Florida Gators have just been announced as one of the teams participating in the ESPN Events Invitational, set to take place in Orlando from November 26th to 29th. Joining the Gators in this high-profile tournament are Minnesota, Wake Forest, and Wichita State. ESPN Events has yet to reveal the identity of the remaining teams, but that information will be released at a later date.
High-profile tournaments like this offer valuable opportunities for Quadrant 1 and 2 games on a team’s schedule, regardless of whether they win or lose. Losing Q1 games typically does not significantly impact a team’s NCAA Tournament chances, while wins can help solidify their position in the Field of 64. The rest of Florida’s 2024-25 schedule should become clearer once the SEC matchups are released at the end of summer.
Florida last participated in this event in 2016 under then-second-year head coach Mike White. The Gators beat Seton Hall in the opening round, 81-76, before losing to Gonzaga in the semifinals, 77-72. However, they ultimately secured a hard-fought win over Miami in the third-place game, much to the delight of Gator Nation.
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