UF chases down Mississippi State without Gators’ star Colin Castleton
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Desperate for a quality win and without their best player, the Florida Gators turned in a performance no one saw coming.
Mississippi State led by 8 points and controlled the game when the Gators came alive and sprinted to an 80-72 home win Wednesday night.
With center Colin Castleton out with an injured shoulder, the Gators (11-6 2-3 SEC) snapped a three-game losing streak to the Bulldogs (12-5, 3-2) and delivered Florida’s first win against a top-100 team in the NCAA’s Net rankings since November.
Few in the in the O’Connell Center were happier than Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin, who arrived in 2016 from his alma mater Mississippi State.
No one needed the win more than Mike White, whose Gators has lost six of 10 games as their embarked a four-game, eight-game stretch.
No one expected backup center Jason Jitoboh to be one of the heroes despite battling foul trouble as Castleton’s replacement.
“He stepped up and made big plays down the stretch,” senior forward Anthony Duruji said. “That just speaks to Jason’s maturity.”
Trailing 64-57 with 7:20 remaining, a 4-point play by point guard Tyree Appleby ignited a 20-2 run with a helping hand from Jitoboh.
Playing with 4 fouls amassed in just 7 minutes, Jitoboh turned in perhaps his best stretch of basketball during three seasons. The 6-foot-11, 305-pound junior scored three baskets, forced a jump ball and grabbed an offensive rebound leading to a key 3 by first-year freshman Kowacie Reeves made it 73-66.
“He’s stayed the course,” White said. “He’s a guy who hasn’t at times gotten much opportunity.”
Mississippi State could not respond to the Gators’ assault, going more than five minutes without a point as Florida pulled away.
Duruji led the Gators with 22 points, his most as a Gators.
“His skill level has improved. His overall confidence,” White said of the third-year transfer from Louisiana Tech. “He’s come a long way.”
Meanwhile, Appleby scored 17 points off the bench.
“Stayed together, overcame some adversity ... they rallied,” White said. “Played with a lot of heart and toughness.”
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Edgar Thompson at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osgators.
