Gators leap upward in NET rankings after authoritative win over Ohio Bobcats
Florida basketball got back on the winning track on Wednesday night with a neutral court victory over the Ohio Bobcats inside of Amalie Arena, Tampa. It was a much-needed bounce-back effort for Todd Golden’s squad, which was taken behind the shed on its home court against the still-undefeated UConn Huskies in their previous game.
The primary sorting tool used to determine the strength of Division I men’s basketball teams is the NET ranking, which plays a major role in a school’s NCAA Tournament résumé and is updated regularly throughout the year. The Gators shot up from their No. 80 ranking after the UConn loss all the way to No. 56 on Thursday following the win over Ohio; the Orange and Blue ticked up three more spots on Friday morning to No. 53.
Florida is currently 0-4 against Quadrant 1 teams (top-ranked UConn, No. 8 West Virginia, No. 13 Florida Atlantic and No. 40 Xavier). While FAU’s high marks might be a bit surprising, the rankings suggest that the Owls are legit making the Gators’ two-point loss look far better than it did at the time. Xavier would have been a Quadrant 2 loss had the game taken place in Gainesville, so UF catches a minor break by losing at a neutral site.
Next up for the Gators are the Oklahoma Sooners — currently ranked No. 55 in the NET — who come to Gainesville on Tuesday, Dec. 20, in Charlotte, North Carolina, for a late-night tangle. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. EST and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
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