The NCAA Tournament bracket will officially be released on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on CBS and as Gators Nation waits to hear the seeding fate for Florida basketball, the college hoops world is collectively on pins and needles.
In the midst of its 11-game win streak, it appeared Todd Golden’s team was firmly planted in the NCAA tournament top seed line. Now, after a striking upset loss to Vanderbilt, the conversation around the defending champions shifts.
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The Gators’ resume remains among the nation’s strongest, but Saturday’s loss likely seeded at least some doubt in the mind of committee members. What once looked like a sure-fire Selection Sunday projection is now far more murky. Will the committee overreact to the woeful performance by Florida or reward their consistency?
“We haven’t lost in 54 days or something leading up to this game, playing some of the best basketball in America,” Golden said. “I do believe we’ve done enough to be the fourth 1 seed. But we’ll find out tomorrow night.”
The regular-season champions will still be one of the highest-seeded teams in the Big Dance. Here’s a prediction for where Florida will land and who their opponents will be.
The fourth and final one-seed is up for grabs, with the first four likely to be Duke, Michigan and Arizona. All the relevant ratings and polls had Florida outranking contenders like Houston. KenPom and NET both agree that the Gators outpace the Cougars.
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Houston just slightly trailed Florida and was primed to jump the Orange and Blue but failed to capture a Big 12 title, losing to Arizona on Saturday. This, in addition to UConn being upset by St. John’s in the Big East final, almost negates the Gators’ loss on Saturday.
While UConn did defeat Florida earlier this season 77-73, the Gators SEC dominance, paired with the Huskies losses to Creighton and Marquette, kept them just behind Florida’s top line pace.
Prediction
Florida secures No. 2 seed in the South Region. Though worthy of the top line, the committee ultimately reacts to the Gators’ loss on Saturday.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida basketball’s NCAA tournament final seeding prediction
