GAINESVILLE, Fla. – When Gators sophomore guard Kenny Boynton dropped to the court late in Saturday’s 73-65 win over UCLA in Tampa, it didn’t look good.
Boynton fell hard after taking a shot and stayed down as play continued at the other end of the court. After a few minutes, Boynton walked off the court under his own power and headed to the locker room for treatment after suffering a mild left ankle sprain.
He returned a few minutes later and on Monday, Gators coach Billy Donovan said he expects Boynton to play in Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchup with BYU in New Orleans.
“He's walking and he's not on crutches,’’ Donovan said. “He's not in the boot. He's able to walk freely. He doesn't have a lot of discomfort.”
Boynton is considered one of the Gators’ top defenders and will be counted on heavily Thursday to guard BYU star Jimmer Fredette, who is averaging 33 points in two NCAA Tournament games. Boynton guarded Fredette much of the time in last season’s double-overtime loss to the Cougars in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Boynton will draw the same assignment on Thursday barring any unexpected setbacks.
“I think that Kenny would start off on him,’’ Donovan said Monday. “That’s what we did last year. I’m hopeful that we can move some different people on him throughout the course of the game.’’
Boynton did not practice on Monday as a precaution. The Gators are scheduled to leave for New Orleans on Tuesday evening and the team’s trainers will keep a close eye on Boynton’s ankle until game time to make sure it won’t be an issue.
“The first 24 hours after the game were going to be really important,’’ Donovan said. “Often in these ankle situations, when you’re traveling, you worry about swelling being the problem. That was a major issue, but we were able to get that under control.
“We fully expect him to play.”
Tyus Draws Praise from Donovan
Senior forward Alex Tyus played a pivotal role in Saturday’s win over UCLA, grabbing a career-high 13 rebounds despite the formidable presence UCLA center Joshua Smith and energetic Bruins forward Reeves Nelson.
Tyus also added eight points and provided much-needed help inside defensively as centers Vernon Macklin and Patric Young battled foul trouble.
“I’m really proud of him,’’ Donovan said. “People hear me talk a lot about Chandler because he was [SEC] Player of the Year, but I have an enormous amount of respect for Alex and his attitude.
“He has been all about the team and winning. Because of his athleticism, he can have an impact on the game regardless of if he gets the ball or not. I thought his impact in the game was huge.’’
No Fouling Out Allowed
The Gators don’t actually have a no-foul-out rule, but they do have the unusual honor of being the only Division I team in the country not to have at least one player foul out this season.
The streak remained intact on Saturday despite Macklin and Young both picking up four fouls trying to defend the 6-foot-10, 325-pound Smith.
“We were in some serious foul trouble across our front line,’’ Donovan said. “I’ve never had a season where no one fouled out. It’s a credit to this team. Their front court made it a physical game, and a lot of it has to do with Smith. We haven’t seen a player like him of that size that can move like him or has hands like him.
“We were in some zone situations, but he and Nelson forced us to foul because they were physical at the basket. Our depth helped.’’
Parsons Knows of Larry Legend
At 6-foot-10 and versatile enough to play point guard, Gators senior Chandler Parsons often fills up the stat line like in Thursday’s win over UC-Santa Barbara.
Parsons flirted with a triple double (10 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds) until Donovan emptied the bench as the Gators lead continued to grow in the second half.
Parsons can handle the ball, is an excellent passer, good outside shooter, can play inside and rebound. That sounds like former Celtics great Larry Bird.
“Oh, I'm a big Larry Bird fan," Parsons told NBA.com. “I always thought Larry Bird played basketball the way it ought to be played.”
Of course, Parsons has a long way to go before being mentioned as the same caliber of player as Bird, one of the NBA’s all-time greats. However, Parsons is starting to draw more attention from NBA scouts because of his versatility and team-first approach.
“One of his advantages is that he has a number of skills he does well,’’ NBA director of scouting Ryan Blake told NBA.com. “He shoots the ball. He's got size. He passes very well. He's a rebounder. And he's a hard worker and has a professional approach to the game.”
