March Madness: Florida Gators vs. Virginia Cavaliers preview, prediction, TV schedule
The Florida Gators face the Virginia Cavaliers in the second round of March Madness on Saturday evening.
TV Schedule: March 18, 8:40 p.m. ET, TNT
Arena: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
Prediction: Florida 67, Virginia 64
The No. 4 Florida Gators and the No. 5 Virginia Cavaliers will tangle at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line. This East Region matchup pits two of the best defensive teams remaining in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
Related Story: Five reasons why the Gators can make a run in March
Florida (25-8) defeated 13th-seeded East Tennessee State, 80-65, on Thursday to advance to the second round for the first time since 2014. Devin Robinson scored 14 of his career-high 24 points as the Gators outscored the Buccaneers 47-33 in the second half of the game. Point guards Kasey Hill and Chris Chiozza were the other two players in double figures for the Gators, combining for 28 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.
Leading just 33-32 at halftime, UF heated up offensively while also amping up their tenacious defense in the second half. During the second stanza, the Gators led by as many as 16 points as they held the Bucs to just six field goals over the first 17 minutes. Florida, which shot 54 percent from the field over the last 20 minutes, scored 20 points off of 17 ETSU turnovers for the game and held an 18-2 advantage in fastbreak points.
More from March Madness
- March Madness 2023: Sights and sounds from NCAA championship game
- Caitlin Clark breaks silence on Angel Reese trash talk controversy
- Jim Nantz replacement: Who will take over as voice of Final Four in 2024
- Twitter reacts as legendary broadcaster Jim Nantz calls last Final Four game
- Everything to know about Jim Nantz retirement from March Madness
Florida has relied on its defense and transition offense the whole season.The Gators are the 12th most efficient defensive team in the nation and hold opponents to 66.5 points (45th) a game. The Gators’ defense ranks 32nd in opponent shooting percentage, 20th in effective shooting percentage, as well as 17th in turnovers forced per game. Four of UF’s last five opponents have scored at least 70 points and the Gators are 2-3 during that stretch.
Offensively, KeVaughn Allen carries UF. The sophomore guard struggled mightily against ETSU, hitting only 1-of-11 shots, including going 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. He finished with seven points and four assists. Allen has reached double-figures in five of last six and is averaging 13.7 points a game for the season.
Canyon Barry (11.9 points) and Robinson (11.3 points, 6.2 rebounds) are UF’s other double-figure scorers. Hill (9.9 points, 4.6 assists) may be the key for the Gators, however. The 6-1 senior is extremely fast and has quick, strong hands, which makes him an excellent defender. He thrives in transition and attacking the rim on the offensive end. The problem is Hill is inconsistent shooting the ball as well as turnover prove.
Florida averages 78.3 points for the season, which ranks 61st in the nation. UF shoots 45.1 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from beyond the arc. The Gators are 15-0 when they score at least 80 points.
More from Busting Brackets
- NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing top 4 teams for PF Jaxon Johnson
- NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing top 5 teams for top-100 SG Larry Johnson
- Oregon Basketball: Projected starting lineup and depth chart for 2023-24
- Big East Basketball: Ranking all head coaches going into 2023-24 season
- Florida State Basketball: Is Seminoles roster good enough to win in 2023-24?
As tough as UF is defensively, Virginia’s entire program under Tony Bennett is based on its “Pack-Line” defense. The Cavaliers is fifth in the nation in defensive efficiency and No. 1 in scoring defense (56.1 points). The Cavs are limiting opponents to 39.6 percent from the field (12th) for the season, though, they have allowed opponents to shoot 44.1 percent from the field over the last three games.
Virginia (23-10) overcame a 15-point deficit to defeat 12th-seeded UNC Wilmington, 75-71, on Thursday. London Perrantes scored 19 of his game-high 24 points in the second half and Marial Shayok contributed a career-high 23 points off the bench for UVA. The Cavaliers are in the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year.
Virginia has won five of six as they topped the 70-point mark in three of those games. The Cavaliers are averaging 66.9 points a game for the season. The Cavs shoot 46.5 percent from the floor and 39.6 percent from the three-point line.
Next: Ranking the entire field of 68
Perrantes, who has scored in double figures in five of six, leads the squad with 12.9 points a contest. He is shooting 42.2 percent from the field and 38.2 percent on his three-point attempts. Shayok is second on the Cavs with nine points a game while junior guard Devon Hall is third with 8.6.