A case can be made that the Gators are the overall No. 1

Tommy Haugh (dunking) is one reason why Florida is the best team in the country (UAA Photo)

Perhaps we should simply be thrilled that the Florida Gators are a mortal lock for one of four No. 1 seeds when the NCAA announces the tournament field next Sunday. Just being one of the top four teams means opening the tournament against a No. 16 team from one of the bottom feeder conferences. Only one time in history has a No. 16 taken down a No. 1 in the first round, so this is a rather safe place to start the madness.

It is a big deal to be a No. 1 seed, but let’s get real here. Florida is a better basketball team than projected number ones Auburn, Duke and Houston. Period. It isn’t close.

The Gators beat Auburn on the road by nine and that was WITHOUT Alijah Martin. It could have been worse. Much, much worse. Auburn has lost its last two games to Texas A&M and Alabama. The game before the Aggies smacked down Auburn, the Gators whomped them by 19. Back on Wednesday, the Gators beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Now, give Auburn credit for 16 Quad 1 wins. Nobody in the country has more, but if the Gators and Tigers were to play 10 times, the Gators would win eight. Maybe nine.

Duke. Does anyone really believe that Duke is really that good or are the Blue Devils beneficiaries of the Duke hype machine? Yes, the Blue Devils did beat Auburn back on December 4, the last time the Blue Devils played a team that was ranked. Duke lost to a very average Kentucky team and to the worst Kansas team in the Bill Self era. Did anyone bother to check the box score from Auburn-Duke? Duke shot 15 more free throws in a game that Duke’s defense could best be described as no autopsy, no foul. It was a mugging and yet Duke only won the game by six. At home. Let them play at any neutral site and Auburn would hose Duke. The only way Duke could beat Florida is if Pat Adams or Joe Lindsey or Steven Anderson was on the whistle.

Houston? Don’t get me started. Of Houston’s four losses, one was to Auburn, another to Alabama. The Cougars did win the Big 12 with a 19-1 record but folks, the old Big 12 she ain’t what she used to be. Take a look at what happened to Texas and Oklahoma when they took on an SEC schedule. Ugly. Dog’s butt ugly. The Cougars play defense similarly to the Aggies, which is to turn every game into a rock fight. We saw what the Gators did to the Aggies. If you are one to wager on such things as basketball games, you would be wise to take the Aggies against Houston. Take the Gators by a bunch.

I’ve been writing about big time college basketball for more than 50 years. I’ve been fortunate to write about some of the greatest teams, greatest players and greatest coaches. I’ve coached the game quite successfully. I know what I’m talking about and this Florida team is the best team in the country. Todd Golden has the deepest and best constructed roster that is capable of playing and winning no matter the style. When the Gators are focused and ready to go, there isn’t a team in the country that can beat them.

SEC Tournament

Wednesday

1. 16 South Carolina (12-19, 2-16 SEC) vs. 9 Arkansas (19-12, 8-10 SEC)

2. 13 Texas (17-14, 6-12 SEC) vs. 12 Vanderbilt (20-11 SEC)

3. 15 LSU (14-17, 3-15 SEC) vs. 10 Mississippi State (20-11, 8-10 SEC)

4. 14 Oklahoma (19-12, 6-12 SEC) vs. 11 Georgia (20-11, 8-10 SEC)

Thursday

5. Winner game 1 vs. 8 Ole Miss (21-10, 10-8 SEC)

6. Winner game 2 vs. 5 Texas A&M (22-9, 11-7 SEC)

7. Winner game 3 vs. 7 Missouri (21-10, 10-8 SEC)

8. Winner game 4 vs. 6 Kentucky (21-10, 10-8 SEC)

Friday quarterfinals

9. Winner game 5 vs. 1 Auburn (27-4, 15-3 SEC)

10. Winner game 6 vs. 4 Tennessee (25-6, 12-6 SEC)

11. Winner game 7 vs. 2 FLORIDA (27-4, 14-4 SEC)

12. Winner game 8 vs. 3 Alabama (24-7, 13-5 SEC)

SEC AND THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

Alabama (24-7, 13-5 SEC): The good news for Alabama was beating Auburn to finish out the season. The bad news is they probably play Mizzou in the second round in Nashville, the same Mizzou team that outran them early in the season. Win that one and they get the Gators, who have beaten them three straight times dating back to last year. NCAA NET ranking No. 6.

Arkansas (19-12, 8-10 SEC): A month ago the national media was writing that Arkansas was having buyer’s remorse for hiring John Calipari. Dumb. Cal has the Hogs in the NCAA and he’s doing it with only seven scholarship players. Lunardi and Palm have Arkansas on the No. 10 line. NCAA NET ranking No. 39.

Auburn (27-4, 15-3 SEC): The Tigers have lost two in a row which is a shocker. They’re no longer the overall No. 1 nor are they No. 1 in the NCAA NET rankings. They’re bored and they need to rekindle the flames.

FLORIDA (27-4, 14-4 SEC): The Gators have the depth and size that can take them all the way to the Final Four. No. 1 seed for both Lunardi and Palm. NCAA NET ranking No. 4.

Georgia (20-11, 8-10 SEC): Georgia is hot and a team that nobody should want to play. They’re a No. 9 for Jerry Palm, a No. 10 for Lunardi. This is remarkable considering where they were mid-February. The Bulldogs could win two games in Nashville. NCAA NET ranking No. 30.

Kentucky (21-10, 10-8 SEC): Kentucky is going to be a top four seed no matter what happens in Nashville. Count on it. Lunardi has them No. 3, Palm No. 4. Kentucky means a day one NCAA sellout. Nobody travels like UK. NCAA NET ranking No. 12.

Mississippi State (20-11, 8-10 SEC): The Bulldogs lost four of their last five regular season games so they need a reboot in Nashville. They get LSU game one and if they win that, Mizzou. Jerry Palm has the Bulldogs a No. 6 playing a No. 11 play-in game winner. Lunardi has them a No. 8, which is probably where they will land. NCAA NET ranking No. 34.

Missouri (21-10, 10-8 SEC): For a team that was ever so hot, Mizzou has faded in a hurry. Lunardi has the Tigers on his No. 5 line while Palm has them a No. 6. They probably get Mississippi State on Thursday in Nashville. Win that and it’s the Gators, whom they beat by a point in Gainesville. Two or three wins in Nashville and the Tigers might make it to the No. 4 line. NCAA NET ranking No. 21.

Oklahoma (19-12, 6-12 SEC): The Sooners apparently have played their way into the NCAA Tournament. Good news for Porter Moser, who might have been dismissed if he had finished 4-14 in the league. They are a No. 11 for Jerry Palm, a No. 12 in a play-in game for Lunardi. They should be happy just to be there no matter the seeding. NCAA NET ranking No. 46.

Ole Miss (21-10, 10-8 SEC): The Rebels are a No. 5 for Jerry Palm, a No. 7 for Lunardi. Their bracket in Nashville means they probably play Arkansas on Thursday and if they win that one, Auburn on Friday. They will be fortunate to be a No. 7. NCAA NET ranking No. 28.

Tennessee (25-6, 12-6 SEC): The Vols are on everybody’s No. 2 line and they don’t play in Nashville until Friday, most likely against the Aggies for a bring your brass knuckles and switchblades game. NCAA NET ranking No. 5.

Texas (17-14, 6-12 SEC): The Longhorns still have a chance to make the Big Dance but they have to make it to Friday at the SEC Tournament, otherwise they’re in the Nobody’s Interested Tournament. NCAA NET ranking 42.

Texas A&M (22-9, 11-7 SEC): The Aggies are on Jerry Palm’s No. 2 line, Joe Lunardi’s No. 3. Win their Thursday game in Nashville and they get Tennessee, a team they’re capable of beating. Win two in Nashville and they’re likely to be a No. 2 seed. This is a very dangerous team.

Vanderbilt (20-11, 8-10 SEC): One week after back-to-back wins over ranked teams, the Commodores went 0-2 against Arkansas and Georgia. They need a win in Nashville to jump start the post season. They are No. 9 for Lunardi, No. 10 for Jerry Palm. NCAA NET ranking No. 43.

UF BASEBALL: GATORS 41, HARVARD 6

The Gators had their last tune-up weekend before the schedule toughens up considerably. Harvard provided a 3-game punching bag, falling 12-0, 7-0 and 22-6 in three games as the 7th-ranked Gators raised their record to 15-2. Tuesday the Gators will travel to Tallahassee to face No. 4 Florida State. Florida opens its SEC schedule at No. 1 Tennessee on Friday.

Saturday in game one, freshman Aidan King (3-0) went six innings, giving up two hits while walking one and striking out eight as the Gators blanked the Crimson, 7-0, in seven innings. King was backed up by a 2-homer game by Bobby Boser, who drove in six runs. Boser has hit seven home runs already.

In game two, the Gators got home runs from Brody Donay and Brendan Lawson as part of a 19-hit attack that resulted in a 22-6 run-rule win. Donay’s homer was his eighth of the season while Lawson’s was No. 4. Hayden Yost drove in five runs with a single and a double, Lawson drove in four and Ty Evans had a single, double and triple for three RBI.

UF SOFTBALL: GATORS WIN OPENING SEC SERIES WITH AGGIES

 Joceylyn Erickson and Mia Williams homered and Kara Hammack shut down 4th-ranked Texas A&M (21-4) in the final three innings as 3rd-ranked Florida (26-2) beat the Aggies, 4-2, Sunday afternoon. The win gave the Gators the opening Southeastern Conference series of the season. The Gators are home against UCF for a non-conference game Wednesday and next weekend they play host to No. 1 Texas in an SEC showdown of teams that last played in the Women’s College World Series last year.

Freshman Katelynn Oxley went the first four innings Sunday, allowing five hits while walking one and striking out one. It was a 2-2 game when she gave way to Hammack (6-0) who didn’t give up a hit, walked two and struck out two.

Erickson hit a 2nd inning home run, her seventh of the season, for Florida’s first run. Kendra Falby singled in a run in the fourth that put the Gators ahead 2-1. Williams hit her eighth homer in the sixth to break a 2-2 tie and in the seventh, Reagan Walsh hit a sacrifice fly that scored Taylor Shumaker with an insurance run.