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Report: Eli Carter redshirting, leaving Florida without a point guard?

Southern v Florida

GAINESVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Guard Eli Carter #1 of the Florida Gators drives up court against the Southern Jaguars November 18, 2013 at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida. The Gators won 67-53. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Al Messerschmidt

Florida’s point guard situation can be summed up is slowly by surely turning into a major issue.

First, it was Scottie Wilbekin getting suspended. A game before Wilbekin was allowed to return, Kasey Hill suffered a high ankle sprain that could keep him out of the lineup for another couple of weeks. On Monday night against UConn, Wilbekin left and didn’t return after spraining his ankle.

Florida ended the game using Dorian Finney-Smith at the point guard spot. Finney-Smith is a 6-foot-7 combo-forward. Not exactly ideal.

The reason Finney-Smith was forced into handling the ball is that Florida’s third-string point guard, Rutgers transfer Eli Carter, is reportedly redshirting. Carter broke his leg last February in gruesome fashion. Billy Donovan had this to say to reporters after the game:

“That’s probably something that’s going to happen. But right now, I think he’s just trying to see – can he get better?

“But as I said before, we’re not going to waste a year just to have him be a guy that’s going to spot somebody to give him a breather. I think he’s done too much in his career. We owe it to him to get him fully healthy and healed and ready to play.”

Carter has averaged 7.6 minutes in seven games this season. He didn’t play against UConn. He can apply for a medical redshirt since he’s played in less than 10% of Florida’s games this year.

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