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Florida belongs in title conversation alongside Auburn and Duke, Jay Bilas says
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Florida is 1 of only 3 teams in the country right now that ranks in the top 10 for both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency at KenPom. That puts the Gators squarely in the contending category based on recent history.
Since UConn capped its run from 7-seed to national champion in 2014, every single NCAA Tournament has been won by a team that finished the respective season top-20 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. In 4 of the last 9 tournaments, the champ ranked top 10 in both categories.
Six teams fit the more inclusive criteria — Auburn, Duke, Florida, Houston, Arizona, and Maryland.
The Gators, Cougars, and Blue Devils are the only teams to rank top 10 in both at the start of March.
Most would argue Duke and Houston are bonafide title contenders. Jay Bilas and Seth Greenberg agreed on Saturday’s edition of College GameDay that Florida belongs in the mix as well.
“Florida’s defense has been the difference this year,” Bilas said. “Last year, they could really score. They were an excellent offensive rebounding team. This year, their offense is actually better than it was last year but that’s in large part due to the defensive improvement that the Gators have had.”
Bilas referenced Florida’s defensive rating a year ago, which ranked 94th in KenPom’s efficiency metrics. The Gators are up to eighth this season. They hold opponents to 29.2% shooting from the 3-point line and 45.5% shooting on 2s.
“Their rim protection is actually better this year than it was last year, but their guards have taken on the challenge of getting out and really challenging at the 3-point line,” Bilas continued. “They’re containing the ball, but they’re also limiting your open looks from 3.”
Bilas also went on to say guard Walter Clayton Jr. will make it to the NBA. At 17.1 points per game, Clayton is the leading scorer for the Gators this season, though hardly the only guard in the rotation who can impact the game.
“He’s a bucket-getter,” Bilas said. “They’ve got a quartet of guards that are equal to any quartet of guards in the country, including Auburn.”
Florida’s top 3 scorers are all guards. Clayton is joined by Alijah Martin (14.7 PPG) and Will Richard (13.2) as double-digit scorers in the backcourt. Denzel Aberdeen also plays 20 minutes off the bench each night and provides 8.3 points with 1.7 assists.
The Gators (24-4, 11-4 SEC) are within range of a potential 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament. A win Saturday night against Texas A&M would go a long way in helping that goal. The Gators are a 9.5-point favorite in that game (via ESPN Bet), which tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
RELATED: Want to bet on the Gators this March? Several shops are offering NCAA Tournament-related futures ahead of the madness, so take advantage of our guide on the top Florida sports betting apps to score a sign-up bonus and start winning just like UF.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
