Prairie View A&M Faces Florida in NCAA Tournament

0:00On March 20th, Prairie View and M grabbed its first ever win in the NCAA tournament on Wednesday, beating Lehigh in the first four-game. That victory sends the Panthers into a tough matchup against the number one seed and defending national champions, the Florida Gators in Tampa. Coach Byron Smith talked about the grueling schedule his team faced, playing four games in five days at the SWAT tournament, then heading to Dayton for the opener less than 24 hours later. He called it a fun but trying week, with winning making the lack of rest worthwhile as they gear up for Florida. Smith had high praise for the Gators, saying they have size, athleticism, playmakers, and strong defense. He noted Florida got off to a slower start, but now dominates, especially in the southeastern conference and ranks as the best southeastern conference. Opponent his team has faced this season. To pull off an upset, Smith stressed mixing defenses to disrupt Florida's offense and rebounding, while leaning on Prairie View's scrappy style that forces turnovers.

1:02Their defense fuels everything, even if they lack size against the bigger Gators. Smith told his players to savor the moment and play fearless basketball, like Muhammad Ali challenging a champ. The older guys know it's once in a lifetime, and the team feels they belong, ready to bring max energy no matter the opponent.