The regular-season schedule is winding down but Florida basketball is revving things up at the right time, surging to the top of the SEC standings while quickly climbing the major polls and other rankings.
Among those are ESPN’s men’s college basketball power rankings, which moved the Gators up two spots to No. 8 in the latest update from Jeff Borzello. There, they are bookended by the No. 7 Illinois Fighting Illini and No. 9 Purdue Boilermakers.
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A lot of attention has been paid to Xaivian Lee for his marked improvement over the past month — particularly after earning SEC Player of the Week recently — but maybe overlooked is how Alex Condon has picked up steam as the season begins to wane. Well, Borzello certainly has not missed his recent return to dominance.
“Alex Condon might be playing his best basketball of the season at the right time. The Australia native entered the season with All-American expectations after withdrawing his name from the NBA draft last spring. Then his outside shot disappeared, and he hasn’t as effective on the offensive glass,” he begins.
“But Condon is starting to make more of an impact. He went for 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in Tuesday’s win over South Carolina, his second time hitting the 20-point mark this month. He’s averaging 15.0 points and 58% shooting in February, after putting up 11.6 points on 42.5% shooting in January.”
Between Rueben Chinyelu becoming one of the best defenders in the country, the Gators’ backcourt finally rounding into form, and the nation’s best frontcourt seeing progress from their cornerstone forward, things are looking very good for Florida heading into March Madness.
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ESPN’s college basketball power rankings
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Michigan Wolverines (25-1)
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Iowa State Cyclones (22-3)
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Illinois Fighting Illini (22-5)
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Purdue Boilermakers (21-5)
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Michigan State Spartans (21-5)
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Texas Tech Red Raiders (19-7)
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Virginia Cavaliers (23-3)
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St. John’s Red Storm (21-5)
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Alabama Crimson Tide (19-7)
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Arkansas Razorbacks (19-7)
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Vanderbilt Commodores (21-5)
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Tennessee Volunteers (19-7)
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North Carolina Tar Heels (20-6)
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Louisville Cardinals (19-7)
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Saint Louis Billikens (24-2)
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Miami (Ohio) RedHawks (26-0)
Dropped out: Kentucky Wildcats (No. 23)
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida basketball moves up ESPN Power Rankings, Alex Condon featured
