The Sweet Sixteen is upon us, and it brings us a slate of very intriguing matchups. Among those is 1-seeded Florida going up against 4-seeded Maryland in the West Region. Both teams are coming off hard-fought wins in the second round, as the SEC Champion Florida Gators defeated the back to back defending champion UConn Huskies 77-75 in a game that saw them trailing for much of the second half. On the other end, Maryland defeated Colorado State 72-71 thanks to a buzzer beater from big man Derik Queen.
Now, the stage is set, and an Elite Eight spot is up for grabs, with Florida looking to reach their first Elite Eight since 2017, while Maryland is looking for their first appearance since 2002, back when they were still in the ACC and wouldn't move to the Big Ten for another decade. The Gators are among the championship favorites, with a talented roster led by guard Walter Clayton Jr, who is averaging 17.9 points per game. But Maryland is another extremely talented team with Final Four aspirations of their own, and with the "Crab Five" all averaging double figures in scoring, Maryland will be a challenging matchup for the Gators.
The Gators and Terrapins are both among the hottest teams in the countries, with Florida having won eight in a row while Maryland has won six of their last seven. Here's everything you need to know about this matchup.
How to watch Maryland vs Florida
• Date: Thursday, March 27
• Time: 7:39 p.m. ET
• Venue: Chase Center (San Francisco, CA)
• How to Watch (TV): TBS/truTV
• Streaming: fubo TV
• Maryland record 27-8
• Florida record 32-4
Maryland vs. Florida Odds, Spread, and Total
Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook.
Moneyline:
• Maryland +215
• Florida -265
Spread:
• Maryland +6.5 (-110)
• Florida -6.5 (-110)
Total:
156.5 (over -115/under -105)
Maryland injury report
Braden Pierce, C: Out (Eye)
Jahari Long, G: Questionable (Knee)
Florida injury report
Sam Alexis, F: Questionable (Ankle)
Maryland vs Florida Series History
Maryland all-time record vs Florida: 2-2
Maryland vs Florida Prediction
Both teams just squeaked by in the second round to advance to the Sweet Sixteen, but both remain highly talented teams who have the potential to go much further in the tournament. Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr and Maryland's big man Derik Queen will be two players who could flip this game in favor of of side.
Florida has arguably been playing like the best team in the country over the past few weeks, having won eight straight, which included the Gators rolling through the SEC Tournament while defeating Missouri, Alabama, and Tennessee in rather convincing fashion. On top of all this, they have plenty of NCAA Tournament experience on their roster, including Final Four experience with starting guard Alijah Martin, who was a member of the 2023 FAU Final Four team. The Gators have all the ingredients of a potential national champion, and they are four wins away from doing exactly that.
Maryland has plenty of talent of their own, and each of their starting five is averaging double figures in scoring. Despite being 27-8, the Terrapins are just a few plays removed from potentially being a 31-win team, and their last four losses have all come on buzzer beaters or game winners with little time remaining. Until Derek Queen saved the day against Colorado State, it looked as though Maryland's season would end in a similar manner to the way they had lost their last four games. Still, they have been playing some impressive basketball as of late, having knocked off several of the Big Ten's top teams near the end of the regular season.
This should be a close game with two highly talented teams battling it out for a spot in the Elite Eight. With so many difference makers on both teams, this one could certainly go either way. However, there could be one fatal flaw with the Terrapins; their depth. While Maryland's Crab Five is an extremely talented group capable of beating almost anyone, the Maryland bench has had plenty of struggles, as Tafara Gapare, the Terrapins' leading bench scorer, averages just 3.5 points per game this year. The Gators have more depth on their bench, and this could prove to be vital as the game goes on and fatigue sets in. This will remain a close one from start to finish, but ultimately, the Gators' depth and versatility will be enough to send them to their first Elite Eight since 2017.