No Egbunu, no problem.
Freshman Kevarrius Hayes stepped into the starting lineup on Sunday against Ohio State for John Egbunu, who had hand surgery on Thursday, and played the best game of his young career.
Florida’s impressive performance crashing the boards on both ends of the floor made up for Egbunu’s absence in the paint.
The No. 2 seed Gators defeated third-seeded Ohio State 74-66 — Florida’s first win ever in Columbus, Ohio — to advance to the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament. It was the first postseason meeting between the Gators and the Buckeyes since the 2007 National Championship Game.