GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida forward Thomas Haugh, the team’s leading scorer and in contention for Southeastern Conference player of the year honors, sat out Tuesday’s home finale against Mississippi State as a precaution.
The Gators (24-6, 15-2 SEC) defeated the Bulldogs 108-74 and celebrated their first Southeastern Conference title since 2014. The defending national champions have won 10 in a row and 19 of 21.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey presented the Gators with the regular-season trophy before the game, and Florida formally secured the outright championship when Georgia closed out No. 16 Alabama earlier in the night.
Haugh leads the fifth-ranked Gators with 17.1 points and ranks third on the team with 6.0 rebounds. He injured an ankle at Texas A&M in early February but had played at least 30 minutes in four of Florida’s last six games.
Tuesday’s game was expected to be Haugh’s last one in the O’Connell Center. The junior from New Oxford, Pennsylvania, is widely expected to be an NBA lottery pick in June.
Center Micah Handlogten started in his place as part of senior day and had 10 points and nine rebounds.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
