Florida makes decision on Colin Castleton status vs. Vanderbilt

Florida center Colin Castleton, the Gators’ leading scorer, has officially been ruled out for Saturday afternoon’s home contest against the Vanderbilt Commodores, a school spokesperson confirmed to Jon Rothstein.

Florida (11-6, 2-3) is coming off a big win on Wednesday, as the Gators beat Mississippi State 80-72 without Castleton, their 6-foot-11, 240-pound big man. Castleton suffered a shoulder injury during practice on Tuesday, and after Wednesday’s win over the Bulldogs, head coach Mike White labeled the injury “significant.”

“I know it’s significant,” White said. “I know he’s seeing the appropriate people maybe even as we speak here. he had no chance of playing tonight, and really unfortunate for Colin and his teammates. But his teammates rallied, and they got it done and they were connected and I’m really proud of these guys.”

Castleton was averaging 15.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.8 blocks per game prior to his injury, all while maintaining a 53.6 percent field-goal percentage. In his absence, junior center Jason Jitoboh started on Wednesday against Mississippi State and figures to get the nod again versus Vanderbilt. Jitoboh played a season-high 16 minutes against the Bulldogs, dropping eight points on 3-of-5 shooting, while scooping two rebounds, notching two blocks and committing four fouls.

“I was really down for (Castleton) this afternoon as we go to shoot-around and you get the news,” White continued. “He’s coming off his best three-game stretch in terms of not only numbers, but confidence, swagger, some of the things that we talked about. Unselfishness, leadership, passion, making winning plays. He has just been really, really good, and I feel for him.”

Vanderbilt (10-7, 2-3) is short a big man of its own, but it’s nothing new for the Commodores. Head coach Jerry Stackhouse has been without impact transfer Liam Robbins, who came to Nashville via Minnesota, as the 7-foot, 250-pound senior has nursed a stress fracture in his foot. In the meantime, Stackhouse has gotten the most out of big man Quentin Millora-Brown, a Rice transfer now in his second season with Vanderbilt, who has taken on a much bigger role than last season.

Florida enters Saturday’s contest having won seven games in a row against Vanderbilt, tied for the Gators’ longest win streak in this matchup’s history, per Florida athletics. Vanderbilt will look to snap that streak early in 2022 against a relatively underwhelming Florida team, one that lost a key contributor in Castleton. A Vanderbilt win would not only spoil the Gators’ recent dominance over the Commodores, but it would also mark Vanderbilt’s first victory in Gainesville since Jan. 21, 2017.