No. 2 Florida played without forward Will Yeguete, benched starting point guard Scottie Wilbekin and got an injury scare from Erik Murphy.
It didn't matter against Mississippi State.
Mike Rosario scored 18 points, Murphy added 17 before leaving with a sprained ankle and the Gators bounced back from a humbling loss earlier in the week to thump the short-handed Bulldogs 83-58 on Saturday.
The game looked every bit like a matchup of the Southeastern Conference's best and worst teams.
Then again, it wasn't nearly as lopsided as the 35-point beatdown Florida handed Mississippi State on its home court two weeks ago.
"When we play like that, it's hard to beat us," guard Kenny Boynton said.
Casey Prather, playing in place of Yeguete, chipped in 12 points and five rebounds. Yeguete had arthroscopic surgery Friday to remove loose bodies in his right knee and will miss at least the rest of the regular season.
The Gators (19-3, 9-1 SEC) went 4-5 without him last season, but handled his absence much better against the Bulldogs.
"Obviously, he's a big piece of our team that we lost," said Michael Frazier II, who finished with 11 points and six rebounds in his first career start. "But we've got to play together, play hard and try to make up for what he brought to the team."
Mississippi State (7-15, 2-8) played without guard Jalen Steele, who didn't make the trip after being suspended indefinitely for violating team rules.
It was a big blow for a team already down three players.
Freshmen Andre Applewhite and Jacoby Davis are out for the season with knee injuries, and senior Wendell Lewis is sidelined with a fractured right patella.
So the Bulldogs came to Gainesville with six scholarship players and two walk-ons, not exactly the ideal roster to upset the league's highest-ranked team.
The scoreboard proved it.
Gavin Ware led the Bulldogs, who have lost eight in a row, with 16 points. Colin Borchert added 14 and Trivante Bloodman had 10.
"It's really hard to take a loss," Borchert said. "We fought hard and we are a no-excuse team."
Florida took a double-digit lead midway through the first half. Frazier had a lot to do with it, hitting his first three 3-pointers.
The Gators made it 36-18 on Murphy's baseline hook shot with 4:27 remaining before halftime. Murphy finished 7-of-10 shooting, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range. It was a stark contrast to his last game, a 2-for-7 performance against Arkansas on Tuesday night.
The game really got lopsided after the break.
Florida, which led 42-26 after 20 minutes, scored the first 10 points of the second half. Wilbekin hit a 3, Boynton made a layup, Rosario hit a pull-up jumper and Murphy drained another from behind the arc.
Everything went right for the Gators.
It was the complete opposite of what happened Tuesday night at Arkansas.
Pat Young picked up two early fouls, Yeguete injured his knee, Murphy struggled shooting and turned the ball over four times, and Wilbekin took 15 shots for the second consecutive game.
Throw in Arkansas' hot-shooting start, and the Gators trailed by 20 points in the early going and never recovered.
On Saturday, they looked much more like the team that won 10 straight before that 80-69 loss to the Razorbacks.
One difference was that Wilbekin started the game on the bench.
"Just did not respond well at all in practice," coach Billy Donovan said. "No energy. No enthusiasm. Tried to talk to him. Didn't get much of a response. And again, wasn't a bad attitude. Wasn't like he wasn't trying. Wasn't like he quit. Just not his normal Scottie Wilbekin self in practice. And it continued Friday.
"I just told him, I said, 'Listen, we're coming off of a tough loss against Arkansas. We need energy, passion, and if you're not going to play with passion, I'm going to start somebody else.'"
About the only other issue for Florida was Murphy's right ankle. He tweaked it with about 4 minutes to go in the game, but Donovan said he was fine.
"He tripped," Donovan joked. "I think the line was up; I think the O'Dome's got to push it down. He trips a lot."
Tuesday, May 21 2013 6:40 PM EDT2013-05-21 22:40:44 GMT
Tuesday around 10:00 a.m. a Mack dump truck traveling southbound on I-75 just south of State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel traveled into the direct path of a 2012 Hyundai.
Tuesday around 10:00 a.m. a Mack dump truck traveling southbound on I-75 just south of State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel traveled into the direct path of a 2012 Hyundai.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 5:53 PM EDT2013-05-21 21:53:22 GMT
The state admits it dropped the ball, but 51 year old Wes Diebold lost his license over a 2 dollar mistake.
Looking for a job is tough enough these days but how much tougher does having a suspended driver's license make things? 51 year old Wes Diebold doesn't know for sure if his suspended license was a roadblock.
Looking for a job is tough enough these days but how much tougher does having a suspended driver's license make things? 51 year old Wes Diebold doesn't know for sure if his suspended license was a roadblock.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 5:23 PM EDT2013-05-21 21:23:47 GMT
On Tuesday at about 1:50 a.m., officers with the Brooksville Police Department responded to the Brookhaven Apartments after a report of a Disturbance/Shots Fired complaint.
On Tuesday at about 1:50 a.m., officers with the Brooksville Police Department responded to the Brookhaven Apartments after a report of a Disturbance/Shots Fired complaint.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 5:18 PM EDT2013-05-21 21:18:57 GMT
It's one of the big scandals that's been plaguing President Obama's administration in recent weeks: news that the I-R-S gave special scrutiny to conservative groups, looking for tax- exempt status. About
It's one of the big scandals that's been plaguing President Obama's administration in recent weeks: news that the I-R-S gave special scrutiny to conservative groups, looking for tax- exempt status.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 5:04 PM EDT2013-05-21 21:04:18 GMT
A proposal to split up the roles of chairman of the board and chief executive at the nation's largest bank came up short at a shareholder meeting held in Tampa on Tuesday. The financial world paid close
A proposal to split up the roles of chairman of the board and chief executive at the nation's largest bank came up short at a shareholder meeting held in Tampa on Tuesday.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 5:53 PM EDT2013-05-21 21:53:22 GMT
The state admits it dropped the ball, but 51 year old Wes Diebold lost his license over a 2 dollar mistake.
Looking for a job is tough enough these days but how much tougher does having a suspended driver's license make things? 51 year old Wes Diebold doesn't know for sure if his suspended license was a roadblock.
Looking for a job is tough enough these days but how much tougher does having a suspended driver's license make things? 51 year old Wes Diebold doesn't know for sure if his suspended license was a roadblock.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 2:30 PM EDT2013-05-21 18:30:01 GMT
The Obridge Academy is a virtual school with a virtual Florida headquarters and a virtual track record of performance. But under new legislation awaiting the signature of Governor Rick Scott it could
The Obridge Academy is a virtual school with a virtual Florida headquarters and a virtual track record of performance.
Monday, May 20 2013 5:56 PM EDT2013-05-20 21:56:22 GMT
The weather is getting warm in the bay area and pest control experts say it's bringing out dry wood termites. "The phones are ringing off the hook now because the termites are swarming," said exterminator
The weather is getting warm in the bay area and pest control experts say it's bringing out dry wood termites. "The phones are ringing off the hook now because the termites are swarming," said exterminator
Friday, May 17 2013 7:36 AM EDT2013-05-17 11:36:31 GMT
As the news of Angelina Jolie brings awareness to the fight against breast cancer there is a major medical breakthrough thanks to a nationwide study with the largest number of participants at USF.
As the news of Angelina Jolie brings awareness to the fight against breast cancer there is a major medical breakthrough thanks to a nationwide study with the largest number of participants at USF.
Friday, May 17 2013 5:00 AM EDT2013-05-17 09:00:46 GMT
Teacher supplies can be very expensive. Ask any teacher they will tell you it's true. A couple of local educators are doing their best to help cut the cost for the tools teachers use in the classroom. Adrianne
Teacher supplies can be very expensive. Ask any teacher they will tell you it's true. A couple of local educators are doing their best to help cut the cost for the tools teachers use in the classroom. Adrianne
Thursday, May 16 2013 6:00 PM EDT2013-05-16 22:00:27 GMT
They went to school on federally-backed student loans and have now defaulted on them to the tune of $111.5 million dollars. That means taxpayers are on the hook for that money. 895 doctors nationwide
They went to school on federally-backed student loans and have now defaulted on them to the tune of $111.5 million dollars. That means taxpayers are on the hook for that money. 895 doctors nationwide
Tuesday, May 21 2013 10:17 AM EDT2013-05-21 14:17:59 GMT
Search-and-rescue crews worked through the night after a monstrous tornado barreled through the Oklahoma City suburbs, demolishing an elementary school and reducing homes to piles of splintered wood.
Search-and-rescue crews worked through the night after a monstrous tornado barreled through the Oklahoma City suburbs, demolishing an elementary school and reducing homes to piles of splintered wood.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 5:53 PM EDT2013-05-21 21:53:22 GMT
The state admits it dropped the ball, but 51 year old Wes Diebold lost his license over a 2 dollar mistake.
Looking for a job is tough enough these days but how much tougher does having a suspended driver's license make things? 51 year old Wes Diebold doesn't know for sure if his suspended license was a roadblock.
Looking for a job is tough enough these days but how much tougher does having a suspended driver's license make things? 51 year old Wes Diebold doesn't know for sure if his suspended license was a roadblock.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 6:40 PM EDT2013-05-21 22:40:44 GMT
Tuesday around 10:00 a.m. a Mack dump truck traveling southbound on I-75 just south of State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel traveled into the direct path of a 2012 Hyundai.
Tuesday around 10:00 a.m. a Mack dump truck traveling southbound on I-75 just south of State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel traveled into the direct path of a 2012 Hyundai.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 5:05 AM EDT2013-05-21 09:05:01 GMT
Hearing on the radio that a violent storm was approaching her rural Oklahoma neighborhood, Lindsay Carter took advantage of the advanced warning, gathered her belongings and fled.
Hearing on the radio that a violent storm was approaching her rural Oklahoma neighborhood, Lindsay Carter took advantage of the advanced warning, gathered her belongings and fled.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 2:17 PM EDT2013-05-21 18:17:38 GMT
An employee embezzled more than $56,000 in a course of 13 months from a local company which handles workers compensation claims, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office report.
An employee embezzled more than $56,000 in a course of 13 months from a local company which handles workers compensation claims, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office report.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 4:30 PM EDT2013-05-21 20:30:39 GMT
Steven Vaughan (left) poses with a relative in Bill Murray t-shirts, after claiming $1 million POWERBALL prize at Florida Lottery Headquarters
The Florida Lottery announces that Steven Vaughan, 41, of Seminole, claimed the second $1 million POWERBALL® prize from Saturday night's POWERBALL drawing. The winning numbers from the POWERBALL draw were 10-13-14-22-52,
The Florida Lottery announces that Steven Vaughan, 41, of Seminole, claimed the second $1 million POWERBALL® prize from Saturday night's POWERBALL drawing. The winning numbers from the POWERBALL draw were 10-13-14-22-52,
Monday, May 20 2013 4:56 PM EDT2013-05-20 20:56:18 GMT
The city of Zephyrhills is still getting lots of national attention. But the many media crews and live trucks don't seem to bother the local residents.
The city of Zephyrhills is still getting lots of national attention. But the many media crews and live trucks don't seem to bother the local residents.
