Gators are next for upstart Flyers
Associated Press
MEMPHIS, Tenn.
The Dayton Flyers are feeling very confident and loose with the upsets they’ve already pulled this NCAA tournament. They’re also ready to wreck what’s left of anyone’s bracket with their greatest challenge ahead and a trip to the Final Four on the line.
Enter the Florida Gators, the overall top seed.
While the 11th-seeded Flyers (26-10) already have exceeded expectations going into tonight’s South Regional final, the Gators are driven too. They talk of chasing greatness, trying to add to a 29-game winning streak that’s the best in school history. Florida also is back in the Elite Eight having lost here the past three years.
“We’re just very blessed and fortunate to be a team that can put themselves in this opportunity to play for a Final Four again,” Florida senior Patric Young said.
The Gators ended their past three seasons ended by Butler in overtime, Louisville and Michigan. Young said the Gators have learned lessons from each of those regional final losses from not finishing a game when they had a lead or not coming out ready like a year ago when Michigan routed them 79-59.
“We’re going to do the best we can and make sure we go out there leaving no regrets,” Young said.
Florida (35-2) hasn’t lost since Dec. 2 at UConn, and the Gators’ win over UCLA matched the school record for most wins in a season set by the 2007 national championship squad. Their string of Elite Eights is even more impressive considering no other team has even made four straight Sweet 16s in the same span.
“You understand kind of their pedigree right now,” Dayton coach Archie Miller said. “They’re the number 1 overall seed for a reason. They’ve won 29 games in a row. I don’t know who can help me, to be honest with you.”