Even before the NCAA Tournament selection show came to a close, the Gators were facing criticism for receiving a No. 2 seed.
ESPN’s Doug Gottlieb called them the tournament’s “most overseeded” team, while Charles Barkley said Florida was overrated.
Even some of UF’s players were surprised by the decision.
“The two seed kind of shocked me,” senior forward Chandler Parsons said. “But I think we deserve it. I’m happy with it.”
With the exception of Sunday’s 70-54 loss to Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference Tournament finals, the Gators closed the season as hot as any team in the nation.
But early season losses to Jacksonville and UCF were significant blemishes on an otherwise-strong resume, and many assumed they would keep Florida off the No. 2 line.
“I had a feeling we were going to be a three seed, honestly,” Parsons said.
Although projected as a three by most prognosticators, coach Billy Donovan said Florida’s No. 7 nonconference strength of schedule and 11 wins over RPI top-50 teams were enough to push the Gators over the top.
SEC Commissioner and former member of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee Mike Slive advised Donovan that scheduling a difficult nonconference slate would be critical, and the committee is less concerned with how a team performs in the conference portion of its season.
“I wasn’t necessarily surprised by it,” Donovan said. “We probably got rewarded for the whole body of work of what happened during the course of the season.”
Although many Florida players felt it didn’t make a difference where they were seeded, the No. 2 spot may have both positive and negative effects on the team’s postseason.
While the higher seed is meant to give UF an easier path to the Sweet 16, it also puts a target on the Gators’ backs.
“We’re going to get every team’s best shot because we are the two seed and a lot of people have stuff to say about that,” sophomore guard Kenny Boynton said. “What it’s going to come down to is who wants to win the most.”
Parsons said what experts think about their seed is insignificant, and Florida is only focused on its next opponent.
Boynton took a different approach, saying his team can be inspired by the criticism.
“We’re going to use the most motivation we can,” Boynton said. “They don’t feel like we’re a two, so we’ll show them.”
PARSONS, DONOVAN WIN AP AWARDS: After winning the SEC Player and Coach of the Year Awards from the conference’s coaches last week, Chandler Parsons and Billy Donovan completed a season sweep by garnering the same accolades from The Associated Press.
Guard Erving Walker was also honored, earning a spot on the AP’s All-SEC second team.
“I’m honored to be noticed for what I do out there: playing unselfish, playing team ball,” Parsons said. “I couldn’t do it without my teammates and my coaches, so it’s just a huge blessing for me.”
