March Madness: Previewing Saturday’s Round of 32 Matchups
Virginia (5) vs. Florida (4)
This game is one of the best games in the second round. We have both of these teams in the top 10 in our power rankings.
Virginia plays at the slowest pace in the country, and they boast an incredible defense. Thursday was just the fifth time all season they have allowed more than 70 points in a game. Florida, meanwhile, has scored less than 70 points just six times this season.
One interesting comparison is that Florida is the fifth-best team in the tournament at drawing fouls while Virginia is the worst team in the field at drawing fouls. That doesn't necessarily give a huge advantage to Florida, but it will be something to keep an eye on throughout the game.
Below are three players to keep an eye on from each team.
| Player | Team | PPG | RPG | eFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KeVaughn Allen | Florida | 13.9 | 2.7 | .569 |
| Canyon Barry | Florida | 12.1 | 2.9 | .500 |
| Devin Robinson | Florida | 10.9 | 6.1 | .538 |
| London Perrantes | Virginia | 12.5 | 3.1 | .509 |
| Devon Hall | Virginia | 8.7 | 4.4 | .485 |
| Marial Shayok | Virginia | 8.6 | 2.4 | .476 |
Here is a quick breakdown of the team stats comparison.
| Team | nERD | O Rtg | eFG% | Reb% | TO% | D Rtg | Opp. eFG% | Opp. TO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #4 Florida | 18.5 | 110.1 | .515 | 51.3 | 14.5 | 93.6 | .457 | 18.4 |
| #5 Virginia | 17.31 | 109.1 | .529 | 52.7 | 13.8 | 91.1 | .458 | 18.9 |
