A contrast of styles will take place tonight at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, as the Iowa Hawkeyes face the Florida Gators. The Hawkeyes are off a hard fought 67-61 win over Clemson to move to 22-12 on the year. Despite the win, Iowa is still just 4-6 in its last 10 games. The Florida Gators had no issues in their opening round win as they crushed Prairie View A&M, 114-55. Florida is now at 27-7 on the year and has won 13 of their last 14. Will the Hawkeyes be able to slow the pace enough to pull a huge upset over the powerful Gators? Read on to see my Iowa vs. Florida prediction.<\/p>\n
Odds: Florida -10.5; Over\/Under 145.5<\/strong><\/p>\n Iowa enters the Round of 32 at 22-12 after a gritty\u00a0win over Clemson, a game defined by defense and late\u2011game execution. The Hawkeyes have been inconsistent, going 4-6 in their last ten, but they remain dangerous when their offense finds a rhythm. Iowa averages 75.0 points and shoots 48.8%, led by Bennett Stirtz<\/a>, who scores 19.9 points per game and creates steady perimeter pressure. Tavion Banks<\/a> adds athletic scoring, while Alvaro Folgueiras<\/a> and Cooper Koch<\/a> provide frontcourt versatility. Iowa\u2019s spacing and ball movement allow them to generate clean looks when they avoid turnovers.<\/p>\n Defensively, Iowa allows 65.8 points and holds opponents to 45.9% shooting, but they struggle on the glass and rank near the bottom nationally in rebounding. Their biggest challenge will be containing Florida\u2019s size and preventing second\u2011chance points. Iowa must also defend the paint without fouling, as Florida attacks aggressively inside. If the Hawkeyes control the tempo and limit transition opportunities, they can keep this matchup competitive.<\/p>\n For Iowa to advance, they need efficient shooting, disciplined half\u2011court defense, and strong decision\u2011making. Stirtz must set the tone, Banks must provide scoring bursts, and the frontcourt must rebound above its season averages. Iowa\u2019s best path is a controlled, possession\u2011driven game that limits Florida\u2019s interior dominance. If the Hawkeyes maintain their composure and avoid long scoring droughts, they can push this game deeper than expected.<\/p>\n Florida<\/a> enters this matchup at 27-7 after a dominant\u00a0win over Prairie View A&M, showcasing their elite depth and overwhelming physicality. The Gators have won 13 of their last 14 contests, and their offense ranks among the nation\u2019s best at 87.6 points per game. Thomas Haugh<\/a> leads with 17.0 points, while Alex Condon<\/a> adds 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds. Boogie Fland<\/a> and Xaivian Lee<\/a> provide strong guard play, and Florida\u2019s balance makes them extremely difficult to defend. Their 48.3% shooting and 23.8 made twos per game highlight their dominance inside the arc.<\/p>\n Defensively, Florida allows 71.5 points, but their rebounding is elite, ranking first nationally with 45.7 boards per game. They also hold opponents to 40.4% shooting, using length and physicality to disrupt rhythm. Their biggest challenge will be defending Iowa\u2019s spacing and preventing Stirtz from controlling the tempo. Florida must also avoid foul trouble, as Iowa shoots 77% from the line. If the Gators stay disciplined on defense, their size advantage can take over.<\/p>\n For Florida to win, they need to dominate the glass, pressure Iowa\u2019s guards, and control the paint. Haugh and Condon must set the interior tone while Fland and Lee push the pace when opportunities arise. Florida\u2019s best path is a fast, physical game where its depth wears down Iowa\u2019s rotation. If the Gators maintain their recent form and continue their efficient scoring, they are well-positioned to advance to the Sweet 16.<\/p>\n Florida enters this matchup with far more momentum, and their past performances suggest they can control this game from the jump. The Gators have played at a consistently high level for weeks, and their pace has overwhelmed opponents who can\u2019t match their physicality. Iowa has shown flashes of strong offense, but its inconsistency makes it difficult to trust in a high\u2011pressure setting. Florida\u2019s ability to sustain scoring runs and maintain a constant tempo gives them a clear advantage. With Iowa coming off a grind\u2011heavy win and Florida already rolling, -10.5 fits the projected gap between these teams.<\/p>\n The total trends higher because both teams have been involved in fast games driven by offense. Iowa has played in several high\u2011scoring matchups this season, and its style naturally pushes the pace. Florida has been even more explosive, consistently putting up big offensive numbers and forcing opponents to play faster. The recent totals support this direction: Iowa\u2019s games often climb when the tempo increases, and Florida\u2019s recent outings have featured extended scoring bursts. With both teams capable of having efficient stretches, Over 145.5 aligns with the expected rhythm.<\/p>\n The most likely script features Florida dictating the tempo, creating separation through sustained scoring, and forcing Iowa into a pace they can\u2019t fully match. Iowa should contribute enough offensively to keep the scoreboard moving, but its defensive lapses and rebounding issues make it difficult to stay within striking distance. Florida\u2019s depth, pace, and offensive consistency should gradually widen the margin as the game progresses. With both teams trending toward higher totals and Florida carrying a clear performance edge, Florida -10.5 and Over 145.5 match the most probable outcome of this Round of 32 matchup.<\/p>\n Final Predictions: Florida -10.5 and Over 145.5<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a9 Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A contrast of styles will take place tonight at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, as the Iowa Hawkeyes face the Florida Gators. The Hawkeyes are off a hard fought 67-61 win over Clemson to move to 22-12 on the year. Despite the win, Iowa is still just 4-6 in its last 10 games. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5785,"featured_media":182605,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,773,50440,3],"tags":[777,2548,832],"class_list":["post-182559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-college-basketball","category-ncaa-predictions","category-news","tag-florida-gators","tag-iowa-hawkeyes","tag-ncaa-tournament"],"modified_by":"Michael Kovacs, ADMIN","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182559","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5785"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=182559"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182559\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":182608,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182559\/revisions\/182608"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/182605"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=182559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=182559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=182559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Iowa Hawkeyes<\/h3>\n
Florida Gators<\/h3>\n
Predictions<\/h3>\n