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NCAA Tournament: Michigan vs. Florida fearless prediction and game preview.
Broadcast
Date: Saturday, March 13
Game Time: 5:15 ET
Venue: Wells Fargo Arena , Des Moines, IA
Network: CBS
All You Really Need To Know About Florida (20-15)
(SEC), NCAA NET Rank: 31. West 10-seed
The Gators took a huge second half punch from Nevada to survive a tough 70-61. They got the job done by doing just enough on the free throw line – hitting 18-of-25 – and taking the defense up a few notches when the Wolf Pack tried getting back in the game from three. Nevada couldn’t do anything from outside late, ending up nailing just 5-of-24 tries.
They struggled from the outside, but they don’t seem to care. They finished second in the SEC in three pointers fired up, and they’re going to keep on pushing it from the outside. There’s toughness on the inside, but the guards control this team – Florida almost always wins the turnover margin. Rebounding is the issue, and is showed – Nevada won the battle 40-31.
All You Really Need To Know About Michigan (29-5)
(Big Ten), NCAA NET Rank: 9. West 2-seed
The defense is the thing. The Wolverines can crank up the offense, but the defense stopped Montana before it could get started in the easy 74-55 win. The Grizzlies didn’t have massive problems turning the ball over against the Michigan pressure, but it just couldn’t score, hitting just 33% from the field and doing next to nothing from three.
But Michigan didn’t light it up from deep, either, only making 5-of-17 shots. It moved the ball around extremely well, came up with a slew of easy baskets, and didn’t have to deal with any drama. Against the Gators, it’s going to be that defense that has to take over. Florida isn’t that great from three, and Michigan has to own the inside – it should be able to.
What’s Going To Happen
Didn’t we, as a nation, suffer enough when the Gators whacked around the Wolverines 41-15 in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl?
Florida has to win on forcing turnovers and hitting from three. That’s a problem against a team that’s No. 1 in the nation in giving the ball away – turning it over fewer than nine times per game – and led the Big Ten and was fifth in the nation at stopping the three.
Neither team is good at free throws, and there will be scoring lulls considering how strong both defenses are. Don’t expect anything remotely pretty, but it’ll be Michigan doing more on the boards and fouling a whole lot less.
Fearless Prediction & Line
Michigan 69, Florida 65
Line: Michigan -6.5, o/u: 123.5
ATS Confidence: 1.5
5: Watching games by Vegas pool working on fruity drink No. 3
1: Watching game online while doing TPS reports in your cubicle
– See Today’s March Madness Lock Winner
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