Alijah Martin ruled out for Florida-Mississippi State showdown

Florida Gators starting guard Alijah Martin has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against Mississippi State due to a hip pointer injury, marking his second consecutive absence. Martin, who is averaging 15.3 points per game this season, missed Florida's impressive victory over No. 1 Auburn last Saturday, where the Gators won 90-81. Head coach Todd Golden had initially hoped for Martin's return, but the unpredictability of the injury led to his exclusion from the lineup. In his absence, junior Denzel Aberdeen and sophomore Urban Klavzar are expected to step up, with Aberdeen contributing significantly in the previous game. Mississippi State will also be without transfer guard Kanye Clary, who is out for the season due to a lower-leg injury. The highly anticipated matchup is set to tip off at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.