Florida basketball continues to trend in the right direction as the calendar flips deeper into SEC play.
In ESPN’s latest power rankings, written by Jeff Borzello, the Florida Gators climbed three spots to No. 15, reflecting a strong stretch of play that has pushed the Gators to an overall record of 14-5.
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The jump comes after a perfect 5-0 run over Florida’s last five games, a stretch that featured both quality wins and consistent offensive production. It started at home with a 92-77 win over No. 18 Georgia, followed by an emphatic 91-67 victory against No. 21 Tennessee inside the O’Connell Center.
The Orange and Blue then carried that momentum on the road, taking down Oklahoma 96-79 before securing a 98-94 win at No. 10 Vanderbilt. The streak was capped by a 79-61 home win over LSU.
Rueben Chinyelu has emerged as a steady interior presence, anchoring the defense while controlling the glass during this stretch and also taking home the SEC Player of the Week honor. His rebounding has been extremely impactful for head coach Todd Golden’s squad.
At the same time, Thomas Haugh has provided a spark with his ability to score, defend multiple positions and keep possession alive.
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With SEC play intensifying, the Gators are finding the perfect time to blend all the pieces together and make a run as February approaches.
Here’s everything Borzello wrote about the Gators.
What ESPN said about Florida basketball
“Previous ranking: 18”
“Rueben Chinyelu’s emergence as one of the most dominant big men in college basketball over the past four games makes one of the sport’s elite frontcourts even better. Chinyelu has notched four consecutive 15-point, 10-rebound double-doubles, including Tuesday’s 15-point, 21-rebound performance against LSU, when he became the first Florida player in at least 30 seasons to post 15 points and 20 rebounds in a game. In that four-game span, Chinyelu is averaging 17.8 points and 14.8 rebounds — and has had three of the four highest-scoring outings of his college career.”
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida basketball climbs three spots in ESPN power rankings
