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Overall, Gators men’s hoops is 18-11 this season and are on the NCAA Bracketology Bubble. Now, Florida heads into their last two games of the regular season with games against Vanderbilt and Kentucky.
Looking at the Team
The Gators bubble isn’t burst yet. While the loss against Arkansas put them in a sticky situation, the 84-72 win against Georgia worked in their favor. In order for Florida to keep moving forward, they need to continue with momentum as the season comes to an end and win one-to-two games in the SEC Tournament.
Gators Tyree Appleby, Colin Castleton and Phlandrous Fleming Jr played a huge roll in giving Florida the chance to secure a tournament berth with their performances against the Bulldogs. Notably, a loss would have been the final straw for the Gators in making their straight NCAA fifth tournament appearance.
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The Gators are set to play next against Vanderbilt Tuesday. In the series history between these two the Gators lead 72-71. The last time these two teams met was in January where the Gators won with a final score of 61-42.
The final game of the regular season for Florida is against Kentucky. The Gators look for redemption against Kentucky on Saturday after losing their last matchup on Feb. 12 with a final score of 57-78. UK leads the series between the two 106-41.
On the Bubble
In the 2022 NCAA Tournament Bracketology by Joe Lunardi, the Gators are currently in the next four out. Certainly, this isn’t stopping the Gators from staying motivated and focusing on the chance of securing a tournament spot. Another option is an auto-bid SEC Tournament championship win. While the chances are slim for the Gators to win the SEC Tournament in Tampa, FL, there’s still a possibility. The team that wins the tournament gets an automatic entrance into the big dance.
The Gators are 8-8 in the conference, tied with LSU, South Carolina and Mississippi State. It’s time for Florida to buckle-up in order to achieve their goals of making March Madness.
