A scary scene unfolded during Sunday’s SEC Tournament championship game, where Florida’s Micah Handlogten suffered a gruesome leg injury that required him to be stretchered off the court.
Handlogten, a sophomore center, crumpled to the ground after his left leg landed awkwardly and rolled badly on a rebound attempt a little over two minutes into the game.
Teammates gathered as trainers applied an air cast to Handlogten’s leg and removed him from the court in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on a stretcher. Images from the scene appeared to show blood on Handlogten’s leg.
Handlogten sustained a fracture, Florida coach Todd Golden told ESPN at halftime. He was hospitalized at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
“Gator Nation, Thank you for all of the love and prayers!” Handlogten wrote Sunday afternoon on the social media website X. “It has helped more than anyone could imagine. Keep supporting the boys so we can make a deep run in the [NCAA Tournament]! I love you all!”
Some social media users compared Handlogten’s injury to the horrifying leg fracture suffered by former Louisville guard Kevin Ware during an Elite Eight matchup with Duke during the 2013 NCAA Tournament. St. John’s coach Rick Pitino was the head coach of Louisville at the time.
Handlogten, 20, entered Sunday averaging 5.5 points per game and ranked second on the Gators with 7.1 rebounds per game.
Florida lost Sunday’s conference championship game to Auburn, 86-67.
