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Florida Gators Basketball: SEC Tournament preview

By Ryan Kately

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - FEBRUARY 16: Head Coach Mike White of the Florida Gators directs his team during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena on February 16, 2021 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Gators 75-64. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - FEBRUARY 16: Head Coach Mike White of the Florida Gators directs his team during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena on February 16, 2021 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Gators 75-64. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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With the regular season coming to a close this past Sunday, the Florida Gators basketball team now turns their attention to the SEC Tournament. The Gators secured the number 5 seed, and with that, a first-round bye. Essentially their last game of the season against Tennessee, which the Gators dropped 65-54, was being played for a double-bye. A win would have catapulted the Gators into the quarterfinals. The double-bye goes to the top 4 seeds in the conference.

With an overall record of 13-8 and a conference record of 9-7, the Gators Basketball Team is projected to make the NCAA Tournament. Some tournament experts are putting the Gators as low as a number 9 seed, and some experts are putting the Gators as high as a number 6 seed. In turn, this makes this week’s SEC Tournament very important for the Gators Basketball team in terms of seeding for the big dance starting with Selection Sunday being this Sunday.

Florida will play the winner of the number 12 seed Vanderbilt and number 13 seed Texas A&M on Thursday, March 11th. Florida played Vanderbilt back on January 27th, beating the Commodores 78-71 in a game where Florida led by 20 points. If the Gators see the Commodores again, they will have to tighten up their defense against Scottie Pippen Jr., who went off for 32 points in the loss. Florida did not play Texas A&M this year due to concerns over Covid-19.

Assuming Florida can win their 2nd round matchup, they would then get a rematch of the team who just beat them in their last regular-season game, the Tennessee Volunteers. The Gators split the season series against the Vols, with each home team winning by double digits each time. If these two squads meet again, it would be on a neutral floor, in which Florida is 2-0 at neutral sites this year.

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If Florida can take the rubber match against Tennessee, they then most likely play number 1 seed Alabama in the semi-finals. Alabama bested the Gators when they played on January 5th in Tuscaloosa 86-71 in a game where the Crimson Tide shot 40% from behind the arch.

If the Gators want to make a run in the SEC Tournament, they will have to rely on Sophomore and hometown kid Tre Mann who was out last game against Tennessee. Mann scored 21 points in each of his previous two games he has played. The Gators have also been getting great play down low from 6’11’’ Junior Collin Castleton. Castleton has averaged nearly 13 ppg. and 7 rpg. Castleton is also Florida’s leading blocker with 45 on the season.

The most exciting time for college basketball fans is finally here, and this March is even more exciting than ever due to having to wait a full 2 years to get our March Madness experience again. The unpredictability of March brings underdogs, upsets, and Cinderella stories that fans love to cheer for. The Florida Gators basketball team has shown they can beat some of the country’s best teams by downing West Virginia, Tennessee, and LSU.

I think the Florida Gators Men’s Basketball Team will make a run for the SEC Championship as they have shown they can play with anybody.

After all, this is March Madness.

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