GAINESVILLE — Facing one of the nation's toughest schedules, point guard Chris Chiozza and the Florida Gators have kept it close with pretty much everyone they have faced.
On Saturday, the Gators finally closed the deal against one of the nation's best.
UF's resounding 88-71 win against No. 9 West Virginia now could give Chiozza and Co. a chance to prove their mettle on college basketball's biggest stage — the NCAA Tournament.
Behind torrid 3-point shooting, strong bench play and another sterling effort from Dorian Finney-Smith, the Gators (14-7) picked up their first win in four tries against opponents ranked in the top 25 of the RPI.