March Madness Round 1: Colorado vs Florida Odds & Score
Buffaloes Advance After Winning Play-In Game
Colorado vs Florida Final Score
Colorado vs Florida Betting Preview
The Colorado Buffaloes survived a battle with Boise State on Wednesday and now face the Florida Gators on Friday. The Gators are likely a popular choice for people’s NCAA Tournament bracket, simply because nobody knew who they would play. Florida may have the higher seed at No. 7, but this game isn’t going to be easy for the Gators. That’s reflected in the Colorado vs Florida odds, where the Gators are favored by a point, and the total is at 159.
Buffaloes vs Gators 
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Day/Time:
Streaming: TBS
Colorado Turns Up Defense Against Boise State
The Buffaloes advanced to the traditional first round of the NCAA Tournament with an ugly 60-53 win over Boise State. Colorado didn’t have one of its better offensive games, but the defense did its job. The Broncos were held to 34.3% shooting and were 2 for 18 from 3-point range. It was the fourth time Colorado held an opponent to under 60 points in the last five games. The Buffaloes are 17-17-1 ATS for the season and 20-15 in totals. Colorado is now 1-6 in totals when playing on a neutral court.
The Buffaloes are solid on both sides of the ball, but the KenPom ratings give a slight edge to the offense. Colorado ranks No. 27 in the country in the efficiency rankings and is No. 20 in effective field goal percentage. The Buffaloes are one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country, shooting 39.1%. The 2-point shooting isn’t bad, either, at 53.6%, and the team makes 78.1% of its foul shots. The Buffaloes turn them over a little bit but can grab some offensive rebounds.
Defensively, Colorado ranks No. 35 in the nation and is better at defending the 3-pointer. The Buffaloes rank No. 41 in 3-point defense but are No. 154 against the 2-pointer. Colorado doesn’t force many turnovers but doesn’t allow many offensive rebounds or send teams to the foul line often. Teams don’t shoot a lot of 3-pointers against the Buffaloes and prefer to attack their interior defense.
Gators Thrive on Offense Boards
The Gators are ranked No. 15 in the nation in the KenPom offensive efficiency ratings, although they aren’t a great shooting team. The strength of the offense is grabbing offensive rebounds, where the team is No. 7 in the nation. Florida’s effective field goal percentage ranks just No. 129, but the Gators don’t make a lot of turnovers and get to the foul line. The Gators rank a little better shooting 2-pointers and don’t shoot a lot of 3-pointers.
Florida’s defense ranks No. 85 in the nation, and that’s the Gators’ weak spot. Florida ranks No. 85 in effective field goal percentage but is a little better defending the 3-pointer. The Gators don’t force many turnovers and are average in preventing offensive rebounds. The team blocked some shots but did lose center Micah Handlogten to a broken leg in the SEC Tournament. He was solid on the boards, although he didn’t score a lot and played just 19 minutes per game.
The Gators have been a solid over team this season, going 23-12. Florida is just 4-6 after a loss, however, so the team stresses defense a little more after a setback. The Gators allowed 80.6 points after a win and 74.1 points after a loss.
What to Expect
Colorado plays at a slightly faster pace than an average team, but the Gators like to get up-and-down the court. The Buffaloes may elect to play a little quicker than normal. They have the athletes to do it, although Colorado could also look to get Florida out of its rhythm and play more deliberately. The Buffaloes have shown a tendency in neutral court games to see fewer points. The NCAAB basketball scores show the Buffaloes won by a 69-62.4 average in neutral court games. The average score of a Colorado game was 78.7-70.7, so there are definitely fewer points.
Who to Bet On?
The Colorado vs Florida odds are basically just asking you to pick the winner of the game. The teams are pretty evenly matched, making it one of the more challenging March Madness betting propositions. You can make a case for either team. Colorado has slightly better stats, but the Gators played a tougher schedule and have more quality wins. The toughest team Colorado beat this year in the Pomeroy ratings was No. 38 Washington State. The Gators have wins over No. 21 Kentucky, No. 4 Auburn, and two over No. 12 Alabama.
The Colorado vs Florida odds on the total seem to be a little on the high side, especially after Colorado’s win over Boise State. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the number come down a little bit. Even though the Gators saw a lot more overs than under this season, the defense was much better after a loss. That, coupled with Colorado’s lack of points in neutral court games, puts the Under as the best play in this game.
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