No Chris Walker for Florida on Dec. 2

[HooperScooper]

Sources say he will enroll for the second semester if he gets NCAA clearance. Probably not a huge deal for UConn's game against Florida but it's another big body they won't have to contend with.

A source told CBSSports.com that Walker's new goal is to complete his coursework, submit it to the NCAA, get cleared academically and enroll at Florida in December. He could in theory be eligible to practice and play as soon as final exams are completed at Florida on Dec. 13. The Gators' first game after that date is against Memphis in the Jimmy V Classic on Dec. 17 at New York's Madison Square Garden.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...walker-not-enrolling-at-florida-this-semester

 

[Huskyforlife]

that sucks

 

[mauconnfan]

that sucks

Yeah it does

 

[husky99]

We need the strongest occ possible. Shame

 

[superjohn]

Who cares, our schedule is plenty good.

 

[champs99and04]

It's too bad he can't play, but Florida is still plenty good without him - they return Wilbekin and Young and add five star PG Kasey Hill and five star transfer Dorian Finney-Smith. They're plenty deep in the front court with Yeguete returning from injury. Their ceiling is certainly much lower without him, and it sucks that we will have to deal with the "UConn beat Florida, but without Chris Walker..." rhetoric, but they are still a top 15 team without him by any measure.

 

[ctchamps]

We need the strongest occ possible. Shame

Not a shame at all. Beat them without him in regular season and then beat them with him in the post season. They will make the mistake that the reason they lost the first time was cause they didn't have him. And the second time they'll say he only played half a season.

 

[BearJWS]

It's too bad he can't play, but Florida is still plenty good without him - they return Wilbekin and Young and add five star PG Kasey Hill and five star transfer Dorian Finney-Smith. They're plenty deep in the front court with Yeguete returning from injury. Their ceiling is certainly much lower without him, and it sucks that we will have to deal with the "UConn beat Florida, but without Chris Walker..." rhetoric, but they are still a top 15 team without him by any measure.

Scottie Wilbekin is currently suspended indefinitely, so that could be one less player on FL's roster come game day. I believe it's the 2nd year in a row he'll be starting the season suspended. Hill is supposedly an excellent incoming PG, so they could be fine, but it hurts FL's depth if Wilbekin is not there.

 

[david]

We need the strongest occ possible. Shame

Correct me if I'm wrong, but RPI doesn't differentiate when a player is missing or not, so our game against Florida in December will be worth as much as another team playing a home game against Florida when Walker is back. If that's the case it actually benefits us.

 

[tcf15]

We need the strongest occ possible. Shame

Think that's true for next year, but not so much this year since we are playing Louisville twice.

 

[HooperScooper]

Jeff Borzello of CBSSports.com doesn't think missing Walker is a big deal for Florida.

Florida won't miss a beat in Chris Walker's absence

 

[husky99]

True true

 

[Tenspro2002]

it sucks that we will have to deal with the "UConn beat Florida, but without Chris Walker..." rhetoric, but they are still a top 15 team without him by any measure.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but RPI doesn't differentiate when a player is missing or not, so our game against Florida in December will be worth as much as another team playing a home game against Florida when Walker is back. If that's the case it actually benefits us.

Both of you are right. As far as the straight-up computer numbers, it won't make a difference. So if we beat a "patsy" Florida, and then they go on to win the SEC and get a top-5 RPI, we get credit for a top-5 RPI win.

That said, all the analysts will know what was up. However, it probably won't make a difference in their eyes.

I think the net is a positive -- it makes us more likely to win the game, without seriously diminishing the value of the win.

 

[aceboon]

UF is still loaded in the frontcourt without him, if UConn were to win there wouldn't be the need for an asterik.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I just looked at their roster. How is Patric Young still a college student? I thought he was a senior two years ago. That kid's biceps are bigger than Nolan's waist.

 

[champs99and04]

Scottie Wilbekin is currently suspended indefinitely, so that could be one less player on FL's roster come game day. I believe it's the 2nd year in a row he'll be starting the season suspended. Hill is supposedly an excellent incoming PG, so they could be fine, but it hurts FL's depth if Wilbekin is not there.

I'd assume Wilbekin would be back by December second, but who knows. I wonder if they'd play Hill and Wilbekin together at any point - that would be a fun match-up with Napier and Boatright.

 

[superjohn]

I just looked at their roster. How is Patric Young still a college student? I thought he was a senior two years ago. That kid's biceps are bigger than Nolan's waist.

Patric Young is still in college because he's not good enough for the NBA, kid looks like the biggest beast in college but doesn't play like it.

 

[BearJWS]

I'd assume Wilbekin would be back by December second, but who knows. I wonder if they'd play Hill and Wilbekin together at any point - that would be a fun match-up with Napier and Boatright.

It would be fun to watch. I do like our backcourt better. From what I remember reading, Donovan definitely was not happy with Wilbekin after this last incident & needed to "grow up" in order to get back on the team. I wouldn't be surprised if Hill is the starting PG from day one.

 

[tcf15]

Dan Wolken ‏@DanWolken 5m
Weird offseason at Florida RT @gatorhoops: Report from @gatorcountry that 3 more basketball players will be suspended to start the season

 

[Huskyforlife]

wow is all i can say

 

[Rico444]

I just looked at their roster. How is Patric Young still a college student? I thought he was a senior two years ago. That kid's biceps are bigger than Nolan's waist.

Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane.

 

[aceboon]

David Jones ‏@DaveJonesUFbeat
Names being circulated as basketball players possibly suspended for start of season: Prather, Finney-Smith and Harris. #Gators

 

[Rico444]

David Jones ‏@DaveJonesUFbeat
Names being circulated as basketball players possibly suspended for start of season: Prather, Finney-Smith and Harris. #Gators

This kind of thing drives me nuts. These rumors will follow these kids around forever, even if it turns out this guy is wrong.

 

[CTBasketball]

Well this helps.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Kid doesn't look like much. Olander would have handled him.