Ruben Chinyelu has turned into a defensive force as well as an offensive force beyond the rim. By Carlton Reese GatorBait Media Gator fans hoping for history to repeat itself should all be paying close attention to the upcoming stretch run which could be a harbinger of Florida’s fate.   During last season’s championship run, Florida faced several critical stretches in which it passed with flying colors, the most notable series of games taking place at about this same time of the year. Following a blowout loss at Tennessee, the Gators returned home to face a mediocre Vanderbilt before road games at No.1 Auburn and No.22 Mississippi State. They had dropped to 5-3 in conference and despite a No.6 ranking there were still lingering doubts if this Florida team was ready for a title run. Failing on the road against two ranked opponents would set Florida up in the middle of the SEC, as a national contender afterthought and, most importantly, with a psychological inferiority complex ill-conducive to long postseason runs.   After handling Vanderbilt in the most modest of ways, Florida rolled the top-ranked Tigers on their own floor then repeated the feat in Starkville. Those three games positioned Florida for a title run not just in the standings or in seed assurances, but also in cementing that psychological edge of confidence where the Gators knew they could take on any team at any place and at any time, and that if they played to expectations no one could beat them.   Before that stretch in Florida’s schedule, the Gators were a great team coming into its own and thrusting itself into the national conversation. After that stretch, the Gators were the favorite to win it all.   Here we are in 2026 and though the record and ranking are not at the same level as a year ago, the feeling of sitting on that cusp of national favorite rings excitingly similar.   Florida’s backcourt is not as good as last season’s and none will ever be, but it is greatly improved to the point where it is more than just a solid unit – it is one that can hold its own defensively and win the turnover wars while occasionally sinking the critical shot. The frontcourt, last season the best in the country, is even better this time around and by a fairly wide margin.   The exploits of Thomas Haugh have been well-documented as he is poised for the SEC Player of the Year crown. Alex Condon, at one point in his career the bulwark of the unit, has shown recently that he can still dominate teams at both ends of the court. Then there’s Rueben Chinyelu, who may be the most all-around improved player on the team, if not the conference. His defensive exhibition against Alabama was a clinic that should be a must-study for any future big man, and his shooting from mid-range and the foul line are actually reliable, making him a threat beyond close range.   This is what the Gators take to College Station Saturday: a team that is scaring the hell out of everybody in the conference. Successful navigation at Texas A&M, at Georgia, then at home against Kentucky will get those national pundits noting Florida again as a real possibility to repeat as national champion. This only if the Gators make it through this current stretch unscathed.   The Aggies present the biggest hurdle despite their loss in Tuscaloosa Wednesday night, and after what happened last year in Athens, the Gators have no excuse for not being focused against the Bulldogs this time around. As for Kentucky, no one knows more than coach Golden that if you’re not properly prepared for Big Blue when it comes rolling into town, you’re going down.   Texas A&M brings a style of play few have been able to master this season: smothering defense baseline to baseline, high speed transition offense, and loads of three-point gunning. It’s the closest thing these days to Nolan Richardson’s “40 Minutes of Hell.” Thankfully, the Gators have been able to adapt to just about any style of play and either match it or squelch it. Six weeks ago, when Florida was allowing open three-point shots with genteel civility, the Gators would have had no answers for the Aggies. Recently, though, Florida looks quite adept at challenging those long jumpers and forcing errant attempts which should work in the Gators’ favor Saturday. If they go to sleep on the perimeter, it could be a long night where Florida will need to match that perimeter shooting, which it can’t.   If this game becomes a track meet the way A&M would like, Florida can play that style and win – just not easily. If Florida defends the perimeter and makes this a half-court game, the Gators will rout the Aggies. In such a case, Florida is set up to make that run through a critical stretch where no one is left wondering anymore the ceiling of this team. Though A&M is not ranked No.1 the way Auburn was last year, the stakes are still the same. The Aggies have been riding atop the SEC all year and the winner can legitimately lay claim to the best in conference no matter what the standings say.   The Gators have played this entire season with the target on their back, just as every defending national champion must – they receive their opponent’s best shot every time they take the court and the next three games will be testimony. Get through them and just like last year, you will start to hear Jay Bilas and all the other national pundits giving in to the notion that once again Florida is the team to beat. Falter and Golden will get the opportunity to once again break out that disrespect card that has served him so well in the past.

By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com , Host of The Lowdown with Loren Meadows Laila Reynolds (UAA photo) The Gator Women’s Basketball team has been grinding towards success the entire season. Despite one of the youngest rosters in the SEC the Gators have given some of the top teams in the country everything they wanted. Never deterred the Gators have picked themselves up off the mat in tough losses and conducted themselves with class and humility after wins. Despite some setbacks there have been successes. Point guard Liv McGill became just the second sophomore in school history to reach 1,000 points and the third fastest to reach the milestone. In addition, McGill was also named one of the ten candidates for the Nacy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award and award previously won by Caitlin Clark, Skyler Diggins, and Hall of Famer Sue Bird. While the attention on McGill has been well deserved the team has been led by the quiet presence of its most experienced and steady veteran wing player Laila Reynolds. The junior from Prince Georges County, Maryland was thrown into the fire early as a freshman and has continued to be the glue for Coach Finley and this Gators squad. A presence on both ends of the floor, Reynolds is third on the team in scoring, and second in both assists and blocks while defending at a high level with close to two steals per game. What doesn’t show up in the box score is Reynolds lead by example attitude that is rare in today’s “I gotta get mine” landscape of college athletics. A quiet presence, Reynolds work ethic and commitment to her teammates is ever present in their respect for a teammate who has seen the ups and downs of the rugged SEC. Thursday night in a rematch against the Auburn Tigers, Reynolds was the catalyst for a hard fought 61-53 win that put the Gators back in the win column after a stretch of games against some of the nation’s best programs. Reynolds led the Gators with 17 points, five rebounds, and three steals, while doing all the little things that don’t show up in the stat sheet but definitely effect winning. Her play motivated teammate Me’Arah O’Neal to contribute her 7th double-double and admiration for her vet. “Laila’s a dog, I love playing with her”. “I’m constantly learning stuff from LaiRae (Laila), how she plays and how disciplined she is.” In talking about Reynolds, Coach Finley simply stated, “It’s a testament to her work ethic.” “Laila was tired of losing.” The ability to continue to work, and motivate by doing is the calling card of the Gators most versatile player who’s aspires to hear her name called in the 2027 WNBA draft. Reynolds exhibits all the traits of a professional and if her play is any indication that goal is well within reach. The Gators will return to the O-Dome Sunday afternoon to welcome the Arkansa Razorbacks at 12:00pm.

University of Florida football coach Jon Sumrall (Photo by Chris Spears) It all seemed so manageable back when Jon Sumrall was starting out, the freshly appointed head coach at Troy. Two years and two championships later, he whisked off to Tulane. Bigger job, bigger conference, more people to manage.   Two years and two appearances in the American Conference championship game at Tulane, one of which resulted in a championship and playing Ole Miss in the first round of the College Football Playoff, and Jon Sumrall finds himself in a constant state of adjustment at the University of Florida.   At Troy he had 18 coaches and staff at his disposal when he held his first serious meeting in which roles and responsibilities were defined. Double that when he went to Tulane. Obviously, four championship games, three conference championships and an American Conference first slot in the playoff more than adequately tell the story of a coach who adapts well to his surroundings, knows how to assemble a coaching and support staff, and assign responsibilities to everyone under his command. It was pretty easy to do at Troy, a little more difficult but quite manageable at Tulane. And then along came Florida where it seems few expenses have been spared, whether it’s the $85 million Heavener Center that comes complete with its own football-only weight room, a stadium that would require another 30,000 fans to fill it up if sellout crowds from Troy and Tulane were ticketed, or private jets that whisk him all over Florida to recruit. In a sense, it’s been a bit overwhelming. “Then I walked in here and I'm like, there are a million people,” Sumrall said at a Wednesday press conference. “That doesn't really work with me. I don't need it to be small, but it was a little bit maybe too robust for my liking because I think when you get too big, are you doing enough work? Are you bored? I want to stay busy. “I don't want people around the building twiddling their thumbs trying to figure out, what do I do now. Well, if you have to think about what to do now, you probably don't have enough on your plate because I don't have any time to go, what should I do right now. I want our guys to – everyone in the building to be busy and occupied and working.” Now, fortunately, all those people – many of them remnants from the “army” that Billy Napier assembled – were around to navigate Sumrall and what was then a skeleton of a staff through the December signing day. At the time, Sumrall was wearing two hats – Tulane to get the Green Wave through their conference championship game and preparation for the playoff, and the head coach of the University of Florida.   When the early signing period kicked off, Florida had more than 20 high school commitments. There were only two defections. “I oversaw a signing class at Tulane and simultaneously tried to help be involved with overseeing a signing class at Florida at the same time,” Sumrall said. “Now, if it wasn't for Katie Doeker, previously Katie Turner around here, we would not have signed anybody. If it wasn't for Savannah Bailey and our GatorMade program because I asked all the parents and recruits, what made you choose Florida – that’s probably the coolest thing about this signing day press conference, if you will, is we lost two commitments, okay, two, with the coaching change. That has nothing to do with me. That has everything to do with Florida and the other people that were involved in those young men choosing Florida.  “The University of Florida is a special place in every way possible. I think you compound that with the Katies and the Savannahs and the people that were a part of the recruiting process. When I Zoomed and talked on the phone with all the committed families and prospects, they all were like, ‘man, GatorMade is awesome. Katie has been awesome. Academic support here in our Hawkins Center, like, big time.’ They all voiced why did you choose Florida, then their last question was, ‘Hey, what's football going to look like? I'm like, we're going to win.” National signing day to the transfer portal was like a whirlwind of activity with hardly time to soak in and assess who decided to stick it out with the new coach or decide the time is now to find a greener pasture. There were the highly publicized retentions of running back Jadan Baugh and EDGE rusher Jayden Woods. There was also the decision of last year’s starting quarterback DJ Lagway gto leave for Baylor. That was just the starting point. By the time the transfer window was shut, Florida had a completely revamped roster that included 50 newbies counting the 20 high school kids signed earlier. And so Sumrall is just now starting to figure out who’s who while establishing a firm chain of command among his newly formed coaching staff. In recent days, much emphasis has been placed on establishing a chain of command among assistants, analysts and staffers. He wants busy people, each of them with a defined role, each one working toward the common goal of producing a winning football team. No stepping on each other’s toes or trying to carve out space. “We spent the last couple of days really being detailed and strategic about making sure there's alignment, an understanding of the standards,” Sumrall said. “I'm huge on your role and your job description and responsibility being very clear. I hate ambiguity. So each person has things they're responsible for, but we're all responsible for being great teammates first, so we all have to be bought in. “Now, that doesn't mean just blindly trust whatever I say. I ask them all the time, like, challenge me. If you've got great ideas or feedback, bring it up. I haven't arrived. Nobody has.” In short order, Sumrall wants an organization that has all the bases covered. He wants busy people who work together. “I think cohesion is so important,” Sumrall said. “There’s a quote by GK Chesterton, "A true soldier doesn't fight for what's across from him but he fights for what's behind him." I want us to be connected and care about each other and fight for each other and bring it every day and have each other's back. We're going to be in the foxhole at times. It ain't always going to be good. “I hate to break it to you, I'm undefeated right now, we might lose a game here. But when it goes sideways, do you flinch? Are you so outcome driven that you don't weather that storm? We're going to weather storms here, and we're going to do it because we're aligned and we've got each other's back.”

TIM WALTON Back for 20th (UAA)

Charles Bediako (14) can only watch as Alex Condon dunks (Photo courtesy of UAA Communications) “G-League dropout! G-League dropout!”   The Rowdy Reptiles chanted that every time Charles Bediako touched the basketball Sunday at the O-Dome. The 7-footer, who spent the previous two years toiling in the G-League on an NBA 2-way contract, is going to hear something similar every time he steps on the court until some judge rules he has no eligibility. Fat chance that will happen any time soon. Even with the judge who issued the temporary restraining order (TRO) that has allowed Bediako to play being replaced, this is still going to court in Tuscaloosa. At the very least, expect the new judge to extend the TRO for a full 60 days, which would conveniently expire AFTER “One Shining Moment” is played in Indianapolis on April 6.   We really shouldn’t blame Bediako for this. He has merely seized an opportunity that shouldn’t even exist because the NCAA, in its infinite wisdom, has figured out a way to screw things up. Again.   And, since Bediako has found a friendly judge all too willing to exploit loopholes that are of the NCAA’s own doing, former NBA player Amari Bailey is seeking to have his eligibility reinstated. Bailey played his freshman year at UCLA in the 2022-23 season, was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets and then traded to the Brooklyn Nets after his rookie year. On a 2-way contract with the G-League, Bailey was called up for 10 days with the Hornets.   Like Bediako, he’s been a bust at the G-League level so now he’s petitioning to play another year of college basketball. It shouldn’t be this way, but it’s what we expect from the NCAA, whose solution is to run to the United States Congress for answers. If there is one organization in America more inept than the NCAA it is our congress, which can’t agree on something simple, like spending less money than the country takes in.   It’s not just basketball that will be affected by the Bediako and Bailey rulings. It will be every sport under NCAA jurisdiction. For that we can thank the NCAA which lacks the guts to enforce its own rules and NIL, which is way out of control. Just wait until some practice squad QB in the NFL realizes he can make more money playing college football. For example, Miami paid Carson Beck $4 million last year, which is quite a bit more than the average practice squad QB makes. And what about that pitcher who can dominate AAA but can’t crack the Major League roster? The average salary in AAA is $57,500. A nice NIL deal, college baseball, one start a week … you don’t think this won’t happen?   Now there are solutions, but solutions require common sense. When it comes to common sense, the NCAA looks like one of those horrific photos out of a refugee camp that shows some kid with scurvy holding an empty bowl. But, here are common sense ideas.   1. John Calipari’s idea is you get five years to play four in your sport from the day you graduate high school. You get one free transfer during that time. If you wish to transfer a second time you sit a year. If you are injured three years of the five, doesn’t matter. If you stay in school four years and graduate, you get a fifth year of eligibility.   2. To add some teeth to Cal’s idea: If you don’t have a 2.5 GPA when you transfer, you sit a year. If you are taking remedial courses, you sit a year.   Those two suggestions alone would clear up about 70-75 percent of today’s problems, but here are a couple other solutions.   1. Abolish the NCAA completely and start a brand new organizations with its own set of rules and a commissioner who enforces the rules with an iron fist.   2. Membership is VOLUNTARY and each member who joins agrees to play by the rules or else the death penalty comes into play.   3. A salary cap for each sport with the money paid by the athletic department. Eliminate outside money except to donate to the athletic department salary fund. Try to cheat or circumvent the rules, and your program is subject to the death penalty.   4. All athletes are under contract.   5. No appeals to the commissioner’s rulings.   Take a moment and consider the NFL or Major League Baseball. When the commissioner suspends a player without pay for 60 days, 90 days or maybe a year, the players don’t take it to court. Why? Because what they can and can’t do is written in the contract.   I’m not a big fan of the NFL. I much prefer college football, but I credit the NFL with being the ideal model for how a sports organization has to be run. The late, great Pete Rozelle set the standard and the NFL has been run that way ever since.   So, why isn’t the NCAA abolished? For one thing the NCAA Basketball Tournament, which rakes in $2 billion a year and is under contract with CBS and Turner until 2032. The tournament doles out lots of cash to member schools and it has plenty enough left over to fund all the other championships it sponsors as well as its bloated bureaucracy. Brace yourself for this one: The NCAA paid Mark Emmert $4.3 million his final year on the throne.   The time has come to do something radical, which should include seceding from the NCAA. If we intend for college sports to be recognizable in the near future, something has to be done soon or else the games we love will be gone forever, replaced by something they were never intended to be.   GRIZZLIES TRADE FOR WALTER CLAYTON JR. Gator All-American Walter Clayton Jr. was one of the key pieces in a multi-player trade between the Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday. In a deal that involved four players from each team and future draft picks, Clayton, Taylor Hendricks, Kyle Anderson and Georges Niang and three future No. 1 draft picks were traded by Utah in exchange for Jaren Jackson Jr., Jon Konchar, Vince Williams and Jock Landale.   Jackson (19.2 points, 5.8 rebounds) is one of the best defenders in the NBA, and Landale will provide instant depth at center for the Jazz. The Grizzlies get a young power forward in Hendricks, who, when healthy, is better than GG Jackson, and Clayton (6.8 points, 3.6 assists in 18 minutes per game) is comfortable at both the point and the wing. Anderson can play three positions. Niang is somewhat of a wildcard since he hasn’t played this year, but when he’s healthy he is a very productive backup. Then you throw in three future No. 1s and the Grizzlies, one of the worst teams in the NBA currently, have a foundation for a much stronger team in the future.   SEC BASKETBALL SEC in Joe Lunardi (ESPN) bracketology WEST: 1. Arizona; 2. Gonzaga; 3. Michigan State; 4. Vanderbilt (Other SEC: 7. Auburn; 11. Texas) SOUTH: 1. UConn; 2. Houston; 3. Nebraska; 4. BYU (SEC: 5. Alabama; 6. Arkansas) EAST: 1. Duke; 2. Illinois; 3. FLORIDA; 4. Texas Tech (Other SEC: 5. Tennessee) MIDWEST: 1. Michigan; 2. Iowa State; 3. Purdue; 4. Kansas (SEC: 7. Kentucky; 9. Georgia)   SEC teams in Bart Torvik analytics: 6. FLORIDA 16-6; 10. Vanderbilt 19-3; 15. Tennessee 16-6; 18. Alabama 14-7; 26. Texas A&M 17-4; 28. Arkansas 16-6; 38. Texas 14-9; 42. Georgia 16-6; 43. Kentucky 15-7; 55. LSU 14-8; 61. Missouri 15-7; 71. Oklahoma 11-11; 81. Ole Miss 11-11; 82. Mississippi State 11-11; 98. South Carolina 11-12   Tuesday’s scores No. 25 Tennessee (16-6, 6-3 SEC) 84, Ole Miss (11-11, 3-6 SEC) 66: Freshman Nate Ament scored 28 points and Ja’Kobi Gillespie poured in 20 as Tennessee won its fourth straight game. It was the fourth consecutive loss for Ole Miss, which was led by AJ Storr and Patton Pinkins, who each scored 15. Ole Miss coach Chris Beard was ejected with 6:15 left in the game.   Texas (14-9, 5-5 SEC) 84, South Carolina (11-12, 2-8 SEC) 75: Dailyn Swain had 22 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals as Texas improved to .500 in SEC play. Meechie Johnson scored 35 points and had six assists for the Gamecocks, who lost their fourth straight game.   Wednesday’s games Texas A&M (17-4, 7-1 SEC) at Alabama (14-7, 4-4 SEC) Oklahoma (11-11, 1-8 SEC) at Kentucky (15-7, 6-3 SEC)

Rueben Chinyelu was Naismith National Player of the Week The rest of the SEC may rue the day Auburn came to Gainesville to knock off the Florida Gators. In that 76-67 loss, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu combined for 11 points, 16 rebounds, one assist and five blocked shots, hardly what was needed or expected.   In the two games since – a 95-48 destruction of South Carolina in Columbia and a 100-77 humiliation of Alabama in Gainesville – Condon and Chinyelu have been on a search and destroy mission. Against South Carolina, Condon had 10 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and two blocked shots. Chinyelu had 14 points, 11 rebounds, one assist and two blocked shots.   Then came Alabama. Condon went off for 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists, two blocked shots and two steals while Chinyelu was good for 14 points, 17 rebounds, three assists, two blocked shots and a steal.   The college basketball world took notice.   Monday, Condon was named the SEC Co-Player of the Week while Chinyelu was named Naismith National Player of the Week.   Here are the up to date season stats for Condon and Chinyelu: Condon: 13.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.5 blocks and 0.8 steals per game. Condon is third in the SEC in rebounding, 13 th in assists and sixth in blocked shots. Chinyelu: 12.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 1.1 blocks and 0.7 steals per game. Chinyelu leads the SEC in rebounding and ranks fourth nationally.   GATORS MOVE UP IN BOTH POLLS The Gators moved up two spots to No. 17 in the latest Associated Press top 25 poll. In the Coaches poll, the Gators moved up five spots to No. 16.   Associated Press top 25: 1. Arizona 22-0; 2. Michigan 20-1; 3. UConn 21-1; 4. Duke 20-1; 5. Illinois 19-3; 6. Gonzaga 22-1; 7. Iowa State 20-2; 8. Houston 19-2; 9. Nebraska 20-2; 10. Michigan State 19-3; 11. Kansas 16-5; 12. Purdue 18-4; 13. Texas Tech 16-5; 14. North Carolina 17-4; 15. Vanderbilt 19-3; 16. BYU 17-4; 17. FLORIDA 16-6; 18. Virginia 18-3; 19. Saint Louis 21-1; 20. Clemson 18-4; 21. Arkansas 16-6; 22. St. John’s 16-5; 23. Miami (OH) 22-0; 24. Louisville 17-4; 25. Tennessee 15-6   Coaches top 25: 1. Arizona 22-0; 2. Michigan 20-1; 3. UConn 21-1; 4. Duke 20-1; 5. Gonzaga; 22-1; 6. Illinois 19-3; 7. Iowa State 20-2; 8. Houston 19-2; 9. Nebraska 20-2; 10. Michigan State 19-3; 11. Kansas 16-5; 12. Purdue 18-4; 13. Texas Tech 16-5; 14. BYU 17-4; 15. Vanderbilt 19-3; 16. FLORIDA 16-6; 17. Virginia 18-3; 18. North Carolina 17-4; 19. Clemson 18-4; 20. Saint Louis 21-1; 21. Arkansas 16-6; 22. St. John’s 16-5; 23. Louisville 15-6; 24. Miami (OH) 22-0; 25. Texas A&M 17-4   THE REMAINDER OF FLORIDA’S REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE Feb. 7: at Texas A&M Feb. 11: at Georgia Feb. 14: Kentucky Feb. 17: South Carolina Feb. 21: at Ole Miss Feb. 25: at Texas Feb. 28: No. 21 Arkansas Mar. 3: Mississippi State Mar. 7: at Kentucky   SEC This Week Tuesday Ole Miss (11-10, 3-5 SEC) at Tennessee (15-6, 5-3 SEC) South Carolina (11-11, 3-6 SEC) at Texas (13-9, 4-5 SEC)   Wednesday Texas A&M (17-4, 7-1 SEC) at No. 23 Alabama (14-7, 4-4 SEC) Oklahoma (11-11, 1-8 SEC) at Kentucky (15-7, 6-3 SEC)   Saturday No. 19 FLORIDA (16-6, 7-2 SEC) at Texas A&M (17-4, 7-1 SEC) No. 15 Arkansas (16-6, 6-3 SEC) at Mississippi State (11-11, 3-6 SEC) Oklahoma (11-11, 1-8 SEC) at No. 18 Vanderbilt (19-3, 6-3 SEC) No. 23 Alabama (14-7, 4-4 SEC) at Auburn (14-8, 5-4 SEC) Tennessee (15-6, 5-3 SEC) at Kentucky (15-7, 6-3 SEC) Georgia (16-6, 4-5 SEC) at LSU (14-8, 2-7 SEC) Missouri (15-7, 5-4 SEC) at South Carolina (11-11, 2-7 SEC) Ole Miss (11-10, 2-7 SEC) at Texas (13-9, ,4-5 SEC)   SEC schools in kenpom.com national rankings: 7. FLORIDA 16-6; 13. Vanderbilt 19-3; 18. Tennessee 15-6; 21. Alabama 14-7; 24. Arkansas 16-6; 26. Auburn 14-8; 27. Texas A&M 17-4; 30. Kentucky 15-7; 34. Texas 13-9; 40. Georgia 16-6; 47. LSU 14-8; 60. Missouri 15-7; 64. Ole Miss 11-10; 66. Oklahoma 11-11; 81. Mississippi State 11-11; 87. South Carolina 11-11   SEC schools in NCAA NET rankings: 12. FLORIDA; 13. Vanderbilt; 21. Tennessee; 22. Alabama; 23. Arkansas; 28. Kentucky; 29. Auburn; 35. Texas A&M; 36. Georgia; 39. Texas; 57. LSU; 70. Missouri 15-779. Ole Miss; 80. Oklahoma; 94. Mississippi State; 105. South Carolina     SEC schools in latest CBS Sports bracketology East: 1. Duke; 2. Nebraska; 3. Kansas; 4. FLORIDA (Other SEC teams: 5. Tennessee; 6. Arkansas) South: 1. Iowa State; 2. Illinois; 3. Michigan State; 4. Louisville (SEC teams: 6. Kentucky; 7. Auburn) West: 1. Arizona; 2. UConn; 3. Purdue; 4. Virginia (SEC teams: 6. Alabama) Midwest: 1. Michigan; 2. Houston; 3. Vanderbilt; 4. Gonzaga (Other SEC teams: 7. Texas A&M).   SEC This Week Tuesday Ole Miss (11-10, 3-6 SEC) at Tennessee (15-6, 6-3 SEC) South Carolina (11-11, 3-6 SEC) at Texas (13-9, 4-5 SEC)   Wednesday Texas A&M (17-4, 7-1 SEC) at No. 23 Alabama (14-7, 4-4 SEC) Oklahoma (11-11, 1-8 SEC) at Kentucky (15-7, 6-3 SEC)   Saturday No. 19 FLORIDA (16-6, 7-2 SEC) at Texas A&M (17-4, 7-1 SEC) No. 15 Arkansas (16-6, 6-3 SEC) at Mississippi State (11-11, 3-6 SEC) Oklahoma (11-11, 1-8 SEC) at No. 18 Vanderbilt (19-3, 6-3 SEC) No. 23 Alabama (14-7, 4-4 SEC) at Auburn (14-8, 5-4 SEC) Tennessee (15-6, 5-3 SEC) at Kentucky (15-7, 6-3 SEC) Georgia (16-6, 4-5 SEC) at LSU (14-8, 2-7 SEC) Missouri (15-7, 5-4 SEC) at South Carolina (11-11, 2-7 SEC) Ole Miss (11-10, 2-7 SEC) at Texas (13-9, ,4-5 SEC)

Alex Condon dunks in two of his 25 points against Bama (Photo courtesy of UAA Communications) The play that defined Florida’s 100-77 blowout win over 23 rd -ranked Alabama (14-7, 4-4 SEC) came in the final 23 seconds of the first half. It was still a competitive game at the time – 19 th -ranked Florida (16-6, 7-2 SEC) held a 44-36 lead – when Labaron Philon Jr., the SEC’s leading scorer, got the ball on the left wing beyond the 3-point line. Due to a defensive switch, Philon sized up Rueben Chinyelu, figuring either to blow by on the dribble or a stepback three.   What Philon didn’t count on was Chinyelu was every bit as quick. When he tried to drive, Chinyelu cut him off and played him so tightly that he couldn’t launch a shot. Frustrated, he passed off to Latrell Wrightsell, another lithe, very quick guard. Chinyelu switched to Wrightsell, guarding him tightly as he dribbled across the paint. Sensing the shot clock about to expire, Wrightsell tried to cross over and draw a foul. He rolled snake eyes.   First off, Chinyelu went straight up, no contact. Second, Wrightsell shuffled his feet. Traveling violation with 6.9 seconds remaining in the half. The O-Dome crowd of 10,627 nearly blew the roof off the building.   “That was crazy,” Tommy Haugh said. “ That was the best play of the game in my opinion. He was out there locking him up."   Perhaps it was the adrenaline rush of Chinyelu’s stop that turned this game into a feeding frenzy. The Gators went into the halftime locker ahead 46-36. Four-and-a-half minutes into the second half, it was 58-36.   During that stretch, all 12 of the Gators points came on free throws, dunks or layups. Defensively, the Gators blocked three of the four shots Alabama managed to squeeze off. The Gators forced four turnovers that were converted into six points. There was still 15:30 left to play, yet this game was all but over. The closest Alabama could get to the Gators was 16 with 3:24 to go when the score was 87-71.   This is the BDA (battle damage assessment) for the game:   Alabama was helpless against Florida’s starting front line of Alex Condon, Haugh and Chinyelu, who combined for 61 points, 29 rebounds, 10 assists, five blocked shots and four steals. Condon had 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists, two blocked shots and two steals. Haugh had 21 points, five rebounds, one assist, one blocked shot and a steal. Chinyelu had 14 points, 17 rebounds, three assists, two blocked shots and a steal.   The bigs weren’t the only ones who imposed their will on Alabama. Boogie Fland scored 15 points with eight assists and eight steals. He turned the ball over only once. Xaivian Lee played without turning the ball over, scored six to go with three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Coming off the bench Urban Klavzar scored 11 to go with four rebounds and four assists.   This was complete domination against a quality team, yet Fland insists the Gators still have more in the tank.   “We still haven't played our best basketball,” Fland said. “That is the crazy part. We're scoring 100 and not playing our best basketball yet. So that is crazy. We still have more to grow, more room for improvement."   As pleased as he was with Florida’s effort, particularly on the defensive end and taking care of the basketball, Todd Golden agreed the Gators haven’t hit their peak yet.   “Until we start shooting the ball better in a game like this, I think that's accurate because I think we got some good looks and we shot 23 percent from the three,” Golden said. “Like, if we would have gone, 6-for-13 in this game, yeah, maybe that's probably what we got. But I think we're going to look back on this tape and feel like we missed some opportunities to score in transition and we didn't make some open threes. So I agree with that statement.”   This was the second straight game in which the Gators have not only ratcheted up the defensive intensity, but made themselves so difficult to defend by sharing the basketball. Against South Carolina, the Gators held the Gamecocks to 48 points on the defensive end while racking up 28 assists. Against Alabama, the Gators held Alabama to 15 points below their season average and they had an assist on 24 of 40 made shots. Among Florida’s 24 made shots were 11 dunks.   Oats sounded like a shell-shocked coach in his post game remarks.   “ We had a lot of turnovers in our backcourt,” Oats said. “So, it’s hard to win a game when you’re -16 in the turnovers, -6 on the O-boards. Talk about trying to win a possession game; they destroyed us in a possession game. I mean, they scored 100 points and only made three threes. You don’t take many threes when you’re getting dunks and layups off turnovers. So, 25-0 on points off turnovers; not sure I’ve ever been associated with a game like that.”   The strength of Alabama is the backcourt. Oats’ philosophy is 3-pointers and layups. When Philon, Aden Holloway and Wrightsell are neutralized the Bama offense slows way down. Up front, the Crimson Tide has no counter for Florida’s size and versatility on the inside.   Philon, Aden Holloway and Wrightsell combined to score 44 points, but they also turned the ball over 10 times. Up front Aden Sherrell and Charles Bediako were embarrassingly ineffective. Before fouling out, Bediako had six points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots. Sherrell scored 13 but he only had five rebounds.   “ Everybody’s afraid of Florida’s frontcourt, and rightfully so,” Oats said. “I mean, they’re tough, they’re good, they’re skilled. Chinyelu is one of my favorite players in the league, and he ends up with 14 and 17, which is a ridiculous number, 17 rebounds. But the guards really kind of controlled this game here. ”   The Gators have reached the midway point of the Southeastern Conference schedule. A week ago after the disappointing loss to Auburn, fans and pundits alike were questioning if the Gators had it in them to play up to their potential. The way they have ratcheted up the intensity on both ends of the court in the last two games, certainly has turned heads.   Although he doesn’t think the Gators have hit their ceiling yet, Golden thinks the Alabama game was the closest the Gators have come to a truly complete game all season.   “ I think we played really well against Tennessee here also, but today was more of what it looks like for us,” Golden said. “We shot the ball well, if I remember correctly, in that game. Today, we only made three threes. Only took 13 of them. It was an Arizona-like box score. When I say that, Arizona doesn't shoot a lot of threes, but they score a lot of points. Again, focusing on taking care of the basketball, winning the rebounding battle and defending. We had eight kills in this game, which is three stops in a row against Alabama. That's really, really hard to do. That was huge accomplishment for us. And 13 for 28 from two, held them under 50 percent from the two-point range, which, again, is fantastic.”   Game notes: On his final day as the world’s tallest teenager, Olivier Rioux scored points 99 and 100 for the Gators when he rebounded his own miss and stuck it back in. As of today, Rioux is a 20-year-old … Fland’s eight steals tied the program record held by Clifford Lett … Golden has won 22 games against top 25 opponents, second only to Billy Donovan (64). Of course, Donovan was Florida’s coach for 19 years and Golden is in year four.   SEC This Week Tuesday Ole Miss (11-10, 3-6 SEC) at Tennessee (15-6, 6-3 SEC) South Carolina (11-11, 3-6 SEC) at Texas (13-9, 4-5 SEC)   Wednesday Texas A&M (17-4, 7-1 SEC) at No. 23 Alabama (14-7, 4-4 SEC) Oklahoma (11-11, 1-8 SEC) at Kentucky (15-7, 6-3 SEC)   Saturday No. 19 FLORIDA (16-6, 7-2 SEC) at Texas A&M (17-4, 7-1 SEC) No. 15 Arkansas (16-6, 6-3 SEC) at Mississippi State (11-11, 3-6 SEC) Oklahoma (11-11, 1-8 SEC) at No. 18 Vanderbilt (19-3, 6-3 SEC) No. 23 Alabama (14-7, 4-4 SEC) at Auburn (14-8, 5-4 SEC) Tennessee (15-6, 5-3 SEC) at Kentucky (15-7, 6-3 SEC) Georgia (16-6, 4-5 SEC) at LSU (14-8, 2-7 SEC) Missouri (15-7, 5-4 SEC) at South Carolina (11-11, 2-7 SEC) Ole Miss (11-10, 2-7 SEC) at Texas (13-9, ,4-5 SEC)   WORST TO FIRST IN THE SEC 16. Oklahoma (11-11, 1-8 SEC): The natives are restless. The buyout for Porter Moser is only $5.1 million. 15. South Carolina (11-11, 2-7 SEC): Lamont Paris is headed for a third losing season in four years. He’s on the hot seat. 14. LSU (14-8, 2-7 SEC): Can the Tigers break even the rest of the way? That might get them to the NIT. 13. Mississippi State (11-11, 3-6 SEC): The Bulldogs don’t play again until Saturday against Arkansas. 12. Ole Miss (11-10, 3-6 SEC): The NIT would be an accomplishment for Chris Beard. 11. Missouri (15-7, 5-4 SEC): The Tigers don’t play until Saturday against South Carolina. They need to start stringing some wins together. 10. Texas (13-9, 4-5 SEC): The next four games are very winnable and will go a long way toward determining if Texas makes the NCAA tournament. 9. Georgia (16-6, 4-5 SEC): The Bulldogs have lost three in a row and are starting to look like an NIT team. 8. Auburn (14-8, 5-4 SEC): Tennessee broke Auburn’s 5-game winning streak. The Tigers have all week to get ready for Alabama on Saturday. 7. Alabama (14-7, 4-4 SEC): Bama needs a bounce back win over the Aggies this week. They go to Auburn Saturday. 6. Tennessee (15-6, 6-3 SEC): The Vols have won three in a row and are starting to look like a legitimate contender. 5. Kentucky (15-7, 6-3 SEC): The Wildcats had an interesting week, getting their doors blown off by Vandy then winning on the road at Arkansas. It’s going to be that kind of a season for UK. 4. Arkansas (16-6, 6-3 SEC): The Razorbacks look unbeatable one night and then they lay an egg like they did against Kentucky. 3. Vanderbilt (19-3, 6-3 SEC): The Commodores don’t have a weekday game and don’t have a game until Saturday at home against Oklahoma. They need Duke Miles to get healthy in a hurry. 2. Texas A&M (17-4, 7-1 SEC): The Aggies won at Georgia. Can they win in Tuscaloosa? 1. FLORIDA (16-6, 7-2 SEC): The Gators are the best team in the SEC. Any questions?

Golden/Sumrall: It was hard to keep your eyes off the sideshow of this dynamic young coaching duo. (UAA Photo)

With apologies to Roberta Flack and her 1973 mega hit "KILLING ME SOFTLY"

Todd Golden talks it over with referee Olandis Poole (Photo by Chris Spears) Although there is no such thing as a perfectly played game, Florida’s effort against South Carolina was so good at both ends of the court that even Todd Golden was surprised.   “Yeah, it was pretty close,” Golden said on Gator Talk with Sean Kelly. “I think we did a really good job from start to finish, you know, defending, rebounding, taking the ball, making shots. And, you know, I thought the first half was reminiscent to our effort on the road at Oklahoma, where we got off to a great start and got up by as many as 24 in the first half, up by 22 at halftime, I believe. But in that game, we did not play with the same mentality in the second half. We allowed them to make threes. They scored over 50 points in the second half, still a very comfortable victory. But we weren't satisfied with the complete picture of that game. Whereas, you know, when we played South Carolina, I thought that was a great 40-minute effort.”   In beating South Carolina, the Gators shot 62.3 percent overall from the field and 42.9 percent (9-21) from the 3-point line. The Gators held South Carolina to 25.9 percent from the field overall and just 15 percent from the 3-point line. The Gators outrebounded South Carolina 45-24. Florida leads the nation in rebounding (46.1 per game), offensive rebounds (16.71) and rebounding margin (+15 per game).   Sunday opponent Alabama (14-6, 4-3 SEC) is certainly a step up in competition compared to South Carolina, but Golden wants the same kind of intensity out of the Gators (15-6, 6-2 SEC) for this 1 p.m. Sunday showdown at the O-Dome. This will be a contrast in styles as Alabama wants to turn the game into a 3-point shooting contest while the Gators prefer to pound away in the paint.   Alabama takes more threes per game (35.6) than anyone in the country and the Tide is second in makes (12.4). Guards Labaron Philo (22 points per game, 37 percent on 3-pointers) and Aden Holloway (16.9 points, 45.4 percent on threes) are extremely difficult to defend but now Nate Oats has added 7-footer Charles Bediako to the mix. Bediako has played two games for Alabama since getting a court order that allows him to go straight from the G-League where he was on a 2-way NBA contract to college basketball. He makes Alabama bigger and tougher to handle.   When Bediako first made the move, Golden told Gator Talk, “The reality is, I don’t agree with it and I don’t think he should be playing. I also don’t fault Nate Oats because this is a very competitive space, and it’s our job to win games and do everything we can to be the best program in our specific league … We are going to beat them anyway. If he plays we’ll beat them anyways.”   Golden didn’t spend much time talking about Bediako with Kelly Thursday night.   “Honestly, we won't talk about it a whole lot,” Golden said. “We won't change a whole lot. We'll include him on personnel. We've got to make sure we do a good job preventing his rim rolls and do a good job keeping him off the glass and then making sure we take care of him when we're on offense, not allowing him to just sit there in the paint and clean up uh the rim so as you said it makes them a better team we're mindful of that and we're going to go compete.”   SEC teams in Joe Lunardi (ESPN bracketology) WEST: 1. Arizona; 2. Michigan State; 3. Gonzaga; 4. Texas Tech (SEC team: 7. Auburn) EAST: 1. Duke; 2. Illinois; 3. FLORIDA; 4. Kansas (Other SEC teams: 5. Arkansas; 8. Kentucky) SOUTH: 1. UConn; 2. Nebraska; 3. Houston; 4. BYU (SEC teams: 5. Alabama; 9. Georgia; 11. Texas (play-in game) MIDWEST: 1. Michigan; 2. Iowa State; 3. Purdue; 4. Vanderbilt (Other SEC teams: Tennessee 6; Texas A&M 8)   SEC teams in CBS Sports bracketology WEST: 1. Arizona; 2. UConn; 3. Michigan State; 4. FLORIDA (Other SEC teams:  5. Arkansas; 7. Auburn; 9. Georgia EAST: 1. Duke; 2. Iowa State; 3. Purdue; 4. Texas Tech (SEC teams: 6. Tennessee; 8. Texas A&M) SOUTH: 1. Nebraska; 2. Illinois; 3. Vanderbilt; 4. BYU (Other SEC teams: 5. Alabama) MIDWEST: 1. Michigan; 2. Houston; 3. Gonzaga; 4. Virginia (SEC teams: 7. Kentucky)   SEC teams in kenpom.com analytical rankings: 8. FLORIDA 15-6; 12. Vanderbilt 18-3; 17. Alabama 14-6; 21. Tennessee 14-6; 22. Arkansas 16-5; 26. Auburn 14-7; 32. Kentucky 14-7; 33. Texas A&M 16-4; 34. Georgia 16-5; 35. Texas 12-9; 51. LSU 13-8; 61. Oklahoma 11-10; 62. Missouri 14-7; 73. Ole Miss 11-9; 82. Mississippi State 11-10; 87. South Carolina 11-10   Saturday’s games Texas A&M (16-4, 6-1 SEC) at Georgia (16-5, 4-4 SEC) Texas (12-9, 3-5 SEC) at Oklahoma (11-10, 1-7 SEC) Mississippi State (11-10, 3-5 SEC) at Missouri (14-7, 4-4 SEC) LSU (13-8, 1-7 SEC) at South Carolina (11-10, 2-6 SEC) Kentucky (14-7, 5-3 SEC) at No. 15 Arkansas (16-5, 6-2 SEC) No. 18 Vanderbilt (18-3, 5-3 SEC) at Ole Miss (11-9, 3-4 SEC) Tennessee (14-6, 4-3 SEC) at Auburn (14-7, 5-3 SEC)   Sunday’s game No. 23 Alabama (14-6, 4-3 SEC) at No. 19 FLORIDA (15-6, 6-2 SEC)   WORST TO FIRST IN THE SEC 16. Oklahoma (11-10, 1-7 SEC): There is a new AD at Oklahoma, one that didn’t hire Porter Moser. If Moser doesn’t turn things around and win this year there is a very good chance he will walk the plank.    15. South Carolina (11-10, 2-6 SEC): The coaching seat of Lamont Paris is blowtorch hot right now. Imagine how hot it will be if he loses to LSU Saturday. 14. LSU (13-8, 1-7 SEC): The natives are getting restless for a winning season. If LSU hadn’t paid so much money to fire football coach Brian Kelly and then hire Lane Kiffin, they would probably fire Matt McMahon. In all likelihood he gets another year due to the football economics. 13. Mississippi State (11-10, 3-5 SEC): If Chris Jans can muster up enough wins to make the NIT, the folks in Starkville won’t be too upset. 12. Ole Miss (11-9, 3-4 SEC): Chris Beard isn’t in trouble, but wins are going to be hard to come by. The NIT would be a raging success all things considered. 11. Missouri (14-7, 4-4 SEC): If the Tigers can get to 20 regular season wins, they will have a very good chance to make the NCAA Tournament. 10. Texas (12-9, 3-5 SEC): The next five games are winnable. Sean Miller needs to win them all and then go 2-3 in the last five to make the NCAA Tournament. 9. Kentucky (14-7, 5-3 SEC): The Wildcats are in deepest and darkest. Two point guards done for the year. Jayden Quaintance battling a knee injury that won’t go away. Injuries will keep Mark Pope around one more year, but if things aren’t immensely better next year we’ll be looking for a conclave and puffs of smoke to name a successor. 8. Georgia (16-5, 4-4 SEC): Break even in the last 10 games and the Bulldogs are in the NCAA Tournament. Get to 22 in the regular season and they could be a top six seed. 7. Alabama (14-6, 4-3 SEC): The Tide will find out just how much help Charles Bediako will be Sunday in Gainesville. 6. Tennessee (14-6, 4-3 SEC): It is anybody’s guess which Tennessee team will show up, the one the Gators blew out or the one that toughed out a win in overtime at Georgia? 5. Auburn (14-7, 5-3 SEC): The next four games will make or break the Tigers – at Tennessee, home with Bama and Vandy, on the road to Arkansas. 4. Vanderbilt (18-3, 5-3 SEC): The Commodores handled Kentucky without Duke Miles, but how will they handle the next few games without him? 3. Texas A&M (17-4, 7-1 SEC): The next five games – four ranked teams among them – will go a long way toward determining the Aggies and the NCAA fare. It starts today at Georgia and Wednesday at Alabama. 2. Arkansas (16-5, 6-2 SEC): The Hogs are almost unbeatable at home. Kentucky comes to Fayette Nam and it should be a feeding frenzy. 1. FLORIDA (15-6, 6-2 SEC): If the win at South Carolina is how the Gators are going to play the rest of the season, there isn’t anyone in the SEC that can touch Florida.