After first March Madness victory, underdog Prairie View A&M prepares for defending champion Florida
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Dontae Horne, Cory Wells and the rest of the Prairie View A&M basketball program didn’t get much time to celebrate the school’s first NCAA Tournament victory. Fresh off a 67-55 win over Lehigh on Wednesday night in the First Four in Dayton, Ohio, the Panthers (19-17) were getting ready quickly for a monumental task.
They’re the 16th seed in the South Region and will face top seed and defending champion Florida on Friday night in the first round. “It still feels surreal,” Wells said Thursday. “Can’t really put into words but we have another game (Friday), so it’s time to lock back in and look forward.
” Horne, who led the way with 25 points against Lehigh, said his phone has been blowing up since the win. This is the third NCAA Tournament appearance for Prairie View A&M, a historically Black school located outside Houston, following losses in 1998 and 2019. The Panthers were 5-27 last season.
“It’s been crazy. Haven’t had much sleep,” Horne said. “But we have to hurry up and lock in.
” It’ll take one of the greatest upsets in tournament history to advance. The Gators (26-7) are 35 1/2-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. “We’re gonna throw the kitchen sink at them.