There are a lot of questions surrounding the UF frontcourt this season. Lately, Alex Tyus has had all the answers.
The sophomore announced his arrival with a game-high 24 points against Syracuse during the O'Reilly CBE Classic and topped the breakout performance with a career-high 25 in the No. 23 Gators' (5-1) win over Missouri-Kansas City on Sunday.
In what has become something of a calling card, Tyus rained down seven rim-rocking dunks against the Kangaroos.
"I always try and go out and make a spectacular play," Tyus said.
Tyus took his first leap toward stardom against the Orange in Kansas City, Mo. The critics are still waiting for him to land.
When he takes the floor tonight against Florida A&M (1-5) at 7 in the O'Connell Center, Tyus will once again try and quiet the chorus of doubt.
Often knocked for his lack of size, the 6-foot-8 Tyus is far from a traditional center.
"Alex isn't going to be a block to block post-up guy," UF coach Billy Donovan said. "He has to be on the run. He has to be on the move. He needs to slash to the basket. That's who he is."
Relying on speed and a spring-like leaping ability, Tyus (13 points per game) has made the position his own.
At 6-foot-10, 275-pounds Syracuse center Arinze Onuaku was supposed to be too much for Tyus to handle. Instead, it was Onuaku who was left in the haze of Tyus's high-tops.
"I try and use my athleticism and out-quick people a little bit," Tyus said.
Donovan knows Tyus wasn't made in the same mold as the men who patrolled the paint before him like Marreese Speights, Joakim Noah and Al Horford, but it hasn't stopped him from taking advantage of the strengths of a non-traditional post player.
"I don't think Alex is this 6-foot-10, 250 pound banging, smashing guy. That's just not who he is, but that's not how we're trying to use him," Donovan said. "We're trying to take advantage of what he brings to the table."
While Donovan tries to spin his center's physical shortcomings into an offensive mismatch for opponents, he knows eventually Tyus will have to answer the defensive bell.
"He has great athleticism, but people aren't going to let him play behind the baseline. They're not going to let him run down the floor and just get dunks," Donovan said. "There is going to come a point when he has to put his body into plays."
Injury Update:
Sophomore Hudson Fricke broke both of his wrists in what coaches describe as a "freak accident" after an exercise ball he was sitting on popped during a workout.
Don't expect to see Adam Allen in the lineup any time soon, either. The sophomore is still struggling to recover from the knee injury that has plagued him all season.
A redshirt is looking more and more likely for freshman Eloy Vargas, who is still working his way back into playing shape after being sidelined for most of the fall because of his recovery from summer ankle surgery.
"I don't know when we're going to get Adam back, and I don't know if we are going to get Eloy to the point where he can contribute this year, so we're going forward with the idea that we only have nine guys," Donovan said.
