University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Face Florida for Sweet 16 Berth
3/23/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
| Minnesota (21-12) vs. Florida (27-7) | |
| Date | Sunday, March 24, 2012 |
| Time | 5:10 p.m. CT |
| Location | Frank Ervin Events Center (16,292) |
| Series Record | Minnesota leads 1-0 |
| Last Meeting | W, 74-66 (Mar. 17, 1993) |
| Television | TNT (Tim Brando, Mike Gminski, Otis Livingston) |
| Radio | Learfield/1500 ESPN (Listen Online) |
| (Mike Grimm, Spencer Tollackson) | |
| Live Stats | |
| March Madness Live | Live Game |
| Real-Time Highlights | |
| Post-Game Press Conferences | |
| Interactive Bracket | |
| Game Notes | Minnesota | Florida |
| Season Statistics | Minnesota | Florida |
| Social Media | Facebook | @GopherBBall | @CoachTubbySmith |
SERIES INFORMATION
Series: 2nd meeting (1-0)
Series (Neutral): 1st meeting
Current Streak: W-1
Last Meeting: March 17, 1993 (W, 74-66)
Tubby Smith vs. Florida: 27th meeting (16-10)
Minnesota in NCAA Tournament: 13-11**
Tubby Smith in NCAA Tournament: 30-15
** Minnesota's 1994, `95, `97, `99 tournament records have since been vacated.
Game Day Tid-Bits:
• Minnesota is making its 12th overall NCAA Tournament appearance (1972, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2013), and its third trip under six-year head coach Tubby Smith. Minnesota's appearances during the 1994, '95, '97 and '99 tournaments have since been vacated.
• Minnesota is the No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in school history. The Gophers' previous appearances were during 1989, when they knocked off No. 6 seed Kansas State, 86-75, and No. 14 Siena (80-67) to reach the Sweet 16 before falling to second-seeded Duke, 87-70. Minnesota lost to No. 6 Xavier 76-62 in the 2010 tournament.
• Florida will be Minnesota's 12th game against a team ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of the game. The Gophers are 6-5 in those games.
• Tubby Smith is making his 17th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and third as the head coach at Minnesota. Smith is 30-15 (.667) all-time in the NCAA Tournament and led the 1998 Kentucky Wildcats to the National Title with a 78-69 victory over Utah in San Antonio.
• Smith is one of only a handful of active coaches to take four teams to the NCAA Tournament (John Beilein, Lon Kruger, Rick Pitino, Larry Eustachy).
• Smith is also just one of two active coaches (Kruger) to lead four programs to at least one win in the NCAA Tournament and one of just four coaches all-time to win at least one game with four programs (Jim Harrick, Kruger and Eddie Sutton).
• Tubby Smith and Gator head coach Billy Donovan have faced off 26 previous times with Smith holding the current edge at 16-10. The two have only faced each other twice in tournament action - 2004 SEC title game (W, 89-73) and the 2005 SEC title game (L, 53-70).
