Since seemingly every team around these parts continues to win, I'm spending the day today with Team Perfect - the 16-0 New England Patriots. I'm off to Gillette Stadium to hear the always entertaining (that's sarcasm, people) Bill Belichick and the rest of the Patriots talk about their AFC playoff matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

One of Belichick's biggest fans is Florida coach Billy Donovan, whose young group of Florida Gators passed their first test with an SEC road win at Alabama last night.

"It was a huge win for us," Gators freshman guard Nick Calathes told FOXSports.com following the 90-83 victory. "It gives us a lot of confidence, but now we're focused on Auburn."

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. If this Florida team, comprised primarily of freshmen and sophomores who barely played last season, can go to Tuscaloosa and knock off a talented Alabama team (I realize they are without Ron Steele), who's to say they can't finish in the top half of the SEC East?

"I think our team can beat any team in the country if we come to play," added Calathes, who scored a game-high 21 points, dished out nine assists and grabbed seven boards against the Crimson Tide. "It didn't surprise me we won."

I've got to admit. It shocked me a little bit - and I saw nearly all of Donovan's players while they were coming up through the high school and AAU ranks. I figured that a veteran Alabama team with Richard Hendrix, Alonzo Gee and Mykal Riley would hold its home court.

Instead, it was the Baby Gators that displayed poise down the stretch. And just like in the last couple years, it was far from a one-man show. Freshman Jai Lucas scored a career-high 19 points, Dan Werner finished with a dozen points and seven rebounds and Walter Hodge sank all three of his attempts from long range en route to 17 points.

It took Donovan's new group just one game to earn a conference road win.

ZOUBEK'S INJURY NOT AS SERIOUS

Word out of the Duke camp is that sophomore 7-footer Brian Zoubek may only be out of action for a couple weeks after suffering a fractured left foot for the second time in about six months.

When Zoubek broke his foot in a pickup game back in July, a screw was inserted and he took 10 weeks to get back on the court. This time, it was a slight crack - so he could be back by the end of January.

Even though he hasn't been a major factor, Zoubek's injury hurts Duke's depth up front. Remember, it was Kyle Singler who had to defend Pittsburgh's 265-pound big man DeJuan Blair last month. I'm guessing that Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski wouldn't mind having Zoubek for the matchup with North Carolina and the Tar Heels' physical big man Tyler Hansbrough.

VALLEY LEADER

Southern Illinois is .500 in league play. Creighton is 1-2 and Wichita State has won just one of its first four Missouri Valley Conference games.

Believe it or not, Illinois State leads the MVC with a perfect 4-0 mark after last night's victory against Northern Iowa.

New Redbirds coach Tim Jankovich is as shocked as anyone.

"How do you know when you take over?" Jankovich said. "I looked at what they did last year and we lost our two best defenders."

But Jankovich said his team plays like a group that has won before - even though they won just 24 games over the past two years.

"We have great kids who are very hungry and very willing," said the former Kansas assistant coach.

How about this for the first three conference games: at Creighton, on the road against Wichita State and then at home against Southern Illinois.

"What looked like a potential disaster really ended up being the best thing that could've happened to us," Jankovich said.

RANDOM NOTES: Arizona coach Kevin O'Neill said that standout freshman Jerryd Bayless, who has missed the last three games with a knee injury, is questionable for tonight's game against Arizona State. Bayless practiced half-speed on Tuesday. ... Kansas coach Bill Self said that Mario Chalmers tweaked his groin, but he should be ready for Saturday's game at Nebraska. ... Florida State freshman big man Julian Vaughn will be evaluated at the Cleveland Clinic today. ... Look for Maryland coach Gary Williams to stick with a starting lineup that includes Landon Milbourne instead of freshman center Braxton Dupree. ... Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie isn't into making excuses, even though his team has suffered numerous injuries. "We definitely do not have a complete roster, but we should have played much better than we have." ... Dayton Dunbar (Ohio) coach Albert Powell, who coached Daequan Cook not all that long ago, is raving about 6-foot-10 skilled and athletic big man Josh Benson - who has signed with Dayton. "They got a steal," Powell said. "He runs like a deer and will be terrific with Chris Wright."