TAMPA - There are no guarantees, of course, but the Florida Gators are a logical choice to begin the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in Tampa.
The Gators (23-6), with Saturday's trip to Vanderbilt and the SEC Tournament still remaining, are projected as a No. 3 or No. 4 seed in the 68-team field. Since 2003, the NCAA has employed a pod bracketing system that tries to provide a geographic advantage for top-four seeded teams.
The St. Pete Times Forum begins with early-round games March 17 — two weeks from today — and continues March 19.
"We've got more business to take care of before thinking about the NCAA Tournament, but going to Tampa would be ideal,'' Gators forward Chandler Parsons said. "It's definitely better when you're closer to home. It's better for our fans and easier for everybody.''
The Gators haven't made it easy on themselves at the Forum, though. As a No. 2 seed in 2003, UF was eliminated by Michigan State in the NCAA's second round. Additionally, the Gators lost there in the 2009 SEC Tournament quarterfinals and also were defeated by Syracuse in last season's SEC/Big East Challenge.
On the other hand, UF's run to the 2006 national championship began with early round games at Jacksonville. The Gators' first road to the Final Four (1994) was paved through regionals at Miami.
"They could send us to the desert as long as we're in the tournament,'' UF athletic director Jeremy Foley said. "I just want to go play, wherever it is. That being said, if we are sent to Tampa, it means a short trip for our players, better travel access for our in-state fans and some home-court advantage at a facility where we've played before. Are we rooting for that? You bet we are.''
The Florida State Seminoles (20-9 after Wednesday night's loss to North Carolina) are expected to earn their third consecutive NCAA Tournament bid, but it's unlikely that FSU would be sent to Tampa. The Seminoles are projected anywhere between a No. 7 and No. 10 seed.
Elsewhere, other high-seeded teams are expected to earn similar geographic rewards, such as Duke being sent to Charlotte, N.C.; Ohio State getting a trip to Cleveland; Kansas drawing a spot in Tulsa, Okla.; and Notre Dame hopping over to Chicago.
"Our No. 1 objective is putting together a national tournament that has competitive balance,'' said Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, chairman of the NCAA men's basketball selection committee. "But we do everything we can to protect the higher seeds and make sure they play closer to home.''
The NCAA Tournament introduces two new features this season:
•The field has expanded from 65 to 68 teams. The "First Four'' — a series of four play-in games — will be held March 15 and 16 in Dayton, Ohio. Two games, involving small-conference teams, will produce a pair of No. 16 seeds. From the other games, involving the last four at-large picks, the two winners likely will become No. 11 or No. 12 seeds.
