Gators Battle Maryland in Sweet 16 Showdown Tonight

SAN FRANCISCO — The Florida Gators will make their 11th Sweet 16 appearance in school history when they face the Maryland Terrapins on Thursday night at the Chase Center at 7:39 p.m. ET. This matchup shapes up to be an exciting one as both teams enter the game with impressive momentum, with Florida boasting eight consecutive wins and 14 victories in their last 15 games.

The Gators, who hold a 9-1 all-time record in Sweet 16 contests, are led by senior All-American point guard Walter Clayton Jr., averaging 17.9 points and 4.2 assists per game. In their previous Sweet 16 game on March 24, 2017, Florida achieved a stunning 84-83 overtime win against Wisconsin, marked by a buzzer-beater from former guard Chris Chiozza. This time, they look to leverage their cohesive blend of talent and teamwork developed under Coach Todd Golden.

Meanwhile, Maryland enters the matchup with a 27-8 record, having recently secured a nail-biting 72-71 victory over No. 12 seed Colorado State, with freshman center Deric Queen scoring the decisive basket at the buzzer. Queen leads the Terrapins, averaging 16.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, earning the title of Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

In their last meeting, Florida fell to Maryland 70-68 in Brooklyn on December 12, 2021. Historically, the Gators hold a 2-2 record against the Terrapins, setting the stage for a competitive rematch.

Coach Golden emphasized the significance of having a diverse, international roster, including players from Europe and Australia, which reflects in Florida’s unselfish style of play that averages 15.9 assists per game. “The international flavor is obviously a more unselfish brand of basketball where five guys touch it and move it,” Golden remarked.

Fans can catch the live broadcast of the game on TBS and TruTV, with Kevin Bonner handling play-by-play duties alongside analysts Dan Bonner and Stan Van Gundy. The game will also air on AM 850 and FM 98.1 in Gainesville. As of Wednesday evening, Florida is favored by 6.5 points, with an over/under set at 156.5 points.