SEC title secured, Gators have NCAA seeding on their minds today at Rupp

(Photo by Bobby D'Alessio)

It is time for 5th-ranked Florida (24-6, 15-2 SEC) to slam the door shut on the Southeastern Conference regular season. The Gators carry a 10-game winning streak that includes seven straight SEC road wins into today’s game with Kentucky (19-11, 9-8 SEC) and they want to carry the momentum of the regular season into the tournament phase of the season.

Win or lose today, the Gators will still be the conference champs and the No. 1 seed at next week’s SEC Tournament in Nashville, but beating the Wildcats at Rupp Arena on their Senior Day will keep UF in contention for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Gators are fourth in the NCAA NET Rankings with an 11-5 record. Only Duke (14-2), Michigan (12-1) and Arizona (14-2) have more Quad 1 wins than the Gators. A win at Kentucky and then three at the SEC Tournament would make a strong case for Florida to be one of the four No. 1 seeds when the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee announces its brackets for the 68-team field a week from Sunday.

“Winning out, I feel like would definitely do it [earn a No. 1],” Golden said Friday before the Gators departed for Lexington. “And that's not any disrespect to anybody else, but I think that would get us close to 14 or 15 quad one wins. And I think right now we're at 11, and I think the next closest is eight.”

UConn, which most of the bracketologists have as the No. 1 team in the South with Florida as the No. 2, has a 7-2 record in Quad 1 games. The Huskies do own a win over the Gators during the regular season, but that game was in December. Since that loss, which dropped Florida to 5-4 at the time, the Gators are 19-2.  

Florida, which is the No. 4 team in the nation according to the analytics at both kenpom.com and barttorvik.com, is definitely not the team that struggled early. Per barttorvik.com, the Gators are the No. 2 team in the country since January 1.

“We’ve got a lot to work on though before we can really plant our flag on that,” Golden said. “We’ve got to find a way to win tomorrow and then take care of some business in the conference tournament.”

Taking care of business starts with today’s game at Rupp, one of the more difficult places to play in the country, especially with it being Senior Day. Although the Wildcats aren’t exactly playing on a championship level right now, they certainly have the talent to go on a run, plus they still have a chance to get to the No. 4 seed in Nashville, which would earn the double-bye into the quarter-finals. There is also the possibility Kentucky could finish outside the top eight teams in the final regular season standings which would mean playing on Wednesday.

The SEC Tournament is a grind even for a top four seed since it means winning Friday, Saturday and Sunday to hoist the championship trophy. For a team that finishes ninth or later in the final standings winning the tournament title means five wins on five consecutive days.

“I think it speaks to the league and just how deep it is and we're kind of looking at the bracket potential,” Golden said. “I mean, there’s really no reason to look at it yet, because there's about seven different teams that could slide into that eight slot, so yeah, it's a lot to be determined here, and I think Kentucky could be as low as a 10 if we beat them. So, you know, a lot to be determined here over the next 36 hours.”

Kentucky’s seeding is Kentucky’s problem. The Gators don’t have to concern themselves with seeding for Nashville, but the NCAA is a different story. The advantage to a No. 1 seed is only once in NCAA history (2018) has a No. 16 seed (UMBC) sprung an upset over a No. 1 (Virginia).

Whether it’s a No. 1 or a No. 2, the Gators are almost a lock to start NCAA Tournament play in Tampa, which would be like a home game. When NCAA Tournament play begins in-state for the Gators good things typically happen. The Gators began the 2006 tournament in Jacksonville and went on to win the national championship. In 2010 Florida made the Elite Eight game after starting in Tampa. They began their 2014 run to the Final Four in Orlando and got to the Elite Eight game in 2017 after starting out in Orlando.

Anticipated starting lineups

No. 5 FLORIDA (24-6, 15-2 SEC): Alex Condon (6-11, 236, JR); Rueben Chinyelu (6-11, 265, JR); Tommy Haugh (6-9, 215, JR); Boogie Fland (6-3, 185, SO); Xaivian Lee (6-4, 185, SR)

Kentucky (19-11, 9-8 SEC): Andrija Jelavic (6-11, 225, SO); Malachi Moren (7-0, 250, FR); Otega Oweh (6-4, 220, SR); Collin Chandler (6-5, 205, SO); Denzel Aberdeen (6-5, 195, SR)

Today’s SEC games

No. 5 FLORIDA (24-6, 15-2 SEC) at Kentucky (19-11, 9-8 SEC)

Auburn (16-14, 6-11 SEC) at No. 16 Alabama (22-8, 12-5 SEC)

No. 20 Arkansas (22-8, 12-5 SEC) at Missouri (20-10, 9-7 SEC)

No. 24 Vanderbilt (23-7, 10-7 SEC) at No. 23 Tennessee (21-9, 11-6 SEC)

Texas A&M (20-10, 10-7 SEC) at LSU (15-15, 3-14 SEC)

Georgia (21-9, 9-8 SEC) at Mississippi State (13-17, 5-12 SEC)

Oklahoma (16-14, 6-11 SEC) at Texas (18-12, 9-8 SEC)

South Carolina (12-18, 3-14 SEC) at Ole Miss (12-18, 4-13 SEC)

The way the SEC Tournament shapes up heading into today’s games

Wednesday, March 11

1. No. 9 Georgia vs. No. 16 South Carolina

2. No. 12 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Mississippi State

3. No. 10 Texas vs. No. 15 Ole Miss

4. No. 11 Auburn vs. No. 14 LSU

Thursday, March 12

5. No. 8 Kentucky vs. Game 1 winner

6. No. 5 Missouri vs. Game 2 winner

7. No. 7 Texas A&M vs. Game 3 winner

8. No. 6 Vanderbilt vs. Game 4 winner

Friday, March 13 (quarterfinals)

9. No. 1 FLORIDA vs. Game 5 winner

10. No. 4 Tennessee vs. Game 6 winner

11. No. 2 Alabama vs. Game 7 winner

12. No. 3 Arkansas vs. Game 8 winner

Saturday, March 14 (semifinals)

13. Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner

14. Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner

Sunday, March 15

Championship game, last two teams standing

Top 16 teams NCAA NET Rankings (Quad 1 won/lost)

1. Duke 14-2; 2. Michigan 12-1; 3. Arizona 14-2; 4. FLORIDA 11-5; 5. Illinois 8-6; 6. Gonzaga 6-2; 7. Houston 7-5; 8. UConn 7-2; 9. Purdue 9-7; 10. Iowa State 6-6; 11. Michigan State 8-4; 12. Nebraska 7-5; 13. Virginia 7-3; 14. Texas Tech 8-7; 15. Louisville 5-9; 16. Arkansas 6-8

SEC in Joe Lunardi (ESPN) bracketology (as of Friday a.m.)

East: 1. Duke; 2. Michigan State; 3. Iowa State; 4. Alabama (SEC: 6. Kentucky; 10. Missouri)

South: 1. UConn; 2. FLORIDA; 3. Purdue; 4. Virginia (SEC: 5. Tennessee; 10. Texas A&M)

Midwest: 1. Michigan; 2. Houston; 3. Nebraska; 4. Kansas (SEC: 5. Arkansas; 6. Vanderbilt)

West: 1. Arizona; 2. Illinois; 3. Gonzaga; 4. Texas Tech (SEC: 8. Georgia; 11. Texas)

SEC in CBS bracketology (as of Friday a.m.)

East: 1. Duke; 2. Illinois; 3. Iowa State; 4. Alabama (SEC: 5. Vanderbilt; 7. Georgia; 11. Texas A&M)

South: 1. UConn; 2. FLORIDA; 3. Purdue; 4. Texas Tech (SEC: 5. Tennessee)

Midwest: 1. Michigan; 2. Houston; 3. Virginia; 4. Nebraska (SEC: 7. Kentucky)

West: 1. Arizona; 2. Michigan State; 3. Gonzaga; 4. Kansas (SEC: 5. Arkansas; 9. Texas; 11. Missouri)