Florida clinches share of SEC title with beatdown of Arkansas

No. 7 Florida clinched a share of the SEC title with an authoritative 111-77 win over No. 20 Arkansas on Saturday night time, marking an accomplishment that even final yr’s nationwide title group by no means claimed. The Gators can clinch the outright league crown on Tuesday with a victory over Mississippi State or an Alabama loss to Georgia.

It’s Florida’s first common season SEC title since 2014, when this system was coached by Billy Donovan. The result marked Florida’s largest win ever towards a ranked opponent.

The Razorbacks (21-8, 11-5 SEC) entered with the nation’s No. 4 scoring offense led by star freshman Darius Acuff. However the Gators (23-6, 14-2) made every thing arduous on the guests, who by no means discovered a taking pictures rhythm inside a rocking Exactech Enviornment. 

Arkansas didn’t hit its second 3-pointer till the ten:12 mark of the second half. It took Acuff 19 pictures to succeed in 17 factors as his streak of 9 straight 20+ level performances got here to an finish. Florida has made a behavior of eviscerating the competitors throughout its run by the SEC, and its dominance of the Razorbacks was particularly spectacular in a chippy sport.

Each coaches acquired technical fouls on the 17:27 mark of the second half because the officers adjudicated a name on the evaluation monitor. Florida massive Rueben Chinyelu earned a flagrant foul popping out of the evaluation, and Arkansas’ Meleek Thomas picked up a flagrant of his personal lower than a minute later.

It wasn’t the sport’s final evaluation, because the lopsided SEC showdown devolved right into a stop-and-go affair. However the consequence was by no means unsure. Florida led 53-34 at halftime, scored first within the second half after which by no means led by lower than 20 the remainder of the way in which. 

Seven gamers reached double figures for Florida, led by Thomas Haugh with 22. In his solely scheduled assembly this season towards his former group, Florida guard Boogie Fland completed with 14 factors.

Florida’s dominant gear on show

Of Florida’s 14 SEC victories, 12 have come by double digits. The Gators have now scored 90-plus factors in six straight video games towards ranked opponents, which is the third-longest streak in a single season in AP ballot historical past and the longest of anybody because the 1989-90 season.

The Gators have discovered a dominant gear as their guards have began to discover a rhythm. Florida hit 42.1% of its 3-point makes an attempt (8 of 19) towards Arkansas as its outdoors taking pictures continued to enhance. UF has hit eight or extra 3-pointers in 5 of its final six video games. 

City Klavzar continues to be the group’s high perimeter marksman. The Slovenian junior hit 4 of seven from past the arc towards Arkansas, marking the third time prior to now 5 video games that he is hit 4 or extra 3-pointers.

Chasing a No. 1 seed

Florida solely just lately busted by to the No. 2 seed line in CBS Sports activities Bracketology. Now, the Gators are already knocking on the door of the No. 1 seed line.

What makes the race for the ultimate No. 1 seed significantly fascinating is the development of Florida’s resume. The Gators are already forward of the present fourth No. 1 seed, UConn, in predictive metrics and have been for some time. Resume metrics are going to hold extra weight within the race for a No. 1 seed, although, and that is the place the Huskies nonetheless have the sting for now. 

However Florida is gaining floor. If the Gators win their remaining two common season video games after which sweep by the SEC Event, their case for a No. 1 seed shall be robust. An early-season head-to-head loss towards UConn may very well be probably the most important hurdle come Choice Sunday if each groups win out.