The coach is fond of saying an entire season cannot be judged by a few weeks in March. If it makes Billy Donovan feel any better, we kind of agree. For in this case, a season may be judged by one night.
I know what the NCAA Tournament selection committee says. It insists that it looks at the entire landscape of a season and that a team's fortunes in a conference tournament are not to be overestimated.
Still, it is hard to look at Florida's Southeastern Conference quarterfinal game against Auburn tonight and not wonder whether it will be the difference between being one of this year's haves and one of the have-NITs.
UF's margin for error really is that slim. The debate is really that close.
By beating Arkansas 73-58 in the first round of the conference tournament Thursday night, and Kentucky in the regular-season finale, the Gators have gotten themselves back on the selection committee's radar. And with so many other teams shooting for the final few spots in the NCAA Tournament, Florida cannot afford a slipup against the Tigers.
There are two basic arguments against Florida making the NCAAs: a weak schedule and a weaker finish.
At this point, the Gators can do little about the schedule. Even a couple of victories in the SEC tournament are not going to make Florida's strength of schedule rise appreciably, because the SEC has been hopelessly unimpressive this season.
However, the Gators can change the perception of a team stumbling down the stretch. Beat Auburn tonight and UF will have gone from a three-game losing streak to a three-game winning streak.
