Florida center Micah Handlogten suffered a gruesome broken leg in Sunday’s SEC tournament championship game loss to Auburn, but appeared to be in good spirits several hours later.

Handlogten, who broke his lower left leg in the early minutes of the Gators’ 86-67 loss in Nashville, tweeted out thanks to fans for their “love and prayers.” With his parents standing nearby in tears, Handlogten was stretchered out of Bridgestone Arena following the injury and was expected to have surgery later Sunday at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

“Gator Nation, Thank you for all of the love and prayers!,” Handlogten wrote. “It has helped more than anyone could imagine. Keep supporting the boys so we can make a deep run in the NCAAT! I love you all!”

The 7-foot-1 Handlogten averaged 5.5 points and 7.1 rebounds in 32 games (31 starts) for the Gators this season, his first since transferring from Marshall. The Lake Morgan, N.C., native was the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year in 2022-23 with the Thundering Herd.

Handlogten had two rebounds in just two minutes against Auburn Sunday and was trying for a third when he came down awkwardly on his left ankle. The sound of bone breaking could be heard on television and in the arena and blood was visible on the back of Handlogten’s left calf where the broken bone apparently broke the skin.

“You just hate to see it for him because he does everything the right way and works hard,” Florida coach Todd Golden said. “That’s a super fluky injury you know that you don’t see very often in this game. Playing a big-time game like this, to go out that way, I just feel for him.”

Florida (24-11) will learn its postseason fate during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show at 5 p.m. on CBS.