Florida gets No. 1 seed in West Region, will open March Madness against Norfolk State

By Canadian Press on March 16, 2025.

Florida is the No. 1 team in the West Region in its bid to erase last year’s early NCAA Tournament exit.

The Gators (30-4) will open against No. 16 Norfolk State in Raleigh, North Carolina, with a potential matchup against two-time reigning national champion UConn in the second round. The eighth-seeded Huskies open against No. 9 seed Oklahoma in a West Region that concludes in San Francisco.

Florida lost to Colorado in the first round last season, coach Todd Golden’s second in Gainesville. The fourth-ranked Gators have been one of the nation’s most well-rounded teams this year, ranking No. 1 in the KenPom offensive efficiency ratings and 10 on defense.

Florida took down No. 21 Missouri, No. 5 Alabama and No. 8 Tennessee in consecutive days to win the SEC tournament for the first time since 2014.

The West Region also includes second-seeded St. John’s, fresh off its first Big East tournament title since 2000, No. 3 Texas Tech, No. 4 Maryland and No. 7 Kansas.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.

John Marshall, The Associated Press

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