Florida eyes SEC title, a No
Mar 12, 2025, 05:08 PM ET
GAINESVILLE, Fla.– There’s only one method for No. 4 Florida to ensure itself a front runner in the NCAA Competition: win the Southeastern Conference Tournament.And coach Todd Golden
badly wants among those No. 1 seeds in the NCAA field, which will be announced Sunday.”We’re going to go attempt to win this thing,”he said emphatically Wednesday.” We’re going to give it all we got. “Editor’s Picks 2 Related Florida (27-4
, 14-4 SEC )will
play Missouri,
LSU or Mississippi State in the quarterfinals Friday in Nashville, Tennessee. The second-seeded Gators get in the competition as one of the hottest groups in the league, winners of 9 of their last 10. It’s inadequate, though. Florida appears to have a rare grip on the final No. 1 seed, behind Duke, Auburn and Houston. Losing in the SEC tourney would put that at danger, especially if Alabama or Tennessee ends up cutting down the nets inside Bridgestone Arena.”To be truthful, I think it’s actually essential to us,” Golden stated.” But at the very same time, I’m uncertain how huge
of a distinction our path would genuinely be whether we’re the third or fourth 1 seed, or the first or second 2 seed.”We certainly want the 1 seed, do not get me wrong. At this moment, I believe we remain in a really good spot. Pride-wise, we’re going to do whatever we can to get this 1 seed. However I’m positive in our potential, whether we wind up getting it or we’re a high 2. “Why does it matter? Sixteen of the last 23 national champs were No. 1 seeds. 6 of the past seven champs have actually been front runners, as well as 13 of the last 17.”We’re approaching it with the very same mentality we had all year, and that’s simply going out and doing our task, trusting each other, believing in each other and go
out and win,”senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. said.Clayton included that a No. 1 seed would suggest little to him and his teammates.” Whatever course, I like my guys,”he stated.” Me and my guys against whoever. “Golden, though, thinks in analytics and numbers-so much so that he ordered up research on whether winning the league or advancing to the title game had any impact on NCAA Tournament success.Golden and his
staff were intrigued after the Gators made the SEC ending in 2015 and then lost in the NCAA’s opening round. Golden chose to turn to data to see if the two had any historic correlation.The results were blended.
“It does not matter enough,” Golden said.He pointed to Auburn as an example. The Tigers won the SEC Competition last year and after that lost in the first round of NCAAs. They also won the league tourney in 2019 and after that advanced
to the Last Four.Digging much deeper, just three
of the last 10 national champs-UConn (2024
), Kansas( 2022)and Villanova(2018)- won their conference tournament.But Florida would rather have a No. 1 seed, especially given that it would indicate playing closer to home for the first and second rounds.
“That would be a good little cherry on top of our regular season if we have the ability to get the 1 seed for sure,”Golden stated.