Florida center Kevarrius Hayes patrolled the paint midway through the second half, eyeing the ball as it moved around the perimeter. When Mississippi State guard Eli Wright drove toward the basket and attempted a layup, Hayes slapped it away, generating cheers from fans at the O’Connell Center.
One possession later, Hayes rejected another Bulldogs shot attempt, this time smacking a jumper out of mid-air from guard Nick Weatherspoon.
Florida’s defense, along with a huge first half from guard Egor Koulechov, kept the team’s record perfect in SEC play on Wednesday night with a 71–54 blowout of Mississippi State.