I know the Southeastern Conference (SEC) schedule has not started for the University of Florida men’s basketball program, but isn’t it nice to see the Gators on top of the SEC standings for a change?

The Gators (10-0) are also up a couple of spots in the latest national rankings.

Florida’s poll rankings (AP No. 7, coaches No. 6) both mark the Gators’ highest since receiving a preseason No. 6 ranking in both polls prior to the 2019-20 season.

This past Saturday in Atlanta, Florida defeated Arizona State, 83-66, led by the Gators’ trio of senior guards, who combined for 56 of UF’s 83 points.

It included a +20 rebounding margin and an Alijah Martin double-double (15 points/11 rebounds), along with the graduate student’s game-high six assists.

Guard Walter Clayton, Jr. led all scorers with 25 points, his fourth game this season with 25 or more.

“Arizona State is really good, so for us to be able to do it at such a high level was impressive,” said Gators head coach Todd Golden. “I thought in the second half we did a really good job of letting our defense lead us to transition. We were able to get out on some spurts – getting some steals, getting some runouts, getting some dunks. I thought our depth showed up really well tonight. Sam [Alexis], Tommy [Haugh], Zel [Denzel Aberdeen] coming off the bench provided great minutes. I just think our depth wore them down a little bit.”

Clayton hit five 3-pointers and has made five in three consecutive games, the second Gator in program history to do so. He joins Anthony Roberson, who accomplished the feat in January 2005 (at Auburn, at Vanderbilt, Tennessee).

The senior has also hit a 3-pointer in 33 straight games, tying Brett Nelson (2000-01) for the fourth-longest streak in UF history and the longest since Michael Frazier’s record 41-game streak (January 2014 to January 2015).

He also added three steals against the Sun Devils (8-2). As a team, Florida scored 19 points off turnovers, converting defense to offense.

“For sure, it’s definitely taken a big step forward from last year,” Clayton said of the defense. “Last year was a great offensive team, bad defensive team, so this year I feel like we’re still a great offensive team – even better offensive team this year actually because we’re turning so many defensive stops into transition buckets.”

Clayton (19.1 points per game) is one of four Gators averaging in double figures ahead of Martin (15.2 ppg), sophomore F/C Alex Condon (12.2 ppg and 7.1 rebounds), and senior guard Will Richard (12 ppg.).

Florida has a lot of weapons and is among the national leaders in scoring too. Their 86.2 points per game currently ranks 17th nationally with blue-blood Kentucky leading the way (91.3 ppg).

The Gators’ 87 points in the SEC-ACC Challenge win against Virginia on Dec. 4 marked the third-most allowed by the Cavaliers over the past decade.

Clayton led UF with 27 points, while Condon (19), Martin (16) and junior guard Denzel Aberdeen (12) all scored in double figures in that game.

Against Wichita State on Nov. 29, Florida used a 27-0 run en route to the Gators’ ESPN Events Invitational championship title (Nov. 28-29 in Kissimmee). The Gators outscored the Shockers, 67-22, over a 24-minute stretch.

Clayton took home MVP honors, while Condon earned All-Tournament Team recognition.

Their season-low in points was in a 75-58 win against Wake Forest the day before (Nov. 28).

After a cold start from the field against the Demon Deacons, the Gators began the second half with a 10-0 run as part of a 31-8 stretch. Clayton led four players in double figures with 21.

Other highlights this season include hitting 16 3-pointers in the home win against Southern Illinois on Nov. 22. Martin, who finished with 32 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, set a UF O’Dome record with eight 3-pointers.

The Gators used an explosive 59-point second half to secure the season-opening win vs. USF on Nov. 4. Although they struggled from 3-point range, they shot 75.7% from 2-point range (28-for-37) and were 27-for-33 (81.8%) from the free throw line.

Florida, which is one of five remaining unbeaten teams, has its third 10-0 start in program history, previously starting 17-0 in 2005-06 and 10-0 in 1951-52. All 10 wins this season have been by a margin of at least 13 points with a +21.1 margin on average.

The 10-game winning streak is Florida’s 11th double-figure win streak in program history and the longest since its 30-game run in the 2013-14 season.

But a whole new challenge awaits the Gators on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. (ESPN) at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte (NC) against the University of North Carolina in the third annual Jumpman Invitational presented by Novant Health, which showcases four of the original Jordan Brand-sponsored programs (Florida, North Carolina, Michigan, and Oklahoma).

Programs like North Carolina are the benchmark of college basketball.

The Tar Heels have won seven national championships (six NCAA tournament titles), played in a record 21 Final Fours, won a record 33 regular season ACC titles, won 18 ACC Tournament championships and have had 10 former players inducted in the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Carolina has the second-highest winning percentage (.733) and third-most wins (2,377) in college basketball history.

Like Kentucky, these blue bloods can also score and are 14th nationally averaging 86.8 ppg.

However, UNC, which is led by RJ Davis (17.6 ppg) and Seth Trimble (15.4 ppg), might need this one more than the Gators.

The Tar Heels, who are off to a shaky 6-4 start and receiving votes in the AP rankings, have a 0-3 record against ranked teams this season, including double-digit losses to No. 2 Auburn (85-72) and No. 6 Alabama (94-79). They also have close losses at No. 8 Kansas (92-89) and against No. 20 Michigan State (94-91 OT).

Tuesday’s game will be the first of four games in the next two days.

The Michigan women will face the Oklahoma women’s team at 9:30 p.m. Then on Wednesday, the Florida women will play the North Carolina women at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Michigan and Oklahoma men at 9 p.m.

The Florida and North Carolina men’s teams are meeting for the seventh time in series history and the first time in a decade. The Gators are 2-4 against the Tar Heels, with wins coming in the 2000 Final Four in Indianapolis and in a 1964 home game.

UF has split its two Jumpman Invitational games, falling 62-53 vs. Oklahoma in 2022, and doubling its point total for a 106-101 double overtime win vs. Michigan in 2023.

Before the Jumpman Invitational, UF had not played in Charlotte since the team’s first Final Four appearance in 1994.