Florida basketball is on a roll of late, having won its last three and seven of the last eight games played stretching. Following a weak start to the calendar year for the Gators, Todd Golden’s team has been hitting on all cylinders for the past month.
The latest victory over the Georgia Bulldogs on the road was not quite as impressive as a couple of others, but it was still enough for Florida to catch the eye of USA TODAY Sports writer Jordan Mendoza, who has the Orange and Blue at the top of his list of bubble watch winners from last weekend.
“Don’t look now, but Florida is getting hot, going on the road to beat Georgia for its seventh win in its last eight while picking up a Quad 2 victory,” Mendoza begins. “The Bulldogs ambushed Florida offensively in the first half, leading by as much as 11 in the first frame, but the Gators defense clamped down in the second half to hold Georgia to shooting 37% in the final 20 minutes. The backcourt duo of Walter Clayton Jr. and Zyon Pullin is also taking this team to success, averaging a combined 34.4 points per game in the last eight contests.”
He continues, noting how the team has turned the table on what was once a floundering effort against Southeastern Conference competition.
“The Gators have turned around a 1-3 start in conference play with wins at Kentucky and a blowout win at home against Auburn in recent weeks, and while not pretty, the best thing they can say about its seven losses this season is they all came against Quad 1 opponents. Florida will have a chance to boost its resume and possibly get toward a 7-seed projection on the road against Alabama next week.”
Florida travels to Tuscaloosa for its next matchup on Wednesday, Feb. 21, against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
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