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Friday, March 29, 2024
<p>Billy Donovan calls out a play during Florida's win against Auburn on Thursday in the O'Connell Center.</p>

Billy Donovan calls out a play during Florida's win against Auburn on Thursday in the O'Connell Center.

The Florida Gators are doing what Billy Donovan expressed so many doubts about - they’re learning how to win.

But, like everything else, it’s a process.

After entering Southeastern Conference play one game over .500, the Gators have quickly registered only their second win-streak this season.

It’s not just that they’ve won, but more importantly how they’ve won these last three games against lesser opponents that should give you an ounce of optimism as Florida gets into the meat of the SEC.

UF started strong against South Carolina on the road, and after opening on a shooting tear, the game calmed down. Florida had to find a way to win by making 10 of 11 free throws in the game’s last 2:47 to put South Carolina away, something they didn’t do in the previous game against UConn.

Then in the home opener against Mississippi State, Florida got the Bulldogs down and kept them there, stepping on their throat and burying an offensively inept opponent. The same thing happened Thursday in the 75-55 victory over a similarly scoring-challenged Auburn team.

If you’re ready to pencil them into an NCAA tournament bracket I beg you, use caution.

They’re getting "there" — that place where you feel good about them as a complete product — but there are still lapses in play and scoring droughts, like when a 19-point lead quickly becomes 10 against the Tigers.

There is still quite a bit of defending with unnecessary fouls, and there is Chris Walker who still struggles and who, according to Donovan, has begun to get down on himself.

No low-post presence has emerged, and that alone should worry you as March sits six weeks away.

The next five games are where the rubber will really meet the road for this team. It starts with the road game against Georgia on Saturday.

Yes, on its face it seems like a slam-dunk, but as Walker has shown, those aren’t always as easy as they seem.

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Winning on the road in conference play is never easy. Compound that with the fact that Florida knows it is more talented than Georgia, and the fact that there is a two-day turnaround in which rest will be key.

Will complacency set in? If it does, the Bulldogs — who aren’t as bad as you think, with wins over Kansas State, Colorado and Seton Hall under their belt — will prevail in the indoor version of the outdoor cocktail party.

Thursday’s Auburn game started a stretch of three games in six days for Florida, a test of its fortitude to be certain. Georgia on Saturday is followed by LSU on Tuesday at home.

The Tigers have the Nos. 2 and 3 rebounders per game in the SEC in Jordan Mickey (10.6) and Jarell Martin (8.9).

Georgia, by the way, boasts Marcus Thornton, the league’s fifth best rebounder.

For those keeping score at home, that’s four of the five best rebounders in the conference — lumping in Auburn’s Cinmeon Bowers, the league leader — in three straight games.

Yes, Florida is improving, but it’s about to get real.

The Gators have failed nearly every test they have faced this season besides Wake Forest, and they’re about to face five more before January wraps up.

They better remember their erasers, and you should too, because if they fail more often than not they won’t be part of that tourney bracket you penciled them into.

Follow Richard Johnson on Twitter @RagjUF

Billy Donovan calls out a play during Florida's win against Auburn on Thursday in the O'Connell Center.

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