Has Florida Basketball Finally Broken Up With Its Toxic Ex?

Florida basketball has been on a slate of success recently, seemingly dumping old bad habits. Are those finally gone?

Breakups are hard. 

Often, even with someone that isn't right for you, an emotional connection to that person makes it tough to drop them. You feel a sense of comfort with him or her and you like having someone who feels like "yours." 

But again, often, that person isn't right for you. Often, that person is holding you back from being your best self. Florida basketball has been in love with bad habits all season long. But it seems like it has finally cut ties with its terrible ex. 

Five out of their last six. 

That's the win column the Gators can boast as of recently. While playing a softer part of its schedule, coach Mike White's group still has looked better in every phase of the game. 

Before this run, the biggest issue for the orange and blue was defensively. Like when it let a mediocre Mississippi State team drop 78 on Florida's home floor. However, Arkansas didn't even crack 60 in UF's most recent game. Only one time in this stretch, against Georgia who has future-NBA lottery pick Anthony Edwards, have the Gators allowed over 70 points. 

That'll work. 

So it begs the question: Has Florida finally broken up with the bad habits that have plagued it all season long? 

Is the defense finally done giving up easy buckets just from a lack of effort and communication? Is the offensive done going stagnant for multiple-minute stretches in the second half of games? 

I know the competition hasn't been great lately, but it seems likely. Even still, my approval, or anyone else's isn't necessary. UF has a date with No. 10 Kentucky in Lexington on Saturday night.  

White and his squad can prove they have moved on from the ex girlfriend that causes the offense to stagnate and the defense to not try hard enough. They can have defensive possessions that look like this:

UK is the best team Florida has played since getting dominated by Baylor in the O'Connell Center a few weeks ago. Amazingly, it is the first time this year that the SEC rivals have taken the same court at all. 

But it could not have come at a better time for the Gators. 

This doesn't mean that Florida has to win to prove it has moved on. This doesn't mean that a loss here closes the chapter on the 2020 Gators, because chances are they have done enough to squeak into the NCAA Tournament, where anything is possible. 

But, who do you want alongside you heading into that chaotic tournament? Do you want your ex that made you lose on the road to Missouri 91-75 or made shooting guard Noah Locke go 0-7 from three against Florida State? 

Or do you want the new person that makes forward Keyontae Johnson get to the free-throw line against Arkansas 17 times and hit 15 of them? Do you want somebody who makes point guard Andrew Nembhard drop 19 in the second half to force a 22-point comeback win against Georgia? 

Obviously if Florida wins, but even if it just plays well against the Wildcats, that is big enough of a sample size to prove that the ex is forgotten about.