Florida Gators' NCAA Tournament Journey Begins

0:00On March 20th, Florida Gators' men's basketball heads, into this year's NCAA tournament as the number one seed in the South region, fresh off a national, title-last season. Players like Alex Condon and Thomas Hall still feel the sting from an early exit the year before that, when they lost to Colorado in the first round. That heartbreak pushed the team to championship success, and now just a few holdovers remain to lead the charge. Men and Hall have stepped up big this year, with Hall jumping from under four points per game as a freshman to over 17 points now, playing nearly 34 minutes a night. They've shared lessons about not taking any match up for granted, especially with so many strong teams in the field. The roster mixes veterans from last year's title run, like Micah Handladden and Alex Condon, with experienced newcomers. Transfer as BoogieFlan reached the sweet 16 at Arkansas last year, while Xavier and Lee saw Princeton's surprise run to the sweet 16 as a freshman.

1:01Even bench players bring postseason know-how. Coach Todd Golden praises the leaders for prepping the whole squad, stressing focus, and teamwork to go deeper. Handlocked in notes how the champs are helping everyone embrace the moment without getting ahead of themselves. The Gators tip off Friday night in Tampa at 9.25pm against Prairie View and M on TNT, aiming to build on their SEC dominance in stay. From the opening whistle.