UF Men's Hoops Number One

Congratulations are in order as the University of Florida men's basketball team extended its school-record winning streak yesterday to nineteen games with a close road victory over Mississippi yesterday, 75-71.  The Gators are now 25-2 overall with a perfect 14-0 Southeastern Conference record.  And since they have been ranked #2 nationally...and since #1 Syracuse has just lost two straight games, Florida stands to move up in the next poll to #1.  Head coach Billy Donovan keeps things in perspective, though, dismissing the importance of the rankings and stressing that the "whole is greater than the parts"...unselfish teamwork is what has gotten them this far.  Still, the "parts" are talented and productive: Scottie Wilbikin, Michael Frazier II, and Patric Young are leading the charge.  The Gators are strongest on defense, collapsing around their opponent and often making it nearly impossible to approach the basket, much less get off a decent shot.  Still, in recent games, they have displayed an Achilles' heel of sorts, allowing a lot of three-pointers against them that kept weaker opponents in close games.  They'll have to solve that one if they want to go all the way in the NCAA Tournament.  Offensively, Florida doesn't score that much, and stands to be in trouble as well should they fall far enough behind in championship-level games.  In spite of this, they remind me of the cohesiveness and spirit of those two UF national championship teams in the previous decade, and I'd put them up against any team in the country and give them a high probability of victory...