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How the Final Four teams have fared against each other

Shabazz Napier

AP photo

AP

Now that the Final Four field is set, it’s time to take a look at the four teams and how familiar they are with each other. Florida, the top overall seed, has played all three teams this season. While the Gators, who went 21-0 against SEC competition, swept all three meetings with No. 8 Kentucky their two defeats this year have come at the hands of No. 2 Wisconsin and No. 7 UConn.

Below is a look at each possible matchup, beginning with the two games that are guaranteed to take place.

6:09 p.m. EST: No. 1 Florida vs. No. 7 UConn (TBS)

This season’s meeting: UConn 65, Florida 64 (December 2, 2013)

The Huskies won in Storrs, with Shabazz Napier’s jumper as time expired being the difference. Napier made nine of his 15 shots from the field and scored a game-high 26 points, with DeAndre Daniels adding 14 to go along with seven rebounds. Casey Prather (19 points, seven rebounds), Patric Young (17, seven rebounds) and Scottie Wilbekin (15) all reached double figures for Florida, and it should be noted that Wilbekin left the game with just over three minutes remaining with a sprained ankle (also, Kasey Hill missed the game due to injury).

Series Record: Tied, 1-1

NCAA Tournament history: Florida’s win in this series came in the Sweet 16 of the 1994 NCAA tournament, with the Gators beating the Huskies 69-60 in overtime. With the game tied at 57 with 3.4 seconds remaining in regulation Donyell Marshall missed two free throws, sending the game into overtime. A critical Craig Brown three with just over a minute remaining in overtime gave Florida a four-point lead.

Approx. 8:49 p.m. EST: No. 2 Wisconsin vs. No. 8 Kentucky (TBS)

Series Record: Kentucky leads, 3-1

The Wildcats and Badgers have not met this season but they do have NCAA tournament history, with Kentucky beating Wisconsin 63-57 in the Sweet 16 of the 2003 NCAA tournament. Marquis Estill scored a career-high 28 points in that one, making 12 of his 18 field goal attempts.

Other Possible Matchups

Florida vs. Kentucky: 3-0 this season; Kentucky leads the all-time series 94-37

Florida won both regular season meetings by double figures, beating the Wildcats by ten in Lexington (February 15) and by 19 in Gainesville (March 8). However with the stakes higher in the SEC tournament final Kentucky put forth its best effort, losing to Florida by a single point (61-60). Michael Frazier II and Patric Young scored 14 points apiece to lead four Gators in double figures, with a 15-point advantage from deep (24-9) and the Harrison twins and Julius Randle combining to shoot 8-for-29 from the field factoring into the Florida victory.

Florida vs. Wisconsin: 59-53 Badgers on November 12; all-time series tied at two wins apiece

In this season’s meeting the Gators were without two key pieces, as both Wilbekin and Dorian Finney-Smith were serving suspensions at the time. Also of note: Michael Frazier II, now in the starting lineup, scored 20 points off the bench. Sam Dekker scored 16 points to lead three Badgers in double figures, and Wisconsin outscored Florida by 12 points (27-15) from beyond the arc. These two programs have never met in the NCAA tournament.

UConn vs. Kentucky: UConn leads the all-time series 3-1

All four games in this series have been played in the last eight years, with two being played in the NCAA tournament. In the 2006 Round of 32 the Huskies held off the Wildcats 87-83 in Philadelphia, and in the 2011 Final Four they beat Kentucky 56-55 in the national semifinals. All four games have been played on neutral courts, and Kentucky’s lone victory came at Madison Square Garden in 2009 (64-61).

UConn vs. Wisconsin: UConn leads the all-time series, 1-0

The Huskies and Badgers have met just once in their respective histories, with UConn winning 76-57 on November 24, 2008 in the finals of the Paradise Jam. Jerome Dyson scored 21 points and Jeff Adrien added 14, with Hasheem Thabeet earning tournament MVP honors.

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