Coming into the season, Florida men's basketball was projected to be the best team in the country, and Todd Golden’s program has delivered on those expectations early.
Following a 3-0 start, the Gators claimed the No. 1 spot in The Athletic's latest men's college basketball power rankings.
Florida was No. 3 in CJ Moore's preseason rankings but has since climbed to the top, surpassing contenders such as Illinois and Duke. The Gators' early success has been fueled by a significant improvement in perimeter shooting, connecting on 39.2% from distance.
Golden's gang has been particularly effective from the corners, knocking down 17 of their first 27 attempts, according to Synergy Sports. However, Florida's offensive efficiency extends beyond its outside
shooting.
Moore highlighted the Gators' ability to create open perimeter opportunities through their interior presence, particularly when opposing defenses collapse on post-ups.
Florida has converted all five opportunities when defenses have provided help against post players, showing how effective and efficient their frontcourt can be at generating quality looks for teammates even without scoring directly.
The Gators' big men have also been effective at establishing early position in transition, using their physicality and screening ability to create scoring opportunities around the basket. That combination of interior pressure and improved perimeter shooting has made Florida a difficult matchup for opposing defenses early in the season.
The Athletic's top 10 power rankings
- Florida (3-0)
- Houston (3-0)
- UCONN (3-0)
- Virginia (4-0)
- Kansas (3-0)
- Michigan State (3-0)
- Texas (3-0)
- UCLA (3-0)
- Texas Tech (3-0)
- Duke (2-1)
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Where Florida basketball stands in The Athletic's power rankings
