Nearly a week after it’s upset loss to Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference Tournament, Florida (14-4-1, 9-2 SEC) learned Monday it will face Mercer (14-5-2, 6-1-2 Southern Conference) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed.
As one of four No. 2 seeds in the 64-team field, the Gators will get to host their first-round game, which will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
Both teams enter the game from very different places psychologically.
Mercer is coming off a three-game winning streak and Southern Conference tournament title, while Florida has had since Wednesday to dwell on its aforementioned opening round SEC tournament defeat to Tennessee.
But Gators coach Becky Burleigh believes the time off has been just what the doctor ordered for Florida.
“Obviously, we never want to lose,” Burleigh said, “but I think that the fact that we’ve had this opportunity to really refocus ourselves, and to get ourselves physically where we want to be before we even start this preparation faze right now is big time.”
If Florida advances Sunday, it would play the winner of San Diego State and California in the second round.
The other seeded teams in Florida’s region are No. 1 seed Stanford, No. 3 seed Texas Tech and No. 4 seed Washington.
The Gators met the top seeded Cardinals earlier in the season in Palo Alto, California, where Florida fell 1-0 in overtime.
But for Burleigh, all of the focus is on Mercer and the team’s preparations this week.
“I don’t look at all at the rest of the bracket,” she said. “I know everyone says that, but I really don’t. I don’t even want a bracket in my office.”
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UF coach Becky Burleigh looks down the field during Florida's season-opening win against Miami on Aug. 24, 2014.
