Florida basketball has enjoyed March Madness highs, lows in Indianapolis

Florida basketball is returning to a familiar city when it starts 2024 NCAA Tournament play on Friday.

The 7-seed Florida Gators (24-11) will play their seventh NCAA Tournament game in Indianapolis, and first at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, when they face the winner of the 10-seed game between Boise State and Colorado on Friday (4:30 p.m.).

UF has gone 4-2 in its six prior games in the Circle City. The biggest win came on April 3, 2006, when Florida beat UCLA 73-57 in the RCA Dome for its first men's basketball national championship in school history. Nap Town, as Indianapolis is known, was hopping with UF fans who celebrated deep into the night following the win.

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Florida also played in the Final Four in Indianapolis in 2000 and appeared in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in 2021 when the entire event was played in and around Indianapolis due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Here's a breakdown of UF's six NCAA Tournament games in Indy:

April 1, 2000: Florida 71, North Carolina 59

Brett Nelson led three UF scorers in double figures with 13 points and Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem added 10 points apiece, lifting five-seed Florida to a 71-59 win over eight-seed North Carolina at the RCA Dome. Florida played strong defense throughout the game, holding UNC to 35.1 percent shooting while forcing 17 turnovers to advance to the NCAA finals for the first time in school history.

April 3, 2000: Michigan State 89, Florida 76

Forward Morris Peterson scored 21 points, center A.J. Granger added 19 points and point guard Mateen Cleaves had 18 points and 4 assists, lifting one-seed Michigan State to an 89-76 win over five-seed Florida at the RCA Dome. It remains the last national championship for a Big Ten basketball team and the last national title for Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo, who has led the Spartans to eight Final Fours. Haslem led Florida with 27 points, but UF's defense couldn't stop a Michigan State team that shot 55.9 percent from the floor.

April 1, 2006: Florida 73, George Mason 58

Foward Corey Brewer and guard Lee Humphrey each had 19 points, as 3-seed Florida ended No. 11-seed George Mason's Cinderella Run with a 73-58 win at the RCA Dome. Florida bombed away from the 3-point line, going 12-for-25 from beyond the arc in the win. Humphrey went 6-for-12 from long distance, Brewer went 3-for-6 and point guard Taurean Green went 3-for-6.

April 3, 2006: Florida 73, UCLA 57

Center Joakim Noah had 16 points. 9 rebounds and 6 blocked shots and forward Al Horford added 16 points and 7 rebounds as 3-seed Florida knocked off 2-seed UCLA 73-57 for its first national title. Florida led 36-25 at halftime. By midway through the second half, Noah was blowing kisses to UCLA cheerleaders as the Gators maintained their double-digit lead throughout the game.

March 19, 2021: Florida 75, Virginia Tech 70 OT

Forward Colin Castleton posted a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds and forward Scottie Lewis added 15 points off the bench, lifting the 7-seed Gators to the overtime win over 10-seed Virginia Tech at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The Gators trailed 33-27 at halftime but rallied back to force overtime and won the game in the extra session. UF overcame 18 turnovers by shooting 56.5 percent from the floor and outrebounding Virginia Tech 36-22.

March 22, 2021: Oral Roberts 81, Florida 78

The 7-seed Gators were unable to hold an 11-point second half lead in a loss to 15-seed Oral Roberts. Power forward Kevin Obanor had his way inside for Oral Roberts with 28 points and 11 rebounds and guard Max Abmas had 26 points. Point guard Tre Mann had 19 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for Florida but failed to score in the game's final 17 minutes.