The top-ranked Florida Gators men's basketball team returns to Tampa this week carrying the weight of a stunning NCAA Tournament defeat that ended their bid for back-to-back national championships. In March, the Gators fell 73-72 to Iowa in a game played in Tampa, a loss that head coach Todd Golden and his players have not forgotten.
Golden was seen reacting intensely to a pivotal play during that March matchup, a moment captured by Associated Press photographer Jefferee Woo. The narrow margin — a single point — underscored how close Florida came to advancing deeper into the tournament and defending their title.
Now ranked No. 1 in the nation as of November 1, 2026, the Gators are back in the city where their championship hopes were dashed. The program enters the new season with a roster determined to turn the page on that disappointment, using the memory of the Iowa loss as fuel for another title run.
