GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Walter Clayton Jr., the point guard for Florida, has been ruled out for the matchup against Vanderbilt scheduled for Tuesday night.

The sixth-ranked Gators made the announcement regarding Clayton approximately an hour before game time, and Denzel Aberdeen is anticipated to step in as the starter in his absence.

Clayton sustained an ankle injury late in the first half during a significant loss to then-No. 8 Tennessee on Saturday. Although he managed to return for the second half, he slipped in front of the bench, causing concern for both coach Todd Golden and his teammates.

Despite the setbacks, Clayton recorded 10 points during the game, shooting 3-of-13, and ended with no assists and three turnovers over 27 minutes of play.

In an update on Monday, Coach Todd Golden remarked that the team was fortunate to have avoided anything too severe with Clayton’s injury, but unfortunately, his ankle had not improved as expected, leading the team to err on the side of caution regarding his return to the court.

Florida’s next game is against the top-ranked Auburn on Saturday.

Clayton has been a key player for Florida this season, leading the team in scoring with an average of 17.4 points per game. He also holds the record for most assists on the team with 79 and is third in steals with 28.