Downtown Tampa will be alive for the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Charting the Gators: Sunshine State NCAA Fate
Monday, March 16, 2026 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The state of Florida has been pretty good to the Florida basketball program over the years.
Which is how it should be, right?
For the last few weeks, the Gators – on their way to the 2026 Southeastern Conference title – had been trending toward playing the NCAA Tournament close to home, so it was no surprise when the field of 68 was announced Sunday night and tossed UF, as the tournament's fourth overall seed and No. 1 seed in the Southeast Region, into the Tampa pod scheduled for Friday and Sunday at Benchmark International Arena. That's a two-hour bus ride down Interstate-75.
"I think it's fantastic," UF coach Todd Golden said Monday.
The Gators (26-7) will play the winner of Wednesday night's 16-seed play-in game between Lehigh (18-16) and Prairie View A&M (18-17) at Dayton, Ohio.
When UF takes the floor Friday night, it'll mark the program's 14th all-time NCAA game played in the home state – in four different cities – and the first since 2017. The Gators are 11-2 all-time when kept at home, though Tampa was the scene of one of those defeats. The first, back in 1994, was as joyous as it was historic.
Below is a look at those Sunshine State house calls.
Gators forward Devin Robinson with a nasty throw-down in a 2017 first-round NCAA defeat of East Tennessee at Orlando.
CHARTING THE GATORS
Florida will play its 14th (and hopes for a 15th) NCAA Tournament game in the state of Florida this weekend during the Southeast Regional at Tampa. Here's a look back at the previous 13.
Year
City (venue)
Match-up (seeds)
Outcome
1994
Miami (Miami Arena)
East Region semifinal
UF (3) vs UConn (4)
W 69-60 (OT)
Huskies All-America forward Donyell Marshall clangs 2 FTs with 3 seconds left in regular; Gators dominate in OT. Guard Craig Brown outstanding with 17 pt, 9 reb, 4 ast.
Year
City (venue)
Match-up (seeds)
Outcome
1994
Miami (Miami Arena)
East Region final
UF (3) vs Boston College (9)
W 74-66
Florida shoots 51% vs Eagles team that ousted 1-seed Indiana. Brown with four second-half 3 on way to 21 points. Forward Andrew DeClercq 16 pt, 13 reb, epic block-shot hustle play. Gators advance to first Final Four.
Year
City (venue)
Match-up (seeds)
Outcome
1995
Tallahassee (Leon County Civic Center)
Southeast Region 1st round
UF (10) vs Iowa State (7)
L 64-61
Cyclones erase 8-point Gators lead with less than four minutes to play behind backup forward Julius Michalik (17 pt, 3 3-pointers). ISU guard Fred Hoiberg with 15 pt, 7 reb. Senior guard Dan Cross misses game-tying 3 at the buzzer.
Year
City (venue)
Match-up (seeds)
Outcome
2003
Tampa (St. Pete Times Forum)
Southeast Region 1st round
UF (2) vs Sam Houston St (15)
W 85-55
Florida builds 14-point halftime lead and cruises to rout. Center David Lee (23 pt, 6 reb) and guard Anthony Roberson (16 pt, 5-7 from 3) lead the way.
Year
City (venue)
Match-up (seeds)
Outcome
2003
Tampa (St. Pete Times Forum)
Southeast Region 2nd round
UF (2) vs Michigan State (7)
L 68-46
Spartans pounce from start, give Gators a lesson in toughness. Game is never close. MSU shoots 58% to UF's 37, wins 30-22 on glass and forces 14 turnovers. Backup guard Maurice Ager 16 pt for Spartans. Forward Matt Bonner 6 pt, 6 reb in final Gator game.
Year
City (venue)
Match-up (seeds)
Outcome
2006
Jacksonville (Veterans Memorial Coliseum)
Midwest Region 1st round
UF (3) vs South Alabama (14)
W 76-50
Gators toy with Jaguars for a half, then shoot 56% after intermission. Lee Humphrey pours in 20 points on six 3s. USA coached by former Billy Donovan UF assistant John Pelphrey, who got Arkansas job the next week.
Year
City (venue)
Match-up (seeds)
Outcome
2006
Jacksonville (Veterans Memorial Coliseum)
Midwest Region 2nd round
UF (3) vs Wisconsin-Milwaukee (11)
W 82-60
Another so-so first half (UF up by just 8) and strong second half (59% shooting), with forward Corey Brewer scoring 23 points and center Joakim Noah tallying 17 pt, 7 reb, 6 ast, 4 blocks.
Year
City (venue)
Match-up (seeds)
Outcome
2011
Tampa (St. Pete Times Forum)
Southeast Region 1st round
UF (2) vs UC-Santa Barbara (15)
W 79-51
SEC champion Gators shoot 58% in first half and roll to 24-point lead. Never threatened. SEC Player of Year Chandler Parson flirts with triple-double (10 pt, 7 reb, 19 ast), with PG Erving Walker adding 18 pt, 6 ast.
Year
City (venue)
Match-up (seeds)
Outcome
2011
Tampa
(St. Pete Times Forum)
Southeast Region 2nd round
UF (2) vs UCLA (7)
W 73-65
Gators defeat Bruins for a third straight time in NCAA play. Walker throws in 21 pt, with forward Alex Tyus good for 8 pt, 13 reb. UF heads to "Sweet 16."
Year
City (venue)
Match-up (seeds)
Outcome
2014
Orlando (Amway Center)
Southeast Region 1st round
UF (1) vs Albany (16)
W 67-55
Stubborn Stags stick around for a half before No. 1 overall seed Gators make some distance in the second half. Center Patric Young with 10 pt, 10 reb.
Year
City (venue)
Match-up (seeds)
Outcome
2014
Orlando (Amway Center)
Southeast Region 2nd round
UF (1) vs Pittsburgh (9)
W 61-45
SEC Player of the Year Scottie Wilbekin hits 40-foot shot at halftime buzzer on way to 21 points and guiding Gators to "Sweet 16."
Year
City (venue)
Match-up (seeds)
Outcome
2017
Orlando
(Amway Center)
East Region 1st round
UF (4) vs East Tennessee St (13)
W 80-65
Up just a point at halftime, Gators awaken in second half to shoot 54% and defend Buccaneers at 33%. Forward Devin Robinson with career-high 24 pt, plus 7 reb and 2 blocks.
Year
City (venue)
Match-up (seeds)
Outcome
2017
Orlando (Amway Center)
East Region 2nd round
UF (4) vs Virginia (5)
W 65-39
UF holds UVA to 17 first-half points and just 29.6% shooting for the game (1-for-15 from 3-pt line). Robinson (14 pt, 11 reb) and forward Justin Leon (14 pt, 10 reb) both with double doubles to roll into "Sweet 16."
SEC Tournament: Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Todd Golden Postgame Press Conference 3-14-26SEC Tournament: Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Todd Golden Postgame Press Conference 3-14-26
Saturday, March 14
SEC Tournament: Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Coach Golden 3-13-26SEC Tournament: Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Coach Golden 3-13-26
Friday, March 13
SEC Tournament: Florida vs. Kentucky Highlights 3-13-26SEC Tournament: Florida vs. Kentucky Highlights 3-13-26
Friday, March 13
Rueben Chinyelu Media Availability 3-10-26Rueben Chinyelu Media Availability 3-10-26
