Maybe we should start taking Florida seriously

After their 73-65 win over UCLA on Saturday, it is time to take Florida seriously.

To be honest, its probably something we should have been doing all season long.

The Gators have size and athleticism up front. Vernon Macklin struggled a bit today -- 10 points, three boards -- but Alex Tyus and Patric Young combined for 16 points and 17 boards. Chandler Parsons is the best playmaker on this Florida team, but he just so happens to be 6'10" and the second leading rebounder in SEC play.

But the difference for this team has been the play of their back court. This season, Erving Walker has gone from a shoot-first gunner to facilitator with a knack for hitting big shots. That was on display this afternoon, as Walker finished with 21 points on 5-8 shooting, hitting 8-10 from the line, and scoring seven points in the final five minutes. Included in those seven points was a ridiculous, falling down bank shot and a tough, challenged 23 footer that answered a UCLA run to get to lead down to one.

Boynton has been terrific down the stretch of the season. He wasn't great today, finishing with 12 points on 3-9 shooting, but he had five assists to just one turnover. He also showed a lot of heart when, after injuring his ankle, he returned to the court to make an attempt to play the rest of the game.

Don't sleep on the Gators.

This team is legit.

And thanks to Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton, they have a real shot to do some damage in this tournament.