Gators Improve Chances of Top NCAA Tournament Seed

Florida's late-season surge puts them in mix for fourth No. 1 seed

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The defending national champion Florida Gators have surged late in the season and now appear to have a strong case for a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. After a 5-4 start, the fifth-ranked Gators have won 11 straight games and are 25-6 overall, 16-2 in SEC play. Coach Todd Golden's team has been dominant during the winning streak, winning by an average of 21.7 points per game.

Why it matters

Earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament is a significant accomplishment that provides a team with the best path to the Final Four. Florida's strong finish to the regular season has put them in position to potentially secure one of the four No. 1 seeds, which would be a major boost to their chances of repeating as national champions.

The details

The Gators closed the regular season with an 84-77 win at Kentucky, sweeping the Wildcats and leading for all 80 minutes. During their 11-game winning streak, Florida has won by an average of 21.7 points, with seven wins of at least 19 points. The Gators rank fourth in the NCAA Net with an 11-5 record in Quad 1 games, the most such wins of any team in the top 10.

  • Florida entered the season as the defending national champions.
  • The Gators started the season 5-4 before going on their current 11-game winning streak.
  • Florida will begin play in the SEC Tournament on Friday.

The players

Todd Golden

The head coach of the Florida Gators men's basketball team.

Walter Clayton

A former starting guard for the Florida Gators who has since departed the team.

Alijah Martin

A former starting guard for the Florida Gators who has since departed the team.

Will Richard

A former starting guard for the Florida Gators who has since departed the team.

John Andrzejek

A former assistant coach for the Florida Gators who has since taken a job at Campbell University.

Kevin Hovde

A former assistant coach for the Florida Gators who has since taken a job at Columbia University.

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What they’re saying

“All of our advanced metrics are top four, for the most part. We didn't play our best basketball in November. But a lot of the numbers are pointed to (a 1 seed) now. We got a lot to work on, though, before we can really plant our flag on that.”

— Todd Golden, Head Coach

“Transparently, probably tough to catch Arizona, probably tough to catch Duke at this point. Michigan is probably in there. But that fourth one's open.”

— Todd Golden, Head Coach

“What we've been able to do in the SEC, if we're able to finish the right way, I think we'll have some other feathers in our cap that we could sell to the committee.”

— Todd Golden, Head Coach

“I think we just got to keep winning. Keep winning and we'll figure it out. I don't know what exactly that looks like or if we could afford to lose one or not. There are too many things that can happen between now and Selection Sunday to say that.”

— Todd Golden, Head Coach

What’s next

If the Gators win the SEC Tournament, they will likely secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

Florida's late-season surge has put them in prime position to earn a coveted No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, a significant accomplishment that would boost their chances of repeating as national champions. The Gators have proven they can win convincingly against top competition in the SEC, and their advanced metrics suggest they deserve serious consideration for one of the four No. 1 seeds.