The Quinnipiac Bobcats currently hold a 9-3 record and are third in the MAAC, but ESPN thinks Florida should win by about 20 on Saturday when the two teams meet up in Gainesville.
Using the Basketball Power Index, ESPN gives Florida 94.2% odds to win by an expected 19.7-point margin. The game has a matchup quality rating of 61.3, which is a bit high considering Quinnipiac is a Quadrant 4 opponent.
“BPI is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of performance going forward,” the site reads. “BPI represents how many points above or below average a team is… Game predictions account for opponent strength, pace of play, site, travel distance, day’s rest and altitude, and are used to simulate the season 10,000 times to produce season projections.”
The Gators are 5-0 against Quadrant 4 teams, and Quinnipiac hasn’t moved into Quadrant 3 territory yet. There is some hope that the Bobcats will finish the season ranked higher, but Florida would still be favored over a Q3 opponent.
The Bobcats have taken four of their last five games, averaging more than 70 points a game over that stretch. Florida is looking to push its winning streak to six games before conference play begins and is averaging 85.4 points per game.
Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on Saturday. Fans can find the broadcast on ESPNU.
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