GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – Dozens of Florida Gators fans gathered outside the Heavener Center on Wednesday evening to send off the men\u2019s basketball team as it departed for Tampa and the NCAA Tournament. The team left a little after 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
Fans lined up along the team\u2019s travel bus, collecting autographs and fist bumps from players before they boarded. <\/p>\n
The Gators are scheduled to play on Friday in Tampa against Prairie View A&M, which beat Lehigh earlier Wednesday. With the game close to home, the team is expected to draw strong fan support in the stands.<\/p>\n
Florida won the national championship last year, defeating Houston 65-63. The Gators enter this year\u2019s tournament with high expectations.<\/p>\n
For fan Allie Chen, a college student, the sendoff was her first chance to see the players in person.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just pretty excited to see everyone,\u201d Chen said. \u201cBecause I haven\u2019t seen any of them in person before…so I\u2019m just very excited to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul Myhre, who has followed the team for more than 35 years, said he believes the Gators can go all the way.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they\u2019re gonna win it all,\u201d Myhre said. \u201cI mean I think they have as good a chance as the top other four teams, and I\u2019m hoping they do it. I think they can.\u201d<\/p>\n