Gators Muscle into AP Top 25
Monday, November 28, 2016 | Men's Basketball
Florida's strong weekend at the AdvoCare Invitational propels the team into the Top 25.
The Gators checked in at No. 24 in the AP poll after winning two of three games against 2016 NCAA Tournament teams over the Thanksgiving holiday, with defeats of Seton Hall and Miami sandwiching a loss to now-top-10 Gonzaga. It marks a return to the top 25 after a two-year absence following the graduation of the four core members of the Gators' 2014 Final Four team.
After dropping out of the top 25 early in the 2014-15 season en route to a 16-17 finish, the Gators improved incrementally in Mike White's first season guiding the team, receiving poll votes throughout the year and coming up a win or two shy of the NCAA Tournament but finishing with 21 wins and a run to the NIT quarterfinals.
But in the opening weeks of White's second season, the Gators have already served notice that they deserve to be back in the national conversation. UF has posted its 6-1 record while playing a schedule that KenPom.com rates the fourth-toughest to date among power-conference teams, even before a neutral-site meeting with Duke and a trip to Florida State.
While the Gators have cracked the top 25 in the AP poll, they have consistently sat in the top 15 in analytical rankings like KenPom and Sagarin and are projected to be a top-10 RPI team by ESPN.com when the NCAA releases its first official RPI rankings.
Florida was last ranked in the AP poll at No. 18 on Nov. 24, 2014. The Gators were one spot outside the top 25 in the Coaches poll.
After dropping out of the top 25 early in the 2014-15 season en route to a 16-17 finish, the Gators improved incrementally in Mike White's first season guiding the team, receiving poll votes throughout the year and coming up a win or two shy of the NCAA Tournament but finishing with 21 wins and a run to the NIT quarterfinals.
But in the opening weeks of White's second season, the Gators have already served notice that they deserve to be back in the national conversation. UF has posted its 6-1 record while playing a schedule that KenPom.com rates the fourth-toughest to date among power-conference teams, even before a neutral-site meeting with Duke and a trip to Florida State.
While the Gators have cracked the top 25 in the AP poll, they have consistently sat in the top 15 in analytical rankings like KenPom and Sagarin and are projected to be a top-10 RPI team by ESPN.com when the NCAA releases its first official RPI rankings.
Florida was last ranked in the AP poll at No. 18 on Nov. 24, 2014. The Gators were one spot outside the top 25 in the Coaches poll.
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