, ▁was ▁the ▁best ▁Florida ▁had ▁produced ▁until ▁that ▁time ; ▁they ▁finished ▁ 2 1 – 4 ▁overall ▁( the ▁school ' s ▁first ▁ 2 0 - win ▁season ), ▁and ▁ 1 4 – 4 ▁in ▁the ▁SE C . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁first ▁G ators ▁basketball ▁squad ▁to ▁ever ▁be ▁ranked ▁in ▁the ▁national ▁pol ls . ▁ ▁In ▁an ▁era ▁when ▁only ▁conference ▁champions ▁were ▁guaranteed ▁b ids ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 3 - team ▁NCAA ▁Tournament , ▁the ▁G ators ▁missed ▁their ▁first ▁SE C ▁title ▁and ▁NCAA ▁Tournament ▁appearance ▁by ▁a ▁single ▁game ▁after ▁losing ▁to ▁coach ▁Ray ▁M ears ' ▁Tennessee ▁Vol unte ers ▁twice ▁in ▁the ▁regular ▁season . ▁ ▁Although ▁Bart lett ' s ▁ 1 9 6 8 – 1 9 6 9 ▁G ators ▁received ▁an ▁inv itation ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁National ▁Inv itation ▁Tournament ▁( N IT ), ▁none ▁of ▁his ▁subsequent ▁G ators ▁teams ▁equ aled ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁his ▁first . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁responsible ▁for ▁rec ruit ing ▁Florida ' s ▁first ▁African - American ▁player , ▁Steve ▁Williams . ▁ ▁He ▁finished ▁with ▁an ▁overall ▁win - loss ▁record ▁of ▁ 9 5 – 8 5 ▁and ▁ 6 2 – 6 4 ▁in ▁the ▁SE C . ▁ ▁Bart lett ▁returned ▁to ▁colleg iate ▁co aching ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁serving ▁as ▁the ▁men ' s ▁and ▁women ' s ▁tennis ▁head ▁coach ▁for ▁the