Florida guard Boogie Fland (0) takes the ball up the court as the Florida Gators face the Kentucky Wildcats at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla. (Matthew Lewis/WRUF)

Gators Men’s Basketball Has Top 3 Seed in March Madness

Florida men’s basketball is in a prime position to take the No. 3 seed for March Madness, giving them a strategic advantage.

With the No. 3 seed, Florida would be slated to play in Tampa, according to USA Today and Bracketville. The city provides a clear geographic advantage. The team would limit travel time and maximize a more Gators-friendly crowd. By continuing its great play, Florida has the opportunity to nab a top-three seed with relative ease.

With the big win versus Kentucky last weekend, Florida remains in sole possession of the No. 1 spot in the SEC, swiping off a potential challenger..

The Gators have now won five straight SEC conference games, improving since their upset loss to Auburn in January. The biggest remaining challenge standing between Florida and the top SEC record is Arkansas, which is currently positioned one game behind Florida. The Gators will play the Razorbacks in Gainesville on February 28, a fight for that top spot in the SEC.

Looking ahead, the Gators seem to be in a great spot for the SEC tournament in March. A top-four seed guarantees a double-bye for the tournament. A top spot in the SEC would give Florida the advantage of playing the 8th, 9th or 16th seed in their first game of the tournament.

If Florida repeats as SEC tournament champions, then its top-three seed for March Madness will be solidified. Along with the geography, the Gators face a 14th seed or worse in the round of 64.

In the past, Gators teams with higher seed positions have gone farther in the tournament. Before the national championship last year, Florida fell to Colorado in the round of 64 as a seventh seed in 2024. Under Michael White, Florida fell in the round of 32 in both 2018 and 2019 as a sixth and 10th seed, respectively. When White led the Gators to the fourth seed in 2017, they made the Sweet Sixteen.

To keep up their great pace this season, the Gators will need improved guard play, adding to their elite frontcourt. Senior guard Xaivian Lee has struggled for much of the season, shooting 27% from 3, but scored an efficient 22 points against Kentucky to lead Florida to the win. After stacking up some impressive games, the Gators will need Lee’s shooting if they want to go far into March Madness.

The Gators’ frontcourt stands solid as the foundation of their team. Center Rueben Chinyelu has continued an incredible season, leading the SEC in rebounding while providing great interior defense. Forward Thomas Haugh has proved himself a scorer, continuing to be a presence inside while also shooting 34% from three.

The main Achilles heel for this Gators team has been its 3-point shooting. As a team, it shoots under 30% from outside the arc, the worst rate in the SEC. While great interior scoring can help them dominate against smaller teams, better shooting and spacing will be necessary for the team to go deep into the tournament. Sophomore Urban Klazvar provides help off the bench, shooting 39% from three, but Lee at 27% and Boogie Fland at 18% will need to improve to help Florida’s chances.

With that being said, the Gators are one of the top teams in the tournament. Improved shooting would only get them closer to the top. Going into the final stand of the regular season, the defending national champions are looking as good as they have all season.

Category: Basketball, College Basketball, Gators Men's Basketball