Ugly wins don’t exist in the NCAA Tournament.
There are just wins.
The Gators earned an upset in their First Round matchup with Nevada, but it sure wasn’t pretty.
The reward? A Saturday matchup with No. 2-seed Michigan (28-6).
The odds are certainly against Florida in that game, but at this point, does it really matter?
Had the Gators lost to the Wolf Pack, especially by blowing a double-digit lead, fans would have quickly forgotten the team’s growth in the month of February. A great run in the SEC Tournament would have been meaningless.
If Florida bowed out of the tournament by losing to a mid-major team on the first day, even one with the talent and size of Nevada, it would be disappointing.
Every time you lose in the postseason, it hurts. But the fact is this: By beating Nevada, Florida has met its tournament expectations. Any wins beyond this one would be a pleasant surprise for a team that struggled mightily throughout the season.
The Gators are now playing with house money.
In all likelihood, they’ll be significant underdogs against any potential team they could face from here. I doubt many will even give Florida a chance to take down the Wolverines, let alone make a deep tournament run.
But the team knows that. If anything, it probably prefers it that way.
Coach Mike White’s squad took care of business in the first round. The Gators won their first ever First Round game as a double digit seed.
Now, they’ll embrace the role of Cinderella. They can only hope the clock doesn’t strike midnight on their tournament run against Michigan.
Tyler Nettuno is a sports writer for the Alligator. Follow him on Twitter @TylerNettuno or contact him at tnettuno@alligator.org.
The Gators will take on Michigan on Saturday in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
