If Tiger Woods has room to improve, so do the Gators.
After entering the polls and walking into the spotlight, UF coach Billy Donovan has pointed to the recent exploits of golf's greatest player as an example of how the No. 20 Gators should handle their sudden success.
"Here's maybe the greatest athlete to ever walk the face of the earth, and (Woods) wins, and he's talking about getting better," Donovan said. "If he's saying that, the fact that these guys would embrace a win to me doesn't make much sense."
Woods is coming off a dominating eight-stroke victory in the Buick Invitational - his first tournament of the season. Woods spoke afterward about the changes he made in the off-season and how he feels his best golf is still ahead of him.
It's a scary thought - but the exact mindset Donovan is looking for in his players, who he hopes will continue to improve, regardless of how successful they become.
"We still need to get better," Donovan said. "We're not where we should be, where we can be, where we want to be."
Since routing Vanderbilt 86-64 at home last Sunday, the Gators (18-3, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) have had nearly a week to prepare for perhaps their toughest stretch to date.
UF heads first to Arkansas (15-5, 4-2 SEC) on Saturday and then to No. 7 Tennessee (18-2, 5-1 SEC) on Tuesday.
The Gators will first direct their attention to an underachieving Razorbacks team that has failed to meet expectations so far.
Arkansas entered the season ranked No. 19, but bad losses to Georgia, Providence and Appalachian State have left Razorbacks fans searching for answers.
Arkansas, however, is coming off a convincing 78-58 win against Mississippi State.
Donovan said the Gators are aware of this team's talent and respects the Razorbacks heading in.
"They're a big, strong, physical team," Donovan said. "These guys, in a way, pose dilemmas unlike any team we've played before. They're experienced, and they have guys that a lot of people respect and think very highly of."
The Razorbacks are coached by former Gators assistant John Pelphrey, who enters his first season in Arkansas after spending five years heading a South Alabama program he helped reached the NCAA Tournament for the fist time since 1998.
Pelphrey began as one of Donovan's assistants at Marshall in 1995, and he followed Donovan to Gainesville, where he remained until 2002.
Pelphrey is one of three former Donovan assistants who are currently coaching in Division I. The others are Virginia Commonwealth's Anthony Grant and Marshall's Donnie Jones.
This is the first time Donovan will face one of his assistants in a head-to-head matchup.
"You're dealing with someone who's very close in your life, who's made a lot of sacrifices," Donovan said. "I think it's always hard when you're coaching against someone you've shared so much with, a lot of ups and downs and emotional things."
On the court, Arkansas is led by forward Sonny Weems, who is averaging 14.4 points per game, and sophomore standout Patrick Beverley, who adds 12.2 points per contest.
UF center Marreese Speights will have his hands full as well, as he lines up against 7-foot center Steven Hill.
Speights has played well of late, and is averaging 18 points and 9.7 rebounds over the last three games.
Another player who has come on lately is forward Dan Werner, whose newfound aggressive style and work ethic has won over the fans and his coaches. Werner has been elected hustle player of the week six out of seven times this season by the coaching staff, with the lone loss coming to Speights.
Players receive an "F" on their shorts for recognition, something Werner displays proudly in practice.
"It shows I do all the little things," Werner said. "That's what I pride myself in."
