The first game of Elite 8 tips off this afternoon at 4:20 as #8 Butler tries to continue its surprise run against #2 Florida. The most surprising thing about Butler is probably that they’re no fluke. They have legit wins over Pitt and Wisconsin in this tournament. Pitt didn’t play poorly in that game, Butler was just the better team.
Coach Brad Stevens attributes his team’s tournament success to their calm mindset.
"You know, the game is not going to go perfectly. That’s one of the things we talk about going into tournament play, and I think it does take a little bit of the edge off, is the game — you’re not going to play perfect. Let’s get it out there right now. People are going to make runs on you, people are going to make shots on you, you’re go going to make a mistake, you’re going to screw up a play, but if your preparation is good and your will is good and you’re all in together, you’ll have a shot at the end. "
The accuscore simulator is pretty even on this one. Florida wins 51% of the time, which basically makes this a tossup. The Gators are favored by three.
Pick: Butler
Check our UConn Vs Arizona pick and grab an updated NCAA Bracket