Florida forward Keyontae Johnson has returned to the team, though only in a coaching capacity, after collapsing during a game on Dec. 12. Matt Stamey/Associated Press
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida forward Keyontae Johnson is back with the team and working as a coach in practice, Coach Mike White said Monday.
Johnson was released from the hospital last week, 10 days after collapsing on the court at Florida State and needing emergency medical attention.
White said “I have no idea” whether Johnson will be able to play again this season and added, “even if I did, I couldn’t talk about it” because of privacy laws.
“Right now he’s really eager to help with scouting and coaching,” White said.
The Gators (3-1) postponed four games following Johnson’s collapse and took 15 days off. They returned to practice Sunday and will get back on the court Wednesday night at Vanderbilt, the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
“Our guys are ready to move forward, not move on from Keyontae, but move forward with him,” White said.
Kentucky’s John Calipari is one of several coaches across college basketball who have said they would like to know if Johnson’s collapse was related to his positive COVID-19 test months earlier.
Johnson’s parents family have said they “are committed to sharing not only updates on Keyontae but also any information we think could help others.”
Although the cause of Johnson’s collapse has not been revealed, the coronavirus can lead to myocarditis, a viral infection of the heart muscle. At its most severe, myocarditis can lead to sudden cardiac arrest and has been a documented cause of death for young, otherwise healthy athletes.
The SEC mandates protocols, including rigorous heart testing, before players can be cleared to return to play following positive COVID-19 tests.
Johnson crumpled to the floor coming out of a timeout on Dec. 12. He was moved to a stretcher and carried to a waiting ambulance as teammates, coaches, staff, fans and others watched in disbelief.
MARYLAND 70, (9) WISCONSIN 64: Eric Ayala scored 17 points, while Aaron Wiggins added 15 points and nine rebounds as the Terrapins (6-3, 1-2 Big Ten) beat the Badgers (8-2, 2-1) in Madison, Wisconsin.
Maryland snapped Wisconsin’s 15-game home winning streak and a stretch of 10 straight conference wins that dated back to last season.
D’Mitrik Trice hit a 3-pointer with just less than 2 minutes left to pull the Badgers to 60-59.
Donta Scott hit back-to-back shots and Ayala knocked down two free throws to put the Terrapins up 66-59 with less than 25 seconds to go. Trice was fouled on a 3-point attempt on Wisconsin’s next possession and hit all three, but the Badgers got no closer.
(21) MINNESOTA 81, (17) MICHIGAN STATE 56: Liam Robbins had 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, leading a stifling effort by the Gophers (9-1, 2-1 Big Ten) on defense to beat the Spartans (6-3, 0-3) in Minneapolis.
Marcus Carr scored 19 points and dished out five assists for the Gophers, who never trailed and held the sputtering Spartans to 25.7% shooting (18 for 70) while outrebounding them 52-36.
Aaron Henry, who came off the bench for the first time this season, had 11 points and three assists, both paltry team highs as the Spartans hit their first 0-3 start in Big Ten play in 19 years.
COVID-19: The Atlantic Coast Conference announced that the Pittsburgh-Duke game scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed because of COVID-19 issues.
The postponement follows a positive test, subsequent quarantining, and contact tracing within the Panthers’ program.
Pitt is adhering to the outlined protocols within the ACC Medical Advisory Group report.
TOP 25: It’s hard to decide who has been more dominant in men’s college basketball this season: Gonzaga or the Big Ten Conference.
The Bulldogs remained the clear-cut No. 1, earning 62 of 64 first-place votes in The Associated Press poll after their latest win over a Top 25 foe, while the Big Ten placed nine teams in the poll, with Wisconsin and Iowa in the top 10.
Gonzaga blitzed then-No. 16 Virginia 98-75 on Saturday for the most lopsided win over a ranked team in the Mark Few era, giving the Bulldogs a poll-record fourth win over a Top 25 team in a team’s first seven games of a season. Kansas, Iowa and West Virginia also have fallen to Corey Kispert & Co., all of them on neutral floors.
Second-ranked Baylor received the other two first-place votes and the Jayhawks remained No. 3 after their rout of then-No. 7 West Virginia. Villanova and Houston each moved up a spot after Iowa’s overtime loss to Minnesota.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
TOP 25: Stanford faced its first real test of the season and passed to remain the top team in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll.
The Cardinal beat then-No. 10 UCLA 61-49 on Dec. 21, pulling away late in the only game between ranked opponents last week. Stanford again received 26 first-place votes Monday from a 30-member national media panel. Coach Tara VanDerveer’s team has another tough game ahead, visiting sixth-ranked Arizona on Friday.
While Stanford stayed on top, there was a little movement among the next few teams. Louisville remained No. 2 while North Carolina State moved up to third, edging UConn by a point in the poll. South Carolina stayed fifth.
The Huskies won their lone game last week, routing Villanova, but lost two points in the voting.
(9) TEXAS A&M 112, NORTHWESTERN STATE 26: Destiny Pitts scored 14 points to lead the Aggies 9-0) to a victory over the Lady Demons (0-5) in College Station, Texas.
Kayla Wells and Ciera Johnson each added 13 points as the Aggies (9-0) set a school record for scoring. The previous mark came in a 111-83 victory over Lamar on Nov. 15, 1995.
FOOTBALL
FLORIDA: Receivers Trevon Grimes and Kadarius Toney are skipping the Cotton Bowl to prepare for their NFL futures.
Grimes and Toney made their announcements on Twitter, leaving the program two days before No. 10 Florida (8-3) plays eighth-ranked Oklahoma (8-2) in Arlington, Texas.
They are the second and third Florida players to opt out of the bowl, following tight end Kyle Pitts. So the Gators will be without their top three pass catches against the Sooners.
ARKANSAS: Former Arkansas defensive lineman Loyd Philips, an Outland Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Fame inductee, has died from complications of a stroke, the school announced.
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