Bracketology: Florida Gators basketball falls to No. 17 in AP Top 25

By Adam Silverstein
March 6, 2017
Bracketology: Florida Gators basketball falls to No. 17 in AP Top 25
Basketball

Image Credit: ESPN Images

The Florida Gators returned to the AP Top 25 in late November after nearly two years out of the college basketball rankings, and now they are focused on the upcoming 2017 NCAA Tournament.

At 24-7 with two losses in its last three games, Florida took a tumble in the AP Top 25 down to No. 17 (from No. 12) in the rankings with 617 points (-109).

The Gators end the regular season 1-5 against ranked opponents with the sole victory being a 22-point win over Kentucky. The Wildcats got revenge with a 10-point defeat of UF two Saturdays ago. Unranked Vanderbilt beat Florida on Saturday to earn a season sweep.

AP Top 25

1. Kansas (59)
2. Villanova (2)
3. UCLA (3)
4. Gonzaga (1)
5. Oregon
6. North Carolina
7. Arizona
8. Kentucky
9. Baylor
10. Louisville
11. West Virginia
12. SMU
13. Purdue
14. Duke
15. Cincinnati
16. Florida State
17. Florida
18. Butler
19. St. Mary’s
20. Wichita State
21. Virginia
22. Notre Dame
23. Iowa State
24. Wisconsin
25. Maryland

Style key: Red = loss, blue = win, purple = split

Tournament resume

By Jake Sillick

RPI: 5th | Nonconference RPI: 7th
SOS: 6th | Nonconference SOS: 7th
vs. Top 25 RPI: 1-4 | vs. Top 50: 6-7 | vs. Top 100: 16-7
Major quality wins (1-25 RPI): vs. No. 7 Kentucky
Minor quality wins (26-50 RPI): vs./at No. 29 Arkansas (2), vs. No. 33 South Carolina, vs. No. 41 Miami (FL), vs. No. 43 Seton Hall
Major bad losses (101+ RPI): None | Minor bad losses (51-100 RPI): None
Road record: 8-4 | Road + neutral-site record: 15-6

Major quality win opportunities: No. 7 Kentucky (SEC Championship)
Minor quality win opportunities: vs. No. 44 Arkansas (SEC quarters), vs. No. 29 Arkansas (SEC semis), vs. No. 33 South Carolina (SEC Championship)

Ideal opponents in SEC Tournament to improve resume: Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Kentucky. If Georgia wins vs. Tennessee, it could move from No. 53 up into the top 50 RPI, adding two more wins to Florida’s total. There’s also an outside chance Arkansas moves into top 25 RPI.

Other computer rankings

KenPom: No. 6 (No. 31 offense, No. 4 defense)
Sagarin: No. 9 | ESPN BPI: No. 7

S-Curve (as of March 6)

Team (Region) — First Round Site
1. Kansas (Midwest) — Tulsa
2. Villanova (East) — Buffalo
3. North Carolina (South) — Greenville
4. Gonzaga (West) — Salt Lake City
5. Oregon (West) — Sacramento
6. Louisville (South) — Indianapolis
7. Baylor (Midwest) — Tulsa
8. Kentucky (East) — Indianapolis
9. Arizona (East) — Salt Lake City
10. UCLA (East) — Sacramento
11. Florida (South) — Orlando
12. Butler (West) — Milwaukee
13. Florida State (East) — Orlando
14. Duke (Midwest) — Greenville
15. Purdue (South) — Milwaukee
16. West Virginia (West) — Buffalo

Remaining a No. 3 seed or better will guarantee that the Gators play in Orlando for the first and second rounds. Being a No. 4 seed would make that more difficult but still likely because of few top teams that are close to Orlando.

Why are the Gators at No. 11?

+ Tough strength of schedule, nonconference schedule
+ Solid top 50 RPI record and overall win total
+ Major quality win over Kentucky
+ Ranked high in metrics and computers
+ Eye test (win vs. Kentucky in front of major national audience)
+ Great road record
– Not enough of those major quality wins to warrant a No. 2 seed
– Losses to teams ahead of them in rankings (Gonzaga and Kentucky)
– Record without John Egbunu: 3-2

Coaches Poll

1. Kansas (27)
2. Villanova (2)
3. UCLA (2)
4. Gonzaga (1)
5. Oregon
6. North Carolina
7. Arizona
8. Kentucky
9. Louisville
10. Baylor
11. West Virginia
12. Purdue
13. Florida
14. Duke
15. SMU
16. Notre Dame
17. Florida State
18. Cincinnati
18. St. Mary’s
20. Butler
21. Virginia
22. Wichita State
23. Wisconsin
24. Iowa State
25. Middle Tennessee State

Style key: Red = loss, blue = win, purple = split

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