As March Madness is set to get underway this week, there is a very realistic pathway in the bracket in the South Region that opens up for Florida, and the Gators waltz into the Final Four. While the main headline from the South Region is that Florida could wind up having to play Houston in Houston, there is also the potential for things to be favorable in Houston without any crazy upsets.
But there is one looming detail that could become a factor in a potential Sweet 16 matchup that does not at all align with what Florida would have picked if given the choice.
Florida gets a late tipoff in Tampa
Start times were released shortly after the bracket itself was set, and Florida is set to play its opening contest on Friday at 9:25 PM in Tampa, and that’s if the Iowa vs. Clemson game doesn’t run long. This means no matter what happens on Friday, Florida isn’t getting back to the hotel until after midnight. Assuming they are still playing into the second round, the Gators would then wake up on Saturday and go over their game plan for their second-round opponent.
Start times for round two won’t be released until round one is basically over, so playing late on Friday doesn’t guarantee a late start on Sunday. Last year, Florida played its opening game at 6:50 PM on a Friday and then played UConn at 12:10 PM that Sunday.
But it would be safe to guess Florida probably wouldn’t play until at least 2 PM, which means they aren’t getting back to Gainesville on Sunday until sometime closer to 7 PM at the earliest.
Why does any of this matter?
Well, if you peek over at the bottom part of the bracket that funnels into a potential Sweet 16 matchup, Nebraska tips off against Troy at 12:40 PM on Thursday, with Vanderbilt to take on McNeese State afterwards.
The winner of those games would then face off on Saturday. If it is Nebraska vs. Vanderbilt in the second round, we are assuming that the tip-off would get bumped to a bit later, but even still, the winner of that game should still get back home from Oklahoma City before midnight on Saturday, given it’s less than a two-hour flight for both teams.
Which means while Florida takes the court on Sunday, their potential Sweet 16 opponent is waking up in its own bed, getting rehab, and gathering around to scout Florida. And depending on how late Florida’s tipoff is on Sunday, that Sweet 16 opponent could be enjoying a nice dinner and be back in their own bed all before Florida arrives in Gainesville.
But wait, there’s more
If the Sweet 16 were on Friday, this would be no big deal. But the Houston Region is on Thursday and Saturday, which means Florida gets home late Sunday, and then does stuff in Gainesville for maybe 24 hours before it has to get back on a plane and head to Houston.
This does follow what Florida did last year, but the catch is that their Sweet 16 opponent, Maryland, played even later on that Sunday than Florida did.
Will any of this matter? We’ll just state it’s not the ideal situation Todd Golden would have drawn up.
But it is something to keep an eye on as the weekend progresses and Florida tries to defend its national title.