Injury update

AI-assisted summaryFlorida Gators starting guard Alijah Martin is questionable for Tuesday night’s game against Mississippi State due to a hip injury.Martin sustained the injury during Florida’s win against Vanderbilt and did not play in their recent victory over Auburn.If Martin is unable to play, junior guard Denzel Aberdeen and sophomore guard Urban Klavzar are expected to fill his role.Florida basketball grad transfer starting guard Alijah Martin has been ruled out for Tuesday night’s game at Mississippi State (7 p.m., ESPN2) with a hip pointer, per the SEC’s student athlete availability report.

Klavzar, meanwhile, has provided a spark off the bench, averaging 7.5 points over UF’s last two games while going a perfect 5-for-5 from 3-point range.”It’s been a long season,” Clayton said. “You know, sometimes guys get a little gassed during the game, you know, so just having the trust in those guys to come in and make plays and, you know, it’s no drop off.”“It’s a funny little injury and a little pull here and there can bother him,” Golden said.The 6-foot-2 Martin, a transfer from Florida Atlantic, ranks second on UF in scoring (15.3 ppg) and steals (38). UF will turn to junior guard Denzel Aberdeen to make his third straight start and sophomore guard Urban Klavzar to come off the bench. Aberdeen has averaged 11.5 points and 2.5 assists in two starts replacing Martin and senior point guard Walter Clayton Jr.Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Martin suffered the injury a week ago during UF’s 86-75 win over Vanderbilt and also didn’t play Saturday when the No. 3 Florida Gators (20-3, 7-3 SEC) upset No. 1 Auburn 90-81 in Auburn, Ala.Florida coach Todd Golden said Martin took part in some 3-and-3 and 4-on-4 drills on Sunday. But he apparently still wasn’t feeling well enough to return to game action on Tuesday.

Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1