GAINESVILLE — Florida will open NCAA Tournament play Friday in Raleigh against Norfolk State as the No. 1 seed in the West Region. The Gators’ empathic win Sunday against Tennessee in the SEC Tournament championship game ended the debate on whether the Gators would would earn a No. 1 seed.

It’s the No. 1-seeded Florida basketball vs. No. 16-seeded Norfolk State Spartans in March Madness to open its 2025 NCAA Tournament men’s bracket.

NCAA Tournament is officially here! The March Madness Bracket is set, and first-round NCAA Tournament matchups are in place. It’s time to make your picks and predictions for the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament!

The NCAA Tournament bracket was released on Sunday with the Florida Gators earning a 1-seed and learning their initial matchup–the Norfolk State Spartans.

The Spartans stormed back to win and claim their first NCAA bid since 2022 and fourth in the school’s Division I era.

Pregame analysis and predictions of the Howard Bison vs. Norfolk State Spartans NCAAW game to be played on March 15, 2025 on ESPN.

"I'm just happy to be playing on Saturday," exclaimed Norfolk State Head Coach Robert Jones as the Spartans look to claim their third MEAC tournament Championship in five years. N

Exciting HBCU basketball as Norfolk State secures the MEAC Championship in a nail-biting 66-65 victory against South Carolina State.

A key part of Norfolk State's 2022 MEAC Championship team, he felt the sting of back-to-back disappointments, first losing the 2023 title game to Howard, then falling to Howard again in last year's semifinals.

Kierra Wheeler scored 7-of-19 points in the fourth quarter to lead Norfolk State (29-4, 15-0) over Howard (21-10, 12-3), 68-56, to claim the 2025 MEAC Women's Basketball Tournament Championship. Wheeler should be named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after averaging 20 points per game.