College Basketball

On "Florida Matters," we speak to area officials about luring happenings like the NCAA Women's Final Four and Firestore Grand Prix of St. Pete to Tampa and St. Petersburg.

The Huskies and Longhorns won their regional finals to earn trips to Amalie Arena. The national semifinals are slated for Friday, with the national championship game on Sunday.

The basketball will be championship caliber, of course, but don't forget the week's fan festival, concert in the park, pregame parties, and speakers brought in to help empower and equip women in sports and business.

The national semifinals are scheduled for 7 and 9:30 p.m. Friday at Amalie Arena, with the national championship at 3 p.m. Sunday.

Walter Clayton Jr. rescued Florida with two late 3-pointers, and Florida rallied from nine points down late to win the West Region final. UF advances to play Auburn on Saturday.

Bryan Hodgson was an assistant coach for multiple programs, including Buffalo and Alabama, before his first head coaching gig at Arkansas State.

Top-seeded Florida played a steady second half to beat No. 4 seed Maryland, 87-71, in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16. The Gators next meet No. 3 seed Texas Tech for a spot in the Final Four.

Hodgson comes to the Bulls after quickly turning around the Red Wolves. USF’s announcement called the 37-year-old Hodgson “one of the nation's top recruiters and a rising head coach.”

The Bulls will travel to Columbus, Ohio, as a No. 12 seed to face the fifth-seeded Volunteers on Friday as part of the Birmingham 1 region. The NCAA Women's Final Four is slated for April 4-6 in Tampa.

Loucks, who played at Florida State from 2008 to 2012, signed a reported five-year deal with his alma mater. The former Clearwater High School star had been working as an NBA assistant coach.

After two years away from calling college basketball games, the Manatee County resident received a standing ovation before the Clemson-Duke game in South Carolina.

Longtime men's basketball coach Leonard Hamilton, 76, is being sued by several former players over allegations he failed to deliver on name, image and likeness promises. He says he has "no regrets. "