team heading into February; however, they must first weather the storm of injuries that have plagued them of late.
Head coach Billy Donovan hit on the magnitude of Prather’s loss, saying the team will “miss him because he’s a versatile player and he’s played well for us so far.” The Gators will be without Prather when the team takes on the Missouri Tigers at home on Saturday.
Prather is ideally a bench player; however, the injuries to both Erik Murphy and Mike Rosario have put him in the starting lineup, where he has excelled. Murphy has played in the teams last two games, but his injured rib suffered on January sixth is something to keep an eye on as we move forward.
Injuries or not, the Gators are still playing some excellent ball as they lead the SEC in field goal defense, scoring defense and scoring margin. Playing great defense will be crucial, as the team will play three of their next four games on the road in front of hostile crowds.
Coach Donovan had lofty expectations for this team in 2013, and if they can withstand these bothersome injuries, they will be real contenders come tournament time.