



GAINESVILLE -- There comes a time when the teasing must end. Good looks and flirting can only take you so far. Eventually, you have to come with something of substance.

Otherwise, interest will turn into disappointment and then disinterest. Promise has an expiration date.

With that in mind, we present to you the Florida men's basketball team. The wait for considerable progress has gotten old. It's February now, and these Gators have two options: Provide more thrill, or prepare to expire.

They are completely in control of their fate. It is their choice, not their opponents', which tells you how wonderful and frustrating this talented group can be.

Florida was wonderful Tuesday night, definitely wonderful. And then, inexplicably, the wonder just oozed away. A thrilling victory turned into a 68-65 loss to Kentucky.

When it was over, you were left searching, still waiting for that one game.

You know, the one that vaults this Florida unit into what it should be. The one that clarifies what this team is, not what it isn't. The one that solves this mystery.

A victory over the Wildcats could have symbolized a significant shift in tenor and direction. But it didn't happen. The Gators blew an 11-point lead in the final 6 minutes, 39 seconds. They led 65-57 with less than three minutes remaining and watched Kentucky score 11 unanswered points to close the game.

A lot of hacking and questionable clock management contributed to the collapse. Florida also became disturbingly wide-eyed.

So the most confusing, exhilarating, frustrating team in college basketball was at it again. The Gators inspired, and then they conspired to make your heart weak.

Florida is now 13-6, about two losses worse than you hoped they would be. The Gators are 4-4 in the Southeastern Conference. Those are average results for a team with this much talent.

"I'm dealing with a lot of issues with this basketball team," Coach Billy Donovan said.

Donovan alluded to needing a healthy and more confident Christian Drejer. Consistency is another issue. Chemistry is still another.

For portions of this night, Florida played to its hyped level. During a 10-minute stretch in the second half, the Gators may have played their best basketball of the season. Donovan kept urging, barking, stomping for more. But his team relented.

So, when will we get more?

More buzzer-beating 26-footers from Anthony Roberson and less dribbling aimlessly. More confident play from Drejer and less meandering. More playing off David Lee and less playing around him.

A few more Matt Walsh jumpers and Adrian Moss hustle plays wouldn't hurt, either. Whatever it takes to vault Florida from a good but erroneous team to a dominant one.

"I think our basketball team has a lot of potential and stuff, but they haven't figured it out yet," Donovan said.

Donovan has prodded his team all season to be more than youthful and sporadic. He does not want Florida to use youth as an excuse.

Yes, the Gators are the third-youngest team in college basketball. But NCAA hoops is such a kiddie game nowadays that you should consider spelling college with a "k."

As Syracuse proved last season, you don't need a bunch of seniors to win a championship in this "kiddie kollege" era, although you might need a Carmelo Anthony.

Inexperience won't keep Florida from advancing in the NCAA Tournament. If the Gators don't have a good March, it will be because their play never matched their talent. They will be considered underachievers. And you don't want that word repeated too often.

Because then you're just teasing us. And we can only deal with so much teasing.

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