Gators vs Prairie View: Title Defense or Upset?

0:00On March 19, the Florida Gators kick off their bid for a fourth national title, Friday night against Prairie View A&M in the first round of the NCAA tournament. As the number one seed in the South Region, the Gators are defending champions in a top pick to repeat, carrying high expectations into Tampa for the 9.25pm tip-off on TNT. Prairie View A&M punched their first-ever tournament ticket, with a gritty win over Lehigh in the first four, capping a stunning run as the eighth. Seed in the SWAC tournament, they shocked higher seeds to claim their third conference title, now riding an eight-game winning streak into this match-up. Fans and analysts are buzzing about Prairie View's back court stars, Dante Horn averaging 20.3 points per game, and Tyrian Joseph at 17.8, making them the league's top-scoring duo. Forward Corey Wells added a 19.11 rebound double-double in their opener, while this marks a historic moment with three HBCU teams in the field for the first time in 32 years.

1:05This will be just the second meeting ever between the teams, both during Florida's title defenses, the Gators' Crush Prairie View 94-2. 33 back in 2006 in route to another championship. With Florida eyeing history as the first number one seed repeat since 2007, underdogs Prairie View aim to extend their fairy tale on the big stage.