Two Florida teams made the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament last season. Sadly, Maimi and FAU were eliminated one round short of the championship game.
This season, the Sunshine State is likely to send a handful of teams to the tournament once again. You can wager on all of your favorite Florida NCAAB teams in this year’s March Madness tournament.
You can even bet on your phone using the top betting apps. Keep reading to see which teams from the Sunshine State have the best chance to make the Final Four this season.
2024 March Madness Viewers Guide
The 2023-2024 Men’s NCAAB season just started, and there are plenty of games to play. There is still a long way to go, but many basketball fans already have an eye on Selection Sunday next spring.
When Does March Madness Start?
March Madness is one of the biggest betting events of the year, and for good reason. The 2023 tournament reminded everyone that anything can happen once the single-elimination tournament is underway.
This year’s event starts on March 17th with the annual Selection Sunday. After the teams are announced, the schedule for the 2024 NCAA Tournament will look like this:
- First Four: March 19th – 20th
- First and Second Round: March 21st -24th
- Regional Rounds: March 28th – 30th
- Final Four: April 6th – 8th
The First Four will compete for their spots in the final 64 starting March 19th. Then, the real tournament kicks off starting on March 21st. This season’s tournament will take place across the US, with all roads leading to Arizona for the Final Four.
Where Is March Madness this Season?
The NCAA Tournament features the best 68 teams in Men’s College basketball. There are simply too many games to be played for one city to host the entire tournament.
This year’s games will take place in a variety of cities. The three rounds alone will feature nine cities, including:
- Dayton, Ohio (First Four)
- Brooklyn, New York
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Spokane, Washington
- Memphis, Tennessee
The regional finals will take place in Boston, Dallas, Detroit, and LA. When it is all said and done, the remaining teams will meet in Glendale, Arizona for the Final Four.
Florida Teams Most Likely to Make the Final Four this Season
Florida Atlantic Basketball.
It’s Real.
And It’s Spectacular.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) December 1, 2023
There are no tournament games in Florida this season. If any team from the Sunshine State wants to make it to the Final Four, they will need to play well on the road. Here are the five most likely Florida teams to make the Final Four in the men’s tournament.
UCF Knights
Starting off my list of Florida basketball teams most likely to make the Final Four is UCF. The Knights last made the tournament in 2019 and made it to the Round of 32 before being eliminated. Their only Final Four appearance came in 1978 when they were still a D-II team.
UCF has played well under head coach Johnny Dawkins, winning roughly 60% of its games since Dawkins took over. Dawkins has the second-highest career winning percentage in UFC history, behind only Torchy Clark (75.5%).
Their appearance in the 2019 tournament came as a #9 seed, their highest in school history. UCF made the NIT last spring, falling in the second round to Oregon.
This year, the Knights have started off hot. They won four of their first six games, with all of their wins coming at home. If they can keep their momentum through the season, the Knights could make their first tournament appearance in a half-decade.
Sadly, it is unlikely that the Knights will make it much further than the early rounds. They do have three players averaging double-digit points, though, and anything can happen once the tournament starts.
Florida State Seminoles
Up next is Florida State, who, like UCF, missed the tournament the last two seasons. The Seminoles have appeared in four tournaments since 2017, though, and made it to the Elite 8 in 2018.
FSU has eight March Madness appearances under head coach Leonard Hamilton. Hamilton took over the team in 2002 and has won nearly 62% of his games with the Seminoles. He has also won three ACC Coach of the Year Awards while at FSU.
The Seminoles have been one of the best teams in the ACC through the early part of the season. Jamir Watkins’ 14.2 points per game led the team through the first five times. Their defense has been the bigger story, though, and helped FSU upset #18 Colorado.
If FSU’s defense can hold up, then the Seminoles have a chance to make the tournament. They have to be tested against a top team this season, though. If they get in a shootout, then the Seminoles could be in trouble.
Florida Gators
Another early leader in their conference is the Florida Gators. Florida’s 4-2 start helped them secure a top spot in the SEC to begin the season. The Gators came up short in their biggest test of the earlier part of the season, though.
Florida lost to #13 Baylor, 95-91, ending a three-game winning streak. The Gators do not play another ranked team until January, though. If the Gators can beat up on their unranked opponents, they should be able to crack the top 25.
The Gators missed the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year this past spring. Prior to their current streak, they had made the Round of 32 in four straight tournaments. Florida’s last Final Four appearance was back in 2014, though.
If Florida can make the tournament this season, it would be their first appearance under head Coach Todd Golden. He took over the team in 2022 and went 16-17 in his first season as the Gators’ coach.
Year two has gone better so far for Golden, with four players averaging 14 or more PPG this season. If upperclassmen like Walter Clayton Jr. and Tyrese Samuel can continue playing well, Florida should make it back to the dance.
Miami Hurricanes
There were only two teams on this list that made the March Madness tournament last season. Both teams made it to the Final Four and are looking for repeat performances.
The first is the Miami Hurricanes, who entered last year’s tournament as a 5th seed. They bear four teams en route to a Final Four appearance. Miami’s run through the tournament included wins over the following teams:
- #12 Drake
- #4 Indiana
- #1 Houston
- #2 Texas
The Hurricane’s run came to an abrupt end against UConn, though. Miami lost 72-59 to the fourth-seeded Huskies.
This season, the team from South Florida has a chance to go all the way. They have started the season 5-0, and started the season with a 88-72 win against the aforementioned UCF. A big reason for the early success is the fact that Miami returned several starters from last season.
Upperclassmen Wooga Poplar, Matthew Cleveland, and Norchad Omier have been instrumental in the Hurricanes’ success so far. They are three of the five Miami players averaging double-digit points this season. Omier also leads the team in rebounds with 9.2 per game so far this year.
Florida Atlantic Owls
Rounding out my list of Florida basketball teams with the best chances of making the Final Four this season is Florida Atlantic. The Owls made it to the Final Four last season, losing a nail-bitter to San Diego State, 72-71.
FAU’s run was just as impressive as Miami’s. The Owls were a ninth-seed, and the lower-ranked team in almost every matchup. To get to the Final Four, FAU beat the following teams:
- #8 Memphis
- ##16 FDU
- #4 Tennessee
- #3 Kansas State
If not for a game-winning shot by Lamont Butler as time expired, the Owls would have made it to the Finals. FAU has used last year’s success to fuel them to a 5-1 record to start the season. Junior Center Vladislav Goldin leads the team in points (14.8 PPG) and rebounds (6.8 RPG).
Of all the teams from the Sunshine State, the Owls are currently in the best position to make it to the Final Four. FAU is currently ranked 19th in the top 25 and would be a clear candidate to make the tournament if it started today.
The concern is that FAU is coming off of just its second tournament appearance. Last year’s run to the Final Four was by far the team’s best result in their two appearances. The third time could be the charm for the Owls, though, who have all the pieces they need for another deep March Madness run.
Do You Believe a Florida Team Will Make the Final Four?
After deep runs last season, the Hurricanes and the Owls are tied for the best odds of any Florida team to make the Final Four in 2024. The Gators, Seminoles, and Knights could also make surprising runs if they can make it into the dance this season. Check out the list above for a closer look at all five of these Florida-based college basketball teams.
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