UF’s basketball game Saturday at Arizona may show whether Gators deserve No. 5 ranking

The Florida men’s basketball team is headed to the desert for a moment of truth. Its game Saturday night against No. 7 Arizona (10 p.m., ESPN) will let it know whether it’s as good as its ranking.

The Gators’ 7-0 start has lifted them to No. 5 in the latest AP Poll after starting the season at No. 10. The Wildcats, also 7-0, likely will present UF with its stiffest test to date.

Arizona averages about 80 points per game, with three players averaging 12 points or more. It has held five of its last six opponents to under 60 points. In the middle is a 7-foot freshman center, Kaleb Tarczewski, who collects a team-leading 6.7 rebounds per game.

“We just want to prove that we’re a legit team,” said UF guard Scottie Wilbekin, who is averaging 7.6 points and has a team-leading 22 assists this season. “We deserve to be in the top five. We want to win every game.”

Count Gators coach Billy Donovan among those who’d like to see that proof.

“For me to say we’re one of the five best teams in the country, I’m not so sure I agree with that. I’m not so sure at the end of the year we can’t be. But right now, to say with seven games that we are, I’d be hard-pressed to say that,” Donovan said. “We haven’t played enough games.”

Statistically, Florida is off to an impressive start, winning all its games by at least 10 points and never going to overtime. UF’s average margin of victory is 25.3 points, and its closest game was a 13-point win against UCF on Nov. 23.

The Gators’ opponents also have included Wisconsin (No. 23 in the preseason AP Poll), Florida State (No. 25) and Marquette . Middle Tennessee was picked to win the east division of the Sun Belt Conference.

UF’s offense is balanced, with four players averaging double-digit point totals and eight averaging 6.6 points or more. Senior Kenny Boynton leads the way with 14.4 points per game.

Florida’s defense has been crucial to the team’s success. The Gators have held opponents to an NCAA-best 36.2 percent shooting on two-point attempts. Center Patric Young leads Florida with 16 blocks and Wilbekin with 13 steals despite playing in only five games.

Arizona can equal Florida in many of these categories. Its average margin of victory is 20.4 points and its tightest margin of victory eight points over Southern Miss on Dec. 4. Its opponents have included Long Beach State, Northern Arizona, Southern Miss and Clemson. The Wildcats haven’t given up 60 points in a game since Nov. 19.

Arizona’s Solomon Hill, Mark Lyons and Nick Johnson average between 12.3 and 13.6 points per game. The Wildcats also boast a heralded freshman class featuring three players — including the 7-foot Tarczewski — standing 6 feet 8 inches or taller.