Florida Gators Set to Face Prairie View A&M or Lehigh in NCAA Tournament First Round

The Gators will take on the winner of the Prairie View A&M vs. Lehigh matchup in the opening round of the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in Tampa.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 3:03am

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The University of Florida men's basketball team, with a 26-7 record, will face either Prairie View A&M (18-17) or Lehigh (18-16) in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The game is scheduled for Friday, April 20 at 9:25 p.m. Eastern Time at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida and will be televised on TNT.

Why it matters

The Gators' participation in the NCAA Tournament represents a significant moment for the program and its fans. A successful first-round performance could set the stage for a deeper tournament run, but will depend on how the team fares against a resilient opponent that has already demonstrated the ability to reach this stage.

The details

The first-round matchup will be called by the TNT broadcast team of Tom McCarthy, Candace Parker, Dan Bonner and AJ Ross. Fans can also listen to the game on the Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD, with Sean Kelley, Lee Humphrey, and Steve Egan providing commentary. A live audio stream will be available on the Varsity Network app.

  • The game is scheduled for Friday, April 20 at 9:25 p.m. Eastern Time.
  • The Florida Gators will hold an open practice at Benchmark International Arena on Thursday, March 19 from 4:15-4:45 PM, which is free and open to the public.
  • A team send-off will be held on Wednesday, March 18 at 7:15 PM at the James W. Bill Heavener Center.
  • A welcome event in Tampa is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18 at 9:30 PM at the JW Marriott, located at 510 Water St.
  • A 'Gator Walk' will take place on Friday, March 20 at 7:30 PM at the JW Marriott.

The players

University of Florida

The University of Florida men's basketball team has a 26-7 record and is participating in the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

Prairie View A&M

Prairie View A&M has an 18-17 record and will face Lehigh in a first-round matchup, with the winner advancing to play the University of Florida.

Lehigh

Lehigh has an 18-16 record and will face Prairie View A&M in a first-round matchup, with the winner advancing to play the University of Florida.

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