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Gators Head Back To NIT

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By MICK ELLIOTT

melliott@tampatrib.com

Published: March 15, 2009

TAMPA - The Florida Gators' postseason play, to absolutely no one's surprise, will take place in the NIT.

Florida, eliminated in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Friday night by Auburn and ignored by the NCAA selection committee on Sunday, opens against the Jacksonville Dolphins at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Gainesville.

It will be the Gators' second consecutive appearance in the 32-team field consolation event since winning back-to-back NCAA national championships. Last year they advanced to the NIT's Final Four before losing in the semis.

The 23-10 Gators are the No. 1 seed in the bracket. If Florida defeats the 18-13 Dolphins from the Atlantic Sun Conference, it will play the winner between Miami and Providence.

"We're grateful for the opportunity to continue our season at the NIT," Gators coach Billy Donovan said. "We're looking forward to the opportunity to continue to practice and grow as a team. Jacksonville will be an extremely tough opponent.

"They won their league and played a very strong nonconference schedule, so we'll be playing a very formidable opponent on Wednesday."

With only three SEC teams - tournament champion Mississippi State, Tennessee and LSU - receiving NCAA invitations, conference members Auburn, South Carolina and Kentucky are also in the NIT field.

The Gators apparently received little or no consideration by the NCAA. Florida was not even listed among "bubble teams left out" during CBS's selection show that announced the March Madness pairings.

Florida was done in by a lack of quality wins and a poor regular-season finish. Only one of the Gators' victories this year came against a team ranked among the nation's top 50. That came against Washington, 86-84 in late November. Also, the Gators lost four of their final six.

Reporter Mick Elliott can be reached at (813) 281-2534.

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