In a devastating turn of events, Florida center Micah Handlogten suffered a broken leg just over two minutes into the Southeastern Conference (SEC) tournament final against Auburn. Handlogten, a 7-foot-1 sophomore transfer from Marshall, was wheeled off the court and taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee [56b4462a].
Handlogten's injury is a significant blow to the Florida Gators, as he was a key player for the team. Last season, he was named the 2023 Sun Belt Conference freshman of the year and ranked 11th in the nation in blocked shots per game and 16th in rebounding. In his first season at Florida, he appeared in 32 games and averaged 5.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game [56b4462a].
Despite the loss of Handlogten, the game between Florida and Auburn continued. Both teams fought hard, but Auburn ultimately emerged victorious, winning the SEC tournament title. The final score was Auburn Tigers [score] - Florida Gators [score]. The Tigers' victory secured their spot in the NCAA tournament, while the Gators will have to wait for the selection show to see if they receive an invitation [3a19aa31] [56b4462a].
This injury serves as a reminder of the physical toll that basketball can take on players. It is a heartbreaking end to Handlogten's season and a challenging setback for the Florida Gators. The team will have to regroup and adjust their game plan moving forward without their talented center [56b4462a].
In another development, Florida guard Riley Kugel has entered the transfer portal. Kugel, a sophomore, averaged 9.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in 33 games this season. He lost his starting job in December but had a strong finish to his freshman season, averaging 17.3 points over the final 10 games and earning SEC All-Freshman honors. Kugel expressed gratitude to Gator Nation and his teammates in his announcement. He also thanked assistant coach Korey McCray, but had a strained relationship with head coach Todd Golden. Kugel played in the NCAA Tournament, scoring 11 points in Florida's loss to Colorado [91967991].