18 days after Keyontae Johnson, their leader and star, collapsed in the early goings of their last game, the Florida Gators faced their first test fully without him at Vanderbilt on Wednesday night.
They passed it — and then some.
A swarming Florida defense, excellent shooting, and a tremendous performance from Colin Castleton powered the Gators to a 91-72 win — one that may well reset notions of where this team’s ceiling may be without Johnson.
Castleton’s 23 points, a career high, came on just 13 shots, and mostly resulted from him slipping and rolling to the basket for easy finishes.