Gators, Noles earn NCAA bids; Bulls to host NIT opener

Florida is back in the NCAA Tournament after a two-year absence. Florida State is back for the second straight year but faces a difficult draw. And South Florida is in the NIT, reaching the postseason for the first time since 2002.

The Gators earned the No. 10 seed in the West Region and will play seventh-seeded BYU in the opening round Thursday in Oklahoma City. Florida has won 12 consecutive games in the NCAA Tournament, all coming during back-to-back title runs in 2006 and 2007.

The Gators missed the 65-team field the past two seasons and settled for the NIT. They desperately wanted to get back in the NCAA Tournament this year, but struggled to overcome depth issues, poor 3-point shooting and inconsistent frontcourt play.

They could have secured a berth by beating Mississippi State in the second round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament Friday, but lost 75-69 and had to wait 48 hours to learn their postseason fate.

This time, it was good news.

"It was a stressful 48 hours not knowing it we were in or out," forward Chandler Parsons said. "We're really excited to be a part of it. For most of us, it's our first experience with the NCAA Tournament."

Florida (21-12) looked like a lock to end its drought after upending Tennessee on Feb. 23, but lost four of its next five games.

Many believed the Gators had faded from the field Saturday when Houston upset No. 25 UTEP in the Conference USA final, Minnesota advanced to the Big Ten title game by thumping No. 5 Purdue, and New Mexico State knocked off Utah State in the Western Athletic Conference championship game.

But Florida's body of work was seemingly too strong to overlook. Coach Billy Donovan's squad ranked 53rd in the Ratings Percentage Index and 35th in strength of schedule.

"We're very, very excited, and grateful for the opportunity," Donovan said. "I'm most excited for our players having a chance to experience this. For most of them, this is something they haven't been through yet. They've worked so hard from day one, and it's great to see them rewarded."

FSU opens vs. Gonzaga

When the Seminoles saw their name pop up on the CBS broadcast, Coach Leonard Hamilton and his players knew they were officially in the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season.

"I got really excited," said sophomore center Solomon Alabi, who watched the selection program with his teammates at Hamilton's house. "I got up and like jumped and stuff. I kind of had an idea we would make it, but I'm really excited we get to compete in the national championship tournament. We get to compete with the best players and best teams in the nation."

The Seminoles (22-9) are a No. 9 seed in the West Region and will play No. 8 seed Gonzaga in a first-round matchup Friday at 7:10 p.m. in Buffalo, N.Y.

The Bulldogs (26-6) are No..14 and had been ranked as high as eighth earlier in the season. They are heading to the NCAA Tournament for the 12th consecutive year.

If the Seminoles were to get past the perennially ranked Bulldogs, they would then almost certainly face No. 1 seed Syracuse on Sunday afternoon, in an arena about 150 miles from the school's campus.

Not exactly an easy draw.

However, FSU sophomore Chris Singleton had a rather practical viewpoint of the Seminoles' opening weekend.

"We really don't care," Singleton said. "Somebody's got to play somebody. I'm just glad we made it. I'm just ready to play, ready to get back on the court and make up for what we did in the ACC Tournament."

Bulls to host N.C. State on Tuesday

USF (20-12), which flirted with its first bid to the NCAA Tournament since 1992, will instead host North Carolina State (19-15) on Tuesday at 8 p.m. in the 32-team National Invitational Tournament. The winner will play the winner of Alabama-Birmingham and Coastal Carolina.

"It's a great second opportunity for us," USF coach Stan Heath said. "I sense the excitement of our players. There is a great field and we're playing for a championship."

The Bulls will make their eighth trip to the NIT, hosting their first postseason game since a victory against Coppin State 15 years ago in the second round of the NIT.

Meanwhile, N.C. State is one of the hottest teams in the 32-team field. The Wolfpack upset Clemson in the first round of the ACC Tournament and knocked out Florida State in the second round. The Wolfpack's unlikely run through the ACC Tournament finally ended with a loss to Georgia Tech in Saturday's ACC semifinals.