No. 5 UConn Faces No. 18 Florida in Jimmy V Classic Rematch at Madison Square Garden

The matchup tests UConn’s upgraded defense against Florida’s size, with the Gators owning the nation’s No. 2 rebounding margin.

Overview

Florida ended UConn’s title bid 77-75 in last March’s NCAA second round before winning the national championship, setting the stage for this immediate rematch.
UConn senior center Tarris Reed Jr. practiced fully and is a game-time decision, with Dan Hurley noting the potential to deploy two-big lineups when he is healthy.
Freshman Eric Reibe has started five of nine games and is averaging 9.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in roughly 20 minutes per game.
Hurley emphasizes a defense-first identity, with UConn entering 8-1 and ranked No. 5 after climbing into KenPom’s top tier on that end.
Florida is 5-3 and ranked No. 18, led by forward Thomas Haugh’s scoring and a frontcourt featuring Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu that drives a second-best national rebounding margin; tip is 9 p.m. ET on ESPN from MSG.