These aren't those same Gators who struggled in non-conference games

Tommy Haugh is the best player in the SEC (Photo by Chris Spears)

When CBS rolled out its latest attempt to nail the brackets for a 2026 NCAA Tournament that is still nearly four weeks from the opening tip, three of the four top seeds were Arizona (West), Duke (East) and UConn (South). Florida has already played those three, Arizona in Las Vegas back in November, Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium back in December and UConn at Madison Square Garden, also in November.

In losing by six to Arizona, the Gators had a chance to tie the game with 43 seconds remaining but Boogie Fland missed a three. With 15 seconds to go, Xaivian Lee missed a three that would have cut the margin to 91-90. Florida lost the game by six (93-87) in a game that was essentially a home game for Arizona, which will probably be ranked second or third when the latest Associated Press poll comes out a little after noon today.

The Gators lost by a single point (67-66) to Duke when Isaiah Evans hit a three with 19.7 seconds remaining. The Gators came from 15 points down to take the lead at 66-64 on a Boogie Fland three with 34.9 seconds to go but Evans retaliated 15 seconds later. The Gators had a chance for a game-winning shot, but Fland turned the ball over with 2.5 seconds left. That is a game the Gators could have and should have won. Duke rarely loses a home game and can anyone remember a game the Blue Devils lost when Roger Ayers was on the whistle. The Blue Devils will probably be No. 1 when the new AP poll comes out today.

At Madison Square Garden, which UConn people call Storrs II, the Gators lost by four (77-73). The Gators had a chance to tie the game after forcing a UConn turnover with 9.4 seconds to go, but Fland was called for a 5-second violation trying to inbounds the ball. UConn was ranked No. 5 at the time and that’s where the Huskies probably will be ranked today.

So, three games played on the road against opponents that were top five then and will be top five today and the difference was 11 points.

Now, Saturday, Duke beat then No.1-ranked Michigan, which CBS has as the other No. 1 seed in its bracketology, and 4^th-ranked Arizona went on the road to beat No. 2 Houston. UConn bounced back from an upset loss to beat Villanova in Philadelphia.

Florida, meanwhile, won its seventh straight game and its sixth straight road game – fourth straight by at least 19 points – to maintain a 2-game lead over a 3-team pack in the Southeastern Conference race. The Gators are 21-6 overall, 12-2 in SEC play. When they lost to UConn, UF was 5-4.

Since No. 1 Michigan, No. 2 Houston, No. 6 Iowa State, No. 8 Kansas and No. 10 Illinois all lost on Saturday and earlier in the week both No. 7 Purdue and No. 9 Nebraska bit the bullet one time, the Gators should move into the top ten for the first time since week four. The Gators are top five in both the kenpom.com and barttorvik.com analytical rankings. They are No. 9 in the NCAA NET Rankings and when the NCAA came out with its Early Bracket Preview on Saturday, the Gators were No. 9, which means the first team on the No. 3 line of the top 16 seeds for the tournament. Since there was so much Saturday turmoil, Florida probably will move up to the No. 2 line next week. There is also a very good chance the Gators jump to a No. 2 when Joe Lunardi (ESPN) comes out with his new brackets on Tuesday.

Florida is a legitimate national championship contender. The Gators are a top four defensive team and they’re the best rebounding team in the nation. Todd Golden has an exceptional 8-man rotation of the best collection of bigs in the country and perhaps the nation’s fastest backcourt when transitioning from defense to offense. The Gators have the best player in the SEC in Tommy Haugh (17.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists per game), the nation's top rebounder in Rueben Chinyelu (11.77 per game) and one of the more versatile bigs in Alex Condon (14 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists).

The missing link has been 3-point shooting but the last four games the Gators seem to have busted out of their season-long slump. Florida is 36-95 from three in the last four games, hitting 10 twice and 11-22 in Saturday’s win at Ole Miss. Haugh has been consistent all season long (33.7 percent, at least one three in 22 straight) and Urban Klavzar (40.1 percent including 19 of his last 37) is one of the best long range shooters in the country. Lee is a career 37 percent 3-point shooter who has hit 9-23 (39.1 percent) in the last four games. Fland shot 34 percent last year at Arkansas so Saturday’s 3-6 effort at Ole Miss is a good sign that he’s ready to have some breakout games.

If you binge-watched basketball all day Saturday starting with the Gators then Michigan, Duke, Houston, Arizona and Iowa State on Saturday, do any of you believe the Gators aren’t as good or better than any of those teams? The Gators can say for sure they’re more than 15 points better than they were earlier in the year when they faced Arizona, Duke and UConn. Can Arizona, Duke and UConn say the same thing, especially if they played the Gators on a true neutral court?

Tuesday’s SEC games

Tennessee (20-7, 10-4 SEC) at Missouri (18-9, 8-6 SEC)

Kentucky (17-10, 8-6 SEC) at South Carolina (12-15, 3-11 SEC)

Auburn (15-12, 6-8 SEC) at Oklahoma (13-14, 3-11 SEC)

Wednesday’s SEC games

No. 12 FLORIDA (21-6, 12-2 SEC) at Texas (17-10, 8-6 SEC)

Georgia (19-8, 7-7 SEC) at No. 19 Vanderbilt (21-6, 8-6 SEC)

Texas A&M (19-8, 9-5 SEC) at No. 20 Arkansas (20-7, 10-4 SEC)

Mississippi State (13-14, 5-9 SEC) at No. 25 Alabama (20-7, 10-4 SEC)

LSU (14-13, 2-12 SEC) at Ole Miss (11-16, 3-11 SEC)

Saturday’s SEC games

No. 20 Arkansas (20-7, 10-4 SEC) at No. 12 FLORIDA (21-6, 12-2 SEC)

No. 19 Vanderbilt (21-6, 8-6 SEC) at Kentucky (17-10, 8-6 SEC)

No. 25 Alabama (20-7, 10-4 SEC) at Tennessee (20-7, 10-4 SEC)

Texas (17-10, 8-6 SEC) at Texas A&M (19-8, 9-5 SEC)

Missouri (18-9, 8-6 SEC) at Mississippi State (13-14, 5-9 SEC)

South Carolina (12-15, 3-11 SEC) at Georgia (19-8, 7-7 SEC)

Ole Miss (11-16, 3-11 SEC) at Auburn (15-12, 6-8 SEC)

Oklahoma (12-14, 3-11 SEC) at LSU (14-13, 2-12 SEC)

NCAA NET Rankings (top 25 plus SEC): 1. Michigan; 2. Duke; 3. Arizona; 4. Illinois; 5. Gonzaga; 6. Purdue; 7. FLORIDA; 8. Houston; 9. Iowa State; 10. UConn; 11. Nebraska; 12. Michigan State; 13. Louisville; 14. Texas Tech; 15. Vanderbilt; 16. Virginia; 17. Tennessee; 18. Kansas; 19. Arkansas; 20. BYU; 21. Alabama; 22. Saint Louis; 23. St. John’s; 24. Utah State; 25. Iowa (SEC: 29. Kentucky; 32. Auburn; 33. Georgia; 39. Texas; 42. Texas A&M; 60. Missouri; 67. LSU; 70. Oklahoma; 91. Ole Miss; 96. Mississippi State; 105. South Carolina)

SEC teams in CBS bracketology

East: 1. Duke; 2. Illinois; 3. Kansas; 4. Alabama (Other SEC: Vanderbilt 5; 11. Missouri)

South: 1. UConn; 2. Iowa State; 3. Nebraska; 4. Texas Tech (SEC: 6. Kentucky; 9. Auburn)

Midwest: 1. Michigan; 2. Houston; 3. FLORIDA; 4. Virginia (Other SEC: 5. Arkansas; 9. Georgia)

West: 1. Arizona; 2. Purdue; 3. Gonzaga; 4. Michigan State (SEC: 5. Tennessee; 9. Texas; 10. Texas A&M)

Top 25 teams plus SEC kenpom.com analytics: 1. Michigan 25-2; 2. Duke 25-2; 3. Arizona 25-2; 4. Illinois 22-6; 5. FLORIDA 21-6; 6. Houston 23-4; 7. Purdue 22-5; 8. Iowa State 23-4; 9. Gonzaga 27-2; 10. Michigan State; 11. UConn 25-3; 12. Nebraska 23-4; 13. Vanderbilt 21-6; 14. Tennessee 20-7; 15. Louisville 20-7; 16. Texas Tech 20-7; 17. Arkansas 20-7; 18. Virginia 24-3; 19. Kansas 20-7; 20. Alabama 20-7; 21. BYU 20-7; 22. St. John’s 22-5; 23. Utah State 23-4; 24. Saint Louis 25-2; 25. North Carolina State 19-8 (SEC: 31. Kentucky 17-10; 32. Texas 17-10; 34. Auburn 15-12; 38. Georgia 19-8; 52. Missouri 18-9; 53. LSU 14-13; 82. Ole Miss 11-16; 90. Mississippi 13-14; 92. South Carolina 12-15

Top 25 teams plus SEC barttorvik.com analytics: 1. Michigan 25-2; 2. Arizona 25-2; 3. Duke 25-2; 4. Houston 23-4; 5. FLORIDA 21-6; 6. Illinois 22-6; 7. Purdue 22-5; 8. Iowa State 23-4; 9. UConn 25-3; 10. Texas Tech 20-7; 11. Nebraska 23-4; 12. Vanderbilt 21-6; 13. Tennessee 20-7; 14. Louisville 20-7; 15. Michigan State 22-5; 16. Kansas 20-7; 17. Gonzaga 27-2; 18. Virginia 24-3; 19. St. John’s 22-5; 20. Alabama 20-7; 21. Arkansas 20-7; 22. Saint Louis 25-2; 23. North Carolina State 19-8; 24. Utah State 23-4; 25. BYU 20-7 (SEC: 34. Texas A&M 19-8; 37. Auburn 15-12; 39. Kentucky 17-10; 41. Georgia 19-8; 42. Texas 17-10; 47. Missouri 18-9; 56. Oklahoma 13-14; 63. LSU 14-13; 81. Mississippi State 13-14; 84. Ole Miss 11-16; 98. South Carolina 12-15

WORST TO FIRST IN THE SEC

16. LSU (14-13, 2-12 SEC): The Tigers can play with nearly every team in the league for 35 minutes. Unfortunately, the games are 40 minutes.

15. South Carolina (12-15, 3-11 SEC): Shock of all shocks. The Gamecocks scored 97 in a game to beat Mississippi State. Three of the next four are very losable. Buzzards are circling the South Carolina basketball complex. Coaching change is in the works.

14. Ole Miss (11-16, 3-11 SEC): The Rebels will have to win their last four games and two in the SEC Tournament to avoid the first losing season in Chris Beard’s career.

13. Oklahoma (13-14, 3-11 SEC): The Lloyd Noble Center will become a thing of the past with the approval of the Rock Creek Entertainment District where a new basketball arena will be built. Will Porter Moser still be the head coach when the new palace opens?

12. Mississippi State (13-14, 5-9 SEC): Mathematically speaking, the Bulldogs could still post a winning record. Given the schedule, it might take a miracle of feeding the 5,000 proportions for that to happen.

11. Auburn (15-12, 6-8 SEC): The next three games are all winnable. If Auburn finishes 9-9 in SEC play there is no doubt the Tigers will be in the NCAA Tournament.

10. Kentucky (17-10, 8-6 SEC): Mark Pope is blaming the zebras for the Wildcats loss to Auburn. He should instead be looking at the blown layup and two missed stickbacks that would have sealed the win. He has a $22 million roster that often plays like a bunch of amateurs.

9. Missouri (18-9, 8-6 SEC): Missouri is on the NCAA bubble. Win two of the last four and the Tigers will be locks for the NCAA.

8. Georgia (19-8, 7-7 SEC): Georgia beat Kentucky in Lexington and Texas at home last week. Can they stay hot the last two weeks of the regular season?

7. Texas (17-10, 8-6 SEC): The loss to Georgia was a serious setback. It will be difficult to regain the momentum with Florida, A&M and Arkansas the next three games.

6. Texas A&M (19-8, 9-5 SEC): Bucky Ball got a huge win Saturday night. One win in the last four games and the Aggies will have a winning record in SEC play. That’s an accomplishment for the shortest and least talented team in the league.  

5. Vanderbilt (21-6, 8-6 SEC): The good news is Duke Miles is back. The bad news is he played like someone who has been away for a month in the loss to Tennessee.

4. Tennessee (20-7, 10-4 SEC): The next two games (at Missouri, home Alabama) will determine if the Vols get the double bye for the SEC Tournament.

3. Alabama (20-7, 10-4 SEC): Circle next Saturday’s roadie to Tennessee. That game will likely determine if the Crimson Tide gets the double bye for the SEC Tournament.

2. Arkansas (20-7, 10-4 SEC): Only the road trip to Florida looks daunting for the Razorbacks, who toughed out a win with Missouri Saturday. If Darius Acuff Jr. heats up, Arkansas can play with anyone.

1. FLORIDA (21-6, 12-2 SEC): Oh my, the Gators are starting to shoot the ball well from the outside. Dangerous doesn’t even begin to describe Florida.