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Friday night's game against Louisiana-Monroe (SEC Network / WatchESPN) was supposed to be Florida's first full step out of its early-season struggles. Chris Walker would be back — and he is — and the Gators could play with something verging on a full rotation against the Warhawks.
Except Dorian Finney-Smith will stay out after suffering a hairline fracture in his wrist last Friday, and, well:
Eli Carter (foot injury in Thurs practice) out of 2nite's game vs LA-Monroe. Devin Robinson to start. #Gators http://t.co/tKg9jYoQGG
— Chris Harry (@GatorZoneChris) November 21, 2014
Told X-Rays negative on Carter's foot, injury happened in Thursday's practice, freshman F Devin Robinson will start in his place #Gators
— Kevin Brockway (@gatorhoops) November 21, 2014
Told young BillyD is available to play, if need be. He's been doing a lot of office work and assisting w/coaches this season. #Gators
— Chris Harry (@GatorZoneChris) November 22, 2014
So Florida's still going to have just six scholarship players on hand, and this time, it's the Gators' backcourt depth that will be tested.
With Carter out, Florida's got just three scholarship guards, with Kasey Hill and Michael Frazier starting and Chris Chiozza coming off the bench. Things get a bit better up front, with Walker bolstering a frontcourt that counted only Jon Horford as an interior presence against Miami, and Devin Robinson likely to play both small and power forward tonight, but Florida's guards are going to be taxed this evening.
Fortunately, Monroe, ranked 255th in today's KenPom ratings, shouldn't be much of a challenge: Keith Richard's bunch doesn't do much well except on the offensive boards, and Florida's got two solid rebounders in Horford and Walker.
This should still be an easy win. It's just going to be a game won with Jacob Kurtz playing significant minutes, is all.