For just the fourth time in program history, the Florida men's basketball team was vying for a national championship. This time around, the Gators faced the dominant Houston Cougars, and the city of Gainesville was preparing for the best... and the worst.
Ahead of tip-off, the Gainesville Police Department shared that it had greased light poles around the city, trying to avoid Florida fans from climbing up them to celebrate.
Reportedly, Gator fans have a proclivity to climb posts around town when Florida pulls off a big-time victory, and the National Championship would be one of the biggest wins the city has seen in decades.
In prior years, some Gators fans have been seen climbing poles during celebrations.
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So far this season, the Gators have gone on an impressive 35-4 run, finishing second in the SEC, which was repeatedly deemed the most competitive conference in the country. On the other side of the court, the Cougars have the exact same record, but they also have a No. 1 finish in the Big 12, including an 18-game winning streak. Florida has "only" won 11 games in a row.
While fans might have a slightly difficult time scaling the lamp posts around the city of Gainesville, the Gators have a lot to celebrate as they have stormed back to relevance on the national stage.
Florida and Houston were scheduled to tip off at 8:50 p.m. ET in San Antonio, TX, to determine who would cut down the nets and hang up the newest National Championship banner in their arena. The game would be broadcast on CBS.