BYU vs Florida Preview: Final Score Predictions

Written by Jake Thompson
Thursday, 24 March 2011 19:23

It’s time to preview the game between BYU and Florida.

Our NCAA Tournament preview will give out final score predictions in tonight’s game between BYU and Florida.  The #3 seeded BYU Cougars (32-4) and the #2 seeded Florida Gators (28-7) will play tonight on TBS and we think our preview has the final score of this 7:27 PM ET NCAA Tournament game figured out.  The college basketball clash between Florida and BYU will be played in the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the game will be a rematch from last year when the Cougars took home a 99-92 win in overtime.

Florida has gotten this far in the 2011 NCAA Tournament with wins over UC-Santa Barbara (79-51) and UCLA (73-65), while BYU has advanced with victories over Wofford (74-66) and Gonzaga (89-67).  Recent injuries don’t figure to play too much of a part in deciding the final score, but it is worth noting that Florida guard Kenny Boynton (14.0 PPG, 2.6 APG) is planning to play with an ankle injury after landing on a UCLA player’s foot last time out.  He won’t be at 100% but figures to be on the court regardless.

BYU is 19-3 away from home this year while Florida is also strong at 14-4, and I don’t think either team has a significant advantage by having this game played on a neutral court.  Stopping all-everything BYU guard Jimmer Fredette (28.8 PPG, 4.3 APG, 3.5 RPG) will be key for the Gators after Fredette put up 37 points in last year’s overtime game.

The Cougars average 81.3 points per game on 45.1% shooting from the field and have been the rare exception this season as a team that has actually shot and scored better when away from their home court.  BYU isn’t shooting as well in recent games as they did against their Mountain West conference foes, but it is still incredibly difficult to stop this squad.  Florida’s defense has been impressive lately (allowing just 39.9% shooting from the field) and the Gators’ tremendous perimeter stopping ability will be huge if they hope to contain Fredette and his 3-point shooting teammates.

Florida’s offense has been hot lately (49.6% from the field over their last 5 games ) and I could see them exploiting a BYU defense that has had issues in the paint ever since forward Brandon Davies (11.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG) was suspended for the season a few weeks back.  The Gators haven’t shot nearly as well away from home, however, and they’ll have to keep up the hot shooting if they want to win this NCAA Tournament game.  Guard Erving Walker has been hot since the tourney started and has scored 21 and 18 in their two most recent games.  That being said, Florida needs to get their big guys involved in the paint if they really want to exploit BYU’s defense.

The Gators should have a nice rebounding advantage and I can see Florida getting numerous put-back opportunities generated from that edge.  BYU can get hot and make trouble for any team but I just don’t think they are as strong as they looked in their dominant win over Gonzaga last time out.  Florida has the interior players to get easy baskets and the speedy guards to make life tougher than normal for Fredette.  Look for Florida to get the convincing win over BYU and for Fredette to have only a marginal game after he realizes that he’ll have to do it all by himself.

BYU 70

Florida 78