Florida basketball's seeding surge has Gator Nation thinking repeat

Florida basketball clinched at least a share of the SEC regular-season title with its 111-77 drumming of No. 20 Arkansas.

As the Gators aim to secure a top seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament, the performance underscored growing brilliance from Todd Golden's team. The victory boosted both Florida's NET ranking and added a Quadrant 1 win to its profile.

The Orange and Blue shot over 60% from the field and placed seven players in double figures. That's the sort of offensive balance Todd Golden has preached since October.

“Love it. Didn’t lose in February, got to try not to lose in March, either,” Golden said after the game. Going on to say it was "Just a great night for our program."

As March approaches and bracket pictures come into focus, Florida's seed line is ascending. What once felt more like an admirable follow-up season has transformed into some more over the last month and a half. The Gators are riding a nine-game win streak, and are winners of 18 in their last 20 games.

Two months ago, Florida was viewed as a likely No. 4 or No. 5 seed; now the Gators have strengthened their resume and bracketologists can't ignore the surge.

A sluggish start that cast doubt over this group early on is now in the rearview.

Rebounding from an uneven open to conference play, the Gators have shed the late-game execution woes and answered questions about perimeter defense.

The question circulating the Gator Nation is now, "Can this team repeat?" Florida has one thing that many others in the field do not — championship swagger. Adding a regular-season SEC title to that hubris only infuses more confidence, as last year's team was not able to accomplish this feat.

With an SEC-best scoring margin, field goal percentage, and defensive efficiency, Florida is primed to answer the bell after Selection Sunday.

The core of this team knows what it feels like to cut down nets, so belief is embedded in the locker room. The Gators aren't chasing validation of last season's championship any longer — hopes have shifted towards a dynasty.

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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Can Florida basketball repeat history with back-to-back titles?