Florida basketball vs Colorado prediction: Who has edge in 2024 NCAA Tournament Round of 64?

Florida basketball will open the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Friday against a Colorado team that's peaking at the right time.

The 10-seed Buffaloes (25-10) won for the ninth time in their last 10 games, rallying from down four points late in the second half to beat 10-seed Boise State 60-53 in a First Four matchup on Wednesday night at the First Four in Dayton, Ohio.

The 7-seed Florida Gators (24-11) will benefit from facing a Colorado team that's winded, as the Buffaloes will make the two-hour bus ride from Dayton late Wednesday night and practice on Thursday in Indianapolis before the Round of 64 game between the two teams. Florida and Colorado will play Friday at Gainbridge Field House in Indianapolis (4:30 p.m., TBS).

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“It ends up being a little bit of a break even because I think we do have a little bit of an advantage because the teams play on Wednesday night," Florida basketball coach Todd Golden said. "I think we’re at a little bit of a disadvantage because we can’t truly prepare for anybody until, you know, late Wednesday night. You know, it all works itself out at the end of the day."

Florida made a run to the SEC Tournament final last week, as the Gators won three straight games before falling 86-67 to Auburn. The game proved costly because Florida lost starting center Micah Handlogten to a broken leg early in the game.

"I’m really glad we’re playing on Friday," Golden said. "You know, I think this team was about as fatigued as you can be coming off four games in four days and obviously with the emotion of what happened to Micah. So, we needed some time to kind of get our legs back under us and now it’s everything we’ve got to get ourselves revved up and back ready."

Here are three storylines to watch Friday:

How will Florida basketball handle the Colorado frontcourt duo of Eddie Lampkin and Tristian DaSilva?

Lampkin is load inside at 6-foot-11 and 265 pounds, while the 6-9 DaSilva is a versatile forward, capable of scoring from all three levels. DaSilva scored a team-high 20 points in Colorado's win over Boise, while Lampkin added 13 points and six rebounds.

Florida's frontcourt depth suffered a blow with the loss of the 7-1 Handlogten, so it will be up to forward Tyrese Samuel, freshman forward Alex Condon and freshman forward Thomas Haugh to avoid foul trouble and keep the duo in check. Condon will make his first career start in place of Handlogten on Friday.

Which point guard will have the better game: Florida basketball's Zyon Pullin or Colorado's KJ Simpson?

Both Pullin and Simpson are All-America candidates, and both provide steadiness and leadership for their respective teams. Pullin (15.6 ppg, 4.9 apg) has scored in double figures in 31 of 32 games he's appeared in this season with an assist-to-turnover ratio (3.76-1) that ranks fourth in the country. Simpson (19.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 4.9 apg) is coming off a 19-point, 11-rebound, 4-assist game against Boise State. He's a rugged, experienced guard who is not afraid of contract.

Colorado is going to want to slow the game, while Florida wants to speed it up. The point guard that can control the tempo and minimize mistakes could go a long way in determining the outcome of the game.

Who will win the battle of the boards, Florida basketball or Colorado?

Both Florida and Colorado are capable of taking a game over on the boards. Florida ranked second in the SEC in rebounding margin this season at plus-6.69, while Colorado ranked second in the Pac 12 at plus-6.97. The Gators suffered a blow on the boards with the loss of Handlogten, who averaged 6.9 rebounds per game with a team-high 108 offensive rebounds. But Condon has also proven to be tough on the boards throughout his freshman season, averaging 6.3 rebounds per game with 70 offensive boards.

Florida basketball vs Colorado prediction, March Madness Round of 64

Florida 76, Colorado 66: The Buffaloes will run out gas in the second half as UF's quick, high-powered backcourt of Zyon Pullin, Walter Clayton Jr. and Will Richard will be too much for Colorado to handle defensively.