Gators open NCAAs in Tampa to headline busy slate of hoops

The University of Florida men’s basketball team will begin defense of its NCAA championship on Friday at Benchmark International Arena.

Gators coach Todd Golden couldn't be happier.

"I think it's fantastic," Golden said. "We've had a lot of travel this year, all our doing, going out to California, going to Vegas, New York in the preseason. We've been on the road a lot. And so to be able to be home here in Tampa, I think, is great for us and should be really good."

Florida, the top seed in the East Region, opens at 9:35 p.m. against No. 16 Prairie View, which earned its spot by winning the Southwest Athletic Conference tournament and defeating Lehigh, 67-55, on Wednesday night in the First Four.

Despite being a 35.5-point favorite, the Gators aren’t taking for granted the opportunity to play only a couple of hours from Gainesville, especially after losing to Vanderbilt in last week’s SEC tournament.

"Knock on wood, we've had great support all year," Golden said. "And I imagine this week, with our games being in Tampa, that we should have a great crowd. And we hope that everybody can come out and support the Gators.”

The Florida game is the nightcap of Friday’s double session involving eight teams. The others are Texas Tech, Akron, Alabama, Hofstra, Clemson and Iowa.

There are plenty of story lines and NBA-level talent for Gators, non-Gators, bracket-fillers and casual hoops watchers:

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders bring a grind-it-out defensive identity, built on forcing turnovers and making every possession uncomfortable. That edge reflects coach Grant McCasland, who climbed the coaching ladder the hard way and has quickly restored the program’s blue-collar DNA.

Akron: The guard-driven Zips play with pace and confidence. Their veteran core, led by Ali Ali and Xavier Castaneda, has been building toward this run for years, and they arrive believing a 12-seed doesn’t tell their full story.

Alabama: The Crimson Tide play fast and fire 3s at one of the highest rates in the country, fully embracing a modern, analytics-driven style. It’s all by design under coach Nate Oats, who’s trying to prove that approach can carry a football school to a basketball title. Third-team all-America Labaron Philon Jr. is averaging 21.7 points.

Hofstra: The Pride lean heavily on high-scoring guard Tyler Thomas, who can take over games and carry the offense for stretches. That makes Hofstra dangerous — March tends to reward teams with one player capable of flipping a game on his own.

Florida: Led by third-team All-America forward Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu and Alex Condon, the Gators combine depth and athleticism with a balanced attack. They’ll also have a home-state edge in Tampa.

Prairie View: The 16th-seeded Panthers rely on speed and pressure, looking to create chaos and turn games into something less predictable. Their path here — surviving the SWAC and play-in grind — gives them a nothing-to-lose edge against the top-seeded Gators.

Clemson: The Tigers win with disciplined defense and experienced guard play, preferring control over chaos. This group also carries a larger mission — trying to push the program beyond its long-standing March ceiling.

Iowa: The Hawkeyes bring an offense-first approach and can tur games into high-scoring track meets. The question, as it has been in recent years, is whether that style can finally translate into a deeper March run. Bennett Stirtz has made a remarkable transformation from Division II player to NBA prospect.

Tampa is one of eight sites for first- and second-round games Friday and Sunday.

This is the fifth time the opening rounds have been scheduled for the downtown arena, although the 2020 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The others were in 2011, 2008 and 2003. Also, Tropicana Field (then known as the Thunderdome) was home to a 1994 subregional, 1998 South Sweet 16 and the 1999 Final Four.

When you throw in four women’s Final Fours, three hockey Frozen Four, a College Football Playoff and other sports finals it becomes noticeable that NCAA organizers have a thing for the Tampa Bay area.

Much of the credit has gone to Rob Higgins, the former director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, who is bringing a similar energy to his new role as USF’s CEO of Athletics.

“His leadership has brought some of the biggest events to this region,” former USF president Rhea Law said of Higgins in September. “But behind each of these events is a story of strategic partnerships, of ticket sales, of deep-rooted relationships, and that goes across local, regional and national landscape.”

The rush of fans, and other events downtown brought out a city traffic advisory for the weekend. Motorists should plan for congestion and large crowds in and around the arena.

“Thousands of fans from eight universities, including the defending champion Florida Gators, will be in town for the games,” the advisory said. “Alongside basketball, conventions, plays and other activities will make for an extremely busy weekend.”