The Florida Gators' most memorable Sweet 16 wins
Prior to this season, the Florida basketball program had competed in the NCAA Tournament 24 times. The Gators reached the Sweet 16 on 11 occasions. In those games, the program has gone a stellar 9-2. Thursday, Florida, which is 32-4 and the No. 1 seed in the West Region, will face fourth-seeded Maryland (27-8) in San Francisco. Today, we look back at the program’s most memorable Sweet 16 wins.
-Mar 25, 1994, Miami, Fla.: No. 3-seeded Florida upsets No. 2-seeded UConn, 69–60 in OT — Connecticut All-American forward Donyell Marshall went to the foul line with 3.4 seconds left in regulation with the game tied. But Marshall, a 75.8% free-throw shooter, missed both shots and in overtime, the Gators dominated. Florida guards Dan Cross and Craig Brown accounted for 34 of the Gators’ 69 points. Forward Demetri Hill added 15 for the Gators. UF beat Boston College two days later. 74–66, to reach the program’s first Final Four.
Down goes Duke !!!
-Mar 24, 2000, Syracuse, N.Y.: No. 5-seeded Florida upsets No. 1-seeded Duke, 87–78 — Florida outscored Duke 13-0 in the final four minutes to knock off the No. 1 team in the country. The Blue Devils had won 26 straight games in the East Region since 1986 and were 21-3 as the top seed. Florida guard Brett Nelson scored 15 points and Gators forward Mike Miller hit four big free throws in the final minute as UF pulled off a shocker. Duke did not get a basket in the final 4:45 of the game. Florida beat Oklahoma State 77–65 two days later to secure the program’s first Final Four appearance under coach Billy Donovan.
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-March 24, 2006, Minneapolis, Mn.: No. 3-seeded Florida beats No. 7-seeded Georgetown, 57–53 — The Hoyas, under second-year coach John Thompson III, son of legendary Georgetown coach John Thompson Jr., gave Florida’s first national title team everything it could handle. The one could have gone either way, but a three-point play by Gators forward Corey Brewer with 27.5 seconds remaining was huge. Georgetown led 53-52 entering the final minute, when Brewer grabbed an offensive rebound and made an acrobatic shot while being fouled. Florida center Al Horford later hit two foul shots to seal it. Two days later, the Gators beat Villanova to reach Donovan’s second Final Four. There, the Gators would beat George Mason and UCLA for their first of back-to-back championships.
Florida Gators say CHEEZ with stunning win in the Big Apple
-March 24, 2017, New York City, NY: No. 4-seeded Florida beats No. 8-seeded Wisconsin, 84–83 in OT — At famed Madison Square Garden, it was a wild scene from start to finish. The Badgers at one time led by 11 points in the opening half. Meanwhile, the Gators led by as many as 12 in the second half. Wisconsin wiped out an eight-point deficit in the final 2:54 of regulation. In overtime, Florida erased a five-point hole in the final 49 seconds and then won the game on a 3-pointer at the overtime buzzer by guard Chris Chiozza. Because of Chiozza’s heroics, it often is forgotten that Gators guard KeVaughn Allen scored a game-high 35 points. Florida fell to South Carolina 77–70 in the Elite Eight.
