Florida Gators Forward Colin Castleton Named SEC Player of the Week

Gators forward Colin Castleton earned his fourth SEC Player of the Week honor of his career after willing Florida to two victories last week.

Following an impressive week that consisted of two conference wins, an addition to the 1,000-point club and continued two-way dominance, Gators forward Colin Castleton earned SEC Player of the Week honors.

The award comes after the 6-foot-11, 240-pound man at the five spot produced 18 points and five blocks against LSU before totaling 16 points 13 rebounds and six assists in Florida's win over No. 20 Missouri.

It is the fourth time Castleton has earned the award in his three-year Gators career.

.@SEC player of the week 🐊#GoGators pic.twitter.com/7xz8uINiDR

— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) January 16, 2023

Castleton is the first SEC player this century to post 16 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocked shots in a conference game. Accordingly, the Gators are benefitting significantly from the fifth-year senior's excellence in the latest stretch of games.

In the offseason, when the new staff arrived and Castleton was weighing his future with the program, Todd Golden and Co. made it a focal point to retain the potential All-SEC big man to kickstart the regime in Gainesville. 

His return has proved fruitful of late, as he's played at a high level for the unit on both ends.

Offensively, Castleton currently leads Florida in points while sporting one of the highest usage rates in all of college basketball, regardless of position. Although inconsistent during the out-of-conference schedule, his production is a strength for a sputtering offensive attack. The unit is continuing to progress as he finds his groove as more than just a scorer, getting his teammates involved as a facilitator from the interior.

He's been equally as crucial on the defensive end as a rim protector, where Castleton's totaled 16 blocks over the last three contests to contribute to Florida's No. 14 defensive efficiency rating, according to Kenpom.com.

He's the team leader in points (15 on 49.7% from the floor), rebounds (7.8), steals (1.1) and blocks (3.1) per game this season.

Castleton and the Gators will head to College Station, Texas, on Wednesday for a rematch with the team they last lost to in Texas A&M. That contest is set to tip-off at 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

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