Following an 82-73 loss to top-seeded and ninth-ranked Tennessee in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Friday, Florida awaits its postseason fate, hoping for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
However, unlike last season when the Gators snuck in as a No. 9 seed — the selection committee acknowledged Florida was one of the last four teams into the Big Dance a year ago — there will likely be little drama while awaiting their destination this year.
The NCAA Tournament selections will be announced on March 18 beginning at 7 p.m.
But the Gators likely will not hear their name called until later in the evening when the WNIT bracket is revealed.
Florida (18-14, 6-10 SEC) boasts a resume unlikely to warrant an opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament.
Of UF’s 18 victories this season, only two have come against teams with an RPI of 50 or better. UF beat LSU on Jan. 6 and Pacific on Dec. 7 — squads with respective RPIs of 33 and 43 — but were otherwise unable to notch a signature victory.
“We’re obviously disappointed,” coach Amanda Butler said following her team’s loss to Tennessee in the SEC Tournament on Friday.
“We didn’t come here to play close or make it respectable (or) with any other expectation except to win.”
Butler has repeated that message numerous times this season but continues to be troubled with similarly frustrating results.
Florida faced nine teams during conference play that were ranked entering Sunday. Butler’s squad topped LSU and lost the other eight contests by just 8.4 points per game.
But beating LSU does less to legitimize Florida’s postseason merit than defeating No. 12 Georgia did last season.
The Gators then went on to upset eighth-seeded Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual-champion Baylor in the next round.
Without a similar victory — plus losses to both Ole Miss and Missouri, two teams that struggled mightily in conference play — UF will likely settle for its fourth trip to the WNIT in six seasons.
“We still got a lot of learning to do, a lot of growing up to do in terms of how to bring your best over and over and over again, possession to possession to possession, half to half,” Butler said.
“We still have too many people that play a great second half or lead us in the first half and then are nowhere to be found (in) the second half.”
Jaterra Bonds, who led the Gators in scoring during conference play, continued to be a catalyst in UF’s two games in the SEC Tournament.
Bonds became the 22nd player in program history to eclipse 1,000 points in her career by averaging 17.5 points against Arkansas and Tennessee.
“We just didn’t execute,” Bonds said, “offensively (or) defensively.”
Contact Phillip Heilman at pheilman@alligator.org.
Guard Jaterra Bonds (10) attempts a shot during Florida’s 69-58 win against Arkansas on Feb. 28 in the O’Connell Center.
