NCAA Basketball: Overrated Kansas, dominant Virginia, and more takeaways

4) Florida stinks, too

Florida is another team that is vastly overrated this year despite what you might hear about them on TV. Simply put, they stink.

Despite having several players still on the roster from their Elite Eight run in 2017 and the fact that they returned virtually everyone from last year’s NCAA Tournament team, the Gators have taken a few steps back.

Only one player (KeVaughn Allen) is currently averaging more than 10 points per game, which isn’t a sign of depth so much as it is a sign of their lack of offensive threats. Jalen Hudson’s scoring average has dipped from 15.5 ppg to 6.6 ppg, and big man Keith Stone’s scoring has also dipped as well.

Those struggles highlight the overall offensive struggles of the team. Florida ranks 62nd in adjusted offensive efficiency, which ranks the lowest since head coach Mike White’s first season. They’ve only cracked the 80-point mark twice and both occurrences came against bad teams in La Salle and North Florida.

Florida’s offense really has trouble finding their groove against the best teams they’ve faced. The Gators have played seven teams ranked in the KenPom top 125, which is basically the top third of teams in the country. They’re averaging just 63.6 ppg and, unsurprisingly, have a 2-5 record in those contests. One of those wins is also over Butler, who beat the Gators earlier in the season.

The SEC is wide open after Tennessee and Auburn at the top, but don’t expect Florida to finish anywhere other than in the middle of the pack.