Florida, Ohio State settle for NIT dates

If Florida and Ohio State meet again this season, it will be in the NIT title game.

The Gators and Buckeyes, finalists in last year’s national championship game, missed getting back into the NCAA tournament Sunday.

It marked the first time the two finalists from the previous year have not made the tournament since 1980 when Michigan State and Indiana State did not qualify.

“It shows you about how much things change,” Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said.

Two-time defending national champion Florida (21-11) lost eight of its final 11 games, including the last four. The Gators had their streak of consecutive NCAA tournament berths snapped at nine.

Ohio State (19-13) had a much better shot, having snapped a four-game losing streak with wins against Purdue and Michigan State to close out the regular season, but lost in the first game of the Big Ten tournament to Michigan State.

Florida is a No. 2 seed and will host San Diego State on Wednesday. Ohio State will host UNC-Asheville on Tuesday.

Virginia Tech, Arizona State and Syracuse are the other No. 1 seeds.

The Hokies (19-13) open Wednesday night against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season champ Morgan State. Arizona State (19-12) gets Alabama State for its opener. Syracuse (19-13) gets a first-round date with Robert Morris.

Other first-round games are California against New Mexico, Dayton against Cleveland State and second-seeded Illinois State against Utah State.

Also in Virginia Tech’s section are Virginia Commonwealth, Alabama-Birmingham, Nebraska, Charlotte and second-seeded Mississippi, which will play UC Santa Barbara.

Massachusetts got a No. 2 seed and will play Southland Conference regular-season co-champ Stephen F. Austin. The winner advances to play either Florida State or Akron, in a tough bracket that includes Maryland and Minnesota.