Gators get No. 7 seed in 2012 NCAA Tournament

No. 21/22 Florida Gators basketball (23-10) has earned a berth to the 2012 NCAA Tournament after completing a hard-fought regular season that included posting a 14-2 record at home and a 4-6 record against RPI top-50 teams including three losses to Kentucky, the team ranked No. 1 overall.

As announced during the NCAA Selection Show, Florida – a No. 7 seed – will face the No. 10-seed Virginia Cavaliers (22-9) of the ACC in Omaha, NE on Friday at 2:10 p.m. (ET). The game will air live on TNT with Marv Albert calling the action, Steve Kerr serving as color commentator and Craig Sager reporting from the sideline.

The Gators, placed in the West Region (Phoenix, AZ), could advance to face No. 2 Missouri (30-4) or No. 15 Norfolk State (25-9) in the third round on Sunday. Florida has never played Mizzou in men’s basketball and is set to face them in football next season for the first time since 1966.

The final editions of the 2011-12 season USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Top 25 Poll and Associated Press Top 25 Poll were released on Sunday and Monday, and the Kentucky Wildcats (31-2, 18-1 SEC) held on to the No. 1 spot despite losing in the finals of the 2012 SEC Tournament.

The Gators fell three spots in each poll to No. 22 and No. 25 in the respective rankings after losing for the third time this season to the Wildcats; Florida has now lost six of their last nine games. UF earned second-round victory in the SEC Tournament against Alabama (66-63) on Friday before suffering a tough loss against Kentucky (74-71) on Saturday in semifinal action.

[EXPAND Click to expand and view the complete top 25 polls.]

USA TODAY/ESPN COACHES POLL
This Week 1-5: Kentucky (30), Syracuse, Missouri (1), Michigan State, North Carolina
6-10: Kansas, Ohio State, Duke, Murray State, Baylor
11-15: Marquette, Florida State, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgetown
16-20: Saint Mary’s, Indiana, Louisville, Wichita State, Creighton
21-25: Florida, New Mexico, San Diego State, Vanderbilt, UNLV

Last Week 1-5: Kentucky (31), Syracuse, Kansas, North Carolina, Missouri
6-10: Duke, Ohio State, Michigan State, Marquette, Murray State
11-15: Baylor, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgetown, Indiana
16-20: Wichita State, Florida State, Saint Mary’s, Florida, UNLV
21-25: San Diego State, Creighton, Notre Dame, Temple, Gonzaga

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25 POLL
This Week 1-5: Kentucky, Syracuse, Missouri, North Carolina, Michigan State
6-10: Kansas, Ohio State, Duke, Baylor, Florida State
11-15: Marquette, Murray State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgetown
16-20: Indiana, Louisville, Wichita State, Creighton, Vanderbilt
21-25: New Mexico, San Diego, UNLV, Saint Mary’s, Florida

Last Week 1-5: Kentucky (63), Syracuse (2), Kansas, North Carolina, Missouri,
6-10: Duke, Ohio State, Michigan State, Marquette, Michigan
11-15: Murray State, Baylor, Georgetown, Wisconsin, Indiana
16-20: Wichita State, Florida State, San Diego State, Creighton, UNLV
21-25: Temple, Florida, Notre Dame, Gonzaga, Iowa State

*Numbers in parenthesis represent first-place votes.[/EXPAND]

Announcement footage above courtesy of Gatorvision.tv.