GAINESVILLE - Florida Gators center Patric Young should learn something about himself and his team during the next few days.
The 6-foot-9, 249-pound junior hopes to play in the NBA, and will experience the grind of two demanding games in the span of less than 48 hours. Meanwhile, the No. 10 Gators (11-2, 2-0 SEC) will find out where they fit in the conference pecking order.
The telling two-game stretch begins with a nationally televised visit Thursday night at 7 to Texas A&M (12-3, 2-0). Florida will return home to face No. 17 Missouri at 2 p.m. Saturday.
"If we come away with two wins, that would be great for us and give us some momentum," Young said. "It would show that we can really win this league this year."
Texas A&M is coming off an 83-71 win Saturday at struggling Kentucky (10-5, 1-1). Senior guard Elston Turner led the Aggies with 40 points on just 19 shots against the defending national champions.
"The thing that was impressive to me, half his number of shots didn't even equal the amount of points he scored," Donovan said. "That game was pretty efficient."
Missouri, on the other hand, fell 64-49 Saturday at surprising Ole Miss (14-2, 3-0). But the Tigers are the SEC's only ranked team besides Florida, finished 30-5 last season under for Miami coach Frank Haith and have wins this year against Illinois, Virginia Commonwealth and Stanford, which are a combined 38-14.
The unranked Aggies give the Gators a chance for their first quality road win of the season. Florida squandered a five-point lead in the final minute during a 65-64 loss Dec. 15 at Arizona and lost 67-61 seven days later at Kansas State.
With Kentucky struggling and the league ranked just ninth in the RPI, the Gators are expected to be in the SEC mix until the end. But injuries and the inability to beat top teams on the road are potential red flags.
Small forward Casey Prather, the Gators' most athletic player, is out for at least a week with a high ankle sprain - an injury that often needs extended rest to fully heal. Meanwhile, forward Erik Murphy (cracked rib) and Will Yegeute (right knee tendinitis) battle lingering injuries.
Yeguete had 10 points and 13 rebounds in last Saturday's 74-52 at LSU. But the knee continues to trouble the 6-foot-8 junior, and team doctors X-rayed the knee on Monday to see whether he had something other than routine tendinitis.
Point guard Scottie Wilbekin said the broken ring finger on his shooting hand is healing, as are Murphy's ribs. But one hard blow to the injured area of either player could be a setback.
With key players banged up, other players have stepped up their play.
Freshman guard Michael Frazier III had a career-high seven boards at LSU as the Gators outrebounded the Tigers by 19.
"That shows a lot about (our) team," Young said. "Just wait until we have everybody healthy."
Until then, veterans like Young will have to bear an extra load during the team's only Thursday-Saturday stretch of the season.
Young is ready.
"My freshman year I was like, 'Wow, I can't believe I have another game already. Now I understand you have to really be focused on scouting because that's what saves you most of the time. Coach Donovan is going to make sure we have our legs ready for Saturday."
Source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-gators-basketball-0117-20130116,0,390852.story?track=rss
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