Florida basketball closed out January with a comeback win over Oklahoma State, but the month has been anything but kind to the Gators.
In the second half of the month, Florida has lost both of its centers and is now being forced into playing small ball. Colin Castleton has missed every game since the Jan. 15 contest against South Carolina, and Jason Jitoboh is out for the season after surgery on his eye.
Despite these losses and two on-the-court losses to Ole Miss and Tennessee, Florida is still ranked No. 28 on ESPN’s Basketball Power Index as January draws to a close. The Orange and Blue held the same spot in our mid-January update.
Since then, Florida has strung together a 3-2 record to bring the overall record to 13-8. One of those wins was over Mississippi State, which is another Southeastern Conference team that has spent much of the season on the bubble. If things are still close when it comes time to decide who’s in the NCAA Tournament and who isn’t, that win could prove to be huge.
Moving forward, the Gators are back to conference play for the first half of February. The month opens with reasonable matchups against Missouri, Ole Miss and Georgia before a road game at Kentucky. Texas A&M could also be tricky on the road if Castleton hasn’t returned by then.
Florida isn’t going to be a top 25 team anytime soon, but its BPI ranking does show that there’s some talent in Gainesville. Even without Castleton, the Gators led Tennessee by eight at the half. There’s still time for Mike White‘s team to make a push, but it’ll require some impressive numbers in February.
[lawrence-related id=69188,69135]
[listicle id=69059]
[listicle id=69089]
[vertical-gallery id=69062]
Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.