Florida Gators vs Maryland Terrapins – NCAA Tournament Preview – March 27, 2025
Florida and Maryland meet Thursday night in the Sweet 16 at Chase Center in San Francisco. The Gators are the No. 1 seed in the West Region with a 32-4 record. Maryland enters as the No. 4 seed after going 27-8 and finishing second in the Big Ten.
These teams last met in 2021, with Maryland winning 70-68. Florida is looking for its first Final Four trip since 2014, while Maryland is trying to reach its first Elite Eight since its 2002 national title run. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:39 p.m. ET.
Gators Preview – Balanced Attack Leading the Way
Florida reached the Sweet 16 after a 77-75 win over UConn. Walter Clayton Jr. led the way with 23 points, including two big three-pointers late. He averages 17.9 points per game and leads the team in assists with 4.2 per contest.
The Gators are also getting strong play from Will Richard and Alex Condon. Richard had 15 points and 6 rebounds against UConn, while Condon added 5 points and 7 boards. Florida scores 81.4 points per game and shoots 47.1% from the field.
Florida has won nine in a row and covered the spread in 23 of their last 31 games. They’ve gone over the total in nine straight. Todd Golden’s team plays fast and shares the ball, ranking top 10 in both assists and first-half scoring.
Terrapins Preview – Queen and the Crab Five Staying Hot
Maryland enters this matchup after a last-second 72-71 win over Colorado State. Freshman Derik Queen hit the game-winner and led the team with 17 points. Queen averages 16.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Maryland’s starting five have played every game together since November. Rodney Rice, Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Julian Reese, and Selton Miguel all score in double figures. Gillespie had 11 points and 7 assists in the win over Colorado State.
The Terps allow just 69.4 points per game and hold opponents to 39.9% shooting. They’ve hit the team total over in 20 of their last 31 games and have strong first-half trends. Coach Kevin Willard’s group is balanced, tough on defense, and playing with confidence.
Betting Prediction
Florida is favored by 6.5 points and comes in with momentum after taking out UConn. They’ve been dominant on both ends and have a proven scorer in Clayton to close games. Their depth and shooting make them tough to stop when they get rolling.
Maryland has been tested and has a clear go-to player in Queen. But Florida has more scoring options and a strong edge in ball movement and tempo. This should be close early, but Florida’s offense will likely be too much in the second half.
Pick: Florida Gators -6.5 over Maryland Terrapins
The dream season comes to an end for the Big Ten’s Terrapins. They are fortunate to get to the Sweet 16, but it comes to an end facing one of the top teams in the country. Florida moves to the Elite 8. Enjoy the game and best of luck with all your College Basketball betting.
