Injury and illness to UF’s top two players did not slow down the red-hot Gators.
A blistering start from shooting guard Egor Koulechov and a pivotal second-half spurt from point guard Chris Chiozza carried the Gators’ to their sixth straight win - 71-54 Wednesday night at home against Mississippi State.
Playing through plantar fasciitis, a painful foot condition, Koulechov scored the Gators’ first 13 points to keep them in the game as UF overcame an early 7-2 deficit. Nicknamed 3gor, Koulechov drained three straight 3-pointers during the torrid stretch on his way to a game-high 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting and eight rebounds.