The No. 5 UConn Huskies (8-1) and No. 15 Florida Gators (5-3) will face each other at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. This is set to be a rematch of last season’s NCAA Tournament second-round game, in which the Gators beat the Huskies and eventually won the national championship. So, how will these two teams fare in this matchup? Let’s find out.
Prediction
Florida beat UConn 77-75 in last season’s NCAA Tournament and went on to win the national championship. Both teams have changed since then, but this could be another close matchup. Florida is 5-3; each of its defeats has been by six points or fewer. The Gators lost narrowly to top-ranked Arizona and Duke by a combined seven points.
Thomas Haugh averages 18.6 points and leads five players scoring in double figures.
Meanwhile, UConn’s only loss came at home to Arizona. The Huskies have wins over BYU, Illinois, and Kansas. Leading scorer Tarris Reed Jr. has missed the most recent games with an ankle injury. Braylon Mullins just returned from his own ankle issue, but is not yet playing full minutes.
UConn and Florida look like national contenders again this season. The atmosphere and intensity are expected to be high. Both teams will likely bring strong defensive energy. UConn’s slow pace and strong defense usually lead to low-scoring games. The Huskies rank outside the top 300 in possessions per game. They allow only 60.4 points per game, which is among the best in the country.
Florida plays faster but still keeps opponents in check. Only two of their eight opponents have scored more than 80 points. Their loss at Duke totalled just 133 points, and Tuesday’s game may be similar.
ESPN’s matchup predictor estimates a 52.6% chance that UConn will emerge victorious. We expect a narrow win for the Huskies.
Lineups
UConn Lineup
PG: Silas Demary
SG: Solo Ball
SF: Jaylin Stewart
PF: Alex Karaban
C: Tarris Reed Jr.
Florida Lineup
PG: Boogie Fland
SG: Xaivian Lee
SF: Thomas Haugh
PF: Alex Condon
C: Rueben Chinyelu
Injuries
The UConn Huskies are dealing with some key injuries to begin the 2025 season. One of their primary concerns is center Tarris Reed Jr, who is currently suffering from ankle and hamstring issues. Reed has been listed as a game-time decision.
The Gators, however, have no injury concerns for this game and are expected to field their full roster.
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