Seth Greenberg declares Florida as the best team in college basketball

There’s a new top team in college basketball according to Seth Greenberg. During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, the ESPN college basketball analyst revealed who he believes is the best team in the country heading into the postseason.

“Florida, for me, is the best team in the country. Auburn is right right there. Obviously, Duke stands by themselves, but the SEC could get three teams in the Final Four,” Greenberg said. “… The SEC is ridiculous. Every single game is not a game. It’s an event. The level of play in the SEC is second to none right now.”

Florida has earned Greenberg’s respect. The Gators finished the regular season on a three-game win streak, including victories over top-15 teams Texas A&M and Alabama. They boast an 8-4 record in Quad 1 showdowns.

Florida has only improved down the stretch. Throughout the regular season, the Gators faced numerous obstacles including injuries to stars Alijah Martin and Alex Condon, along with an investigation into stalking allegations against head coach Todd Golden.

With a healthy roster and Golden’s investigation dismissed, Florida has no distractions as it charges forward into the postseason. Of course, no matter how focused the Gators are, the SEC Tournament won’t be easy for them.

According to ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s latest projections, 13 SEC teams are expected to earn a bid in the NCAA Tournament. For reference, the current record of teams in the NCAA Tournament from a single conference is 11.

If Florida can take home its first SEC Tournament crown since 2014, it’ll be difficult to argue with Greenberg’s claim. Greenberg is excited to see if Florida can live up to its potential.

“How did the SEC get so good? They invested,” Greenberg said. “The SEC, like they do with every other sport, they invested. They invested in coaches, infrastructure, NIL, facilities, and they’re just ahead of the curve right now. But this conference tournament is absolutely ridiculous. Every single game is potentially a top-25 matchup, and some of these teams are trying to play their way in still.”

Thanks to their excellent play in the regular season, the Gators have a double bye in the SEC Tournament. On Friday, Florida will play its first game in the tournament against the winner between Missouri and Mississippi State.

Florida will play at 7 p.m. ET on Friday. The game will air live on the SEC Network.