If the Canes beat 6-5 Winthrop today, they will exceed their 2006-2007 win total. The Canes were 12-20 last season and are already 12-0.

If the Canes beat Winthrop, 4-7 Penn and 5-5 Georgia Tech through Jan. 12, they will be 15-0, which would be a school record for UM's best start ever.

The Canes are now ranked 19th in the nation, up from No. 22 last week. And they are one of only 9 unbeaten teams in the country.

Just a phenomenal start, and credit goes to Coach Frank Haith, his staff and the players.

But there is more work to do. Lance Hurdle has to continue to improve as a speedy combo guard. Center Anthony King, who seems to have hit a lull, must return to his early-season form. And guard Jack McClinton must continue to shoot lights out.

Game time is 4 p.m. The second game in the annual Orange Bowl Classic doubleheader is two-time defending national champion Florida vs. Temple. The Gators have won their OBC game the past 8 consecutive years.

Of course, these are not the same Gators who won NCAA titles the past two years. Florida lost all its starters to graduation or the NBA and is now 11-2 and unranked.

It's good to see the Canes ranked ahead of the Gators in basketball. And as for the UM schedule that some say is weak?  Come March, it won't even be a factor because the Canes will have played their brutal ACC schedule.

To get to the NCAA Tournament, it's important that the Canes stockpile as many non-conference wins as they can and then try to break even or better in the ACC.