Norfolk State remained optimistic even at halftime against Florida on Sunday, despite allowing the Gators to go on a maddening 25-0 run midway through the first half that saddled the No. 15 seed Spartans with a 47-19 deficit.

Sophomore guard Jamel Fuentes was in the layup line before the start of the second half in Omaha, Neb., when he told a teammate, “Hey, BYU came back from 25.”

It was a true statement, too.

The Cougars erased the biggest deficit in NCAA tournament history on Tuesday night against Iona. The incredible rally sent BYU about 150 miles down the road for a second-round game against Marquette, which it lost 88-68 on Thursday.

Fuentes had reason to remain optimistic.

Norfolk State was, after all, the fifth team in NCAA tournament history to pull the 2-15 upset then it beat Big 12 tournament champion Missouri on Friday. There was only one problem with his logic as it pertained to BYU’s dramatic comeback: The Spartans trailed Florida by 28 _ not 25.