Following its defeat by Vanderbilt, Florida Basketball will be seeded sixth going into the SEC Tournament. In the event that Florida does not secure a top four seed, they will advance to face Alabama, with the winner of Missouri vs. Georgia serving as Florida’s opponent.
The Gators’ bracket is still favourable despite the extra game since Florida would advance to play Kentucky in the semifinals and avoid having to play Tennessee until the championship round.
A lengthy run in the SEC Tournament might be exciting for the supporters, but history indicates that it doesn’t necessarily translate into a deep run in the NCAA Tournament that follows.
Florida Basketball: Have Fun, But Not Too Much
Florida would need to play four games in four days to win the SEC Tournament. While it is by no means the best route, eight Power Six conference teams have competed in and won titles from their respective conference tournaments since 2014.
Six more teams advanced through the tournament’s first three rounds but were defeated in the championship game.
The argument over whether Florida should go far in the tournament is more important than whether the state can go far in it.
Just two of the previous 14 teams who competed in their conference tournament ultimately advanced to the Elite Eight.
Four of the previous six teams who competed in their conference tournament were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, one was eliminated in the second, and one team—Texas A&M—did not qualify for the tournament at all.
Although every team is distinct and every situation is different, there is a general consensus that teams eventually become fatigued. The physical toll of four days of nonstop gaming is severe. Should Florida advance far in the SEC Tournament, they would play on Sunday, depart for home, recover on Monday, perhaps practise lightly on Tuesday, then take a Wednesday flight to the tournament location and play a game on Thursday or Friday.
This week, Florida’s best chance is to defeat Missouri or Georgia in the first game, then play Alabama close but let the Crimson Tide to win this one.
There are occasions when playing chess instead of checkers is preferable on the path to March Madness.
Be the first to comment