Defining moments are the threads that weave sports together.
For the Gators, this make-or-break moment sits right in front of them-three games against the best they will face, all important on the arduous road to March Madness.
It starts Saturday against Southeastern Conference West leader Mississippi State. Four days later, UF hosts East leader Tennessee before the season finale in Lexington against Kentucky.
If the road itself wasn't hard enough, UF must bolster an NCAA Tournament resume filled with holes.
The Gators' (21-7, 8-5 Southeastern Conference) porous non-conference schedule has left many critics wary of their potential.
But UF coach Billy Donovan continues to swat the questions and bring his team's focus to the present.
"We are 28 games into the year, but you know what, the next experience is still a new experience," Donovan said. "I just don't think it's going to be smooth sailing for these guys."
The rough trip begins with Mississippi State (19-8, 10-3 SEC). The Bulldogs feature a slew of talented players who have flown under the radar this season.
Center Jarvis Varnado averages nearly five blocks per contest and leads the NCAA with 129 rejections.
Guard Jamont Gordon is the SEC's fifth-leading scorer, contributing 17.6 points per game.
Mississippi State's gaudy conference record includes a win against Kentucky and an 88-68 throttling of then-No.15 Mississippi.
"I don't think we have anybody who can guard those guys one on one," Donovan said.
The Gators are coming off two straight wins after losing four of five. Donovan said the adversity might help the Gators moving forward, but with such a young group it's hard to tell.
"I don't expect anything from these guys. They're young," he said. "That would be like me expecting my 5-year-old to make her bed."
A key to UF's recent success has been its outside shooting. After going just 1 of 15 from beyond the arc against Vanderbilt, the Gators have knocked down 20 3-pointers in the last two games.
UF is 12-0 when hitting 40 percent from long range.
Dan Werner, who was 6 of 39 from 3-point range before the brief winning streak, has hit six of his last 10.
Werner said it had nothing to do with his new hairdo, which is slowly returning to normal, and that the team still has a ways to go.
"I think we've matured a lot," Werner said, "but there's a lot of stuff we still need to do."
As the Gators prepare for this tough stretch, the challenge for Donovan is keeping his team from looking too far down the road.
"If we're worrying about stuff two or three weeks from now, we would be making a mistake," Donovan said. "For me to get from here to you, I have to walk the distance-I have to go through that path to get there. There's a process our team has to go through, and you can't skip that process.
"I wish I had a crystal ball right now to show you what would happen, but we have to play it out right now."
