Florida vs. UConn: What to Watch for in Final Four 2014 Showdown

We should have seen this coming.

The streaking, overall top-seeded Florida Gators taking on—wait for it—Connecticut?

Sure, the Huskies began the 2014 NCAA tournament as an overlooked No. 7 seed in the East Region. But as one of only two teams to knock off the Gators this season, it's only appropriate that Kevin Ollie's squad reached the Final Four in North Texas.

Now, four months after their instant classic in Storrs, Conn., the two college basketball powerhouses stand in each other's way of a berth in the national championship. 

With the stakes higher than ever and the stage set for a thrilling rematch on Saturday, let's get you set with what to watch for this weekend. 

When: Saturday, April 5 at 6:09 p.m. ET

Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Watch: TBS

Live Stream: March Madness Live

What's at Stake?

DARRON CUMMINGS

2014 marks the fourth time that Florida has reached the Final Four under head coach Billy Donovan and the fifth time in school history. The previous two times the Gators made it this far, they wound up winning it all in 2006 and 2007.

However, Connecticut's Final Four history is every bit as impressive. The Huskies last reached the national semifinals in 2011, when they won the title under Jim Calhoun. 

And like the Gators, the Huskies have two national championships in the past decade, winning it all in 2004 as well. 

For Florida and Donovan, a fourth national championship game appearance is at stake along with the chance to play for a third crown.

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

On the other side, Connecticut seniors Shabazz Napier, Niels Giffey and Tyler Olander, who were freshmen on the Huskies team that won it all in Houston three years ago, have a shot to reach their second national title game and ultimately win the program's fourth national championship since 1999.

The Revenge Factor

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Saturday's Final Four clash will offer Florida an opportunity to avenge one of its two losses this season. 

The Gators last fell at Connecticut on Dec. 2, losing on a buzzer-beater from Napier. Florida has won 30 straight games since, but the Huskies can still say they are the better team, for now.

Prior to the end of the regular season, Ollie used the game tape from that impressive victory to pump up his players, per USA Today's Nicole Auerbach:

"

I just wanted to show them, you know, Florida was No. 1 and we can beat No. 1. We have already proved it. I wanted to show them their intensity on the defensive end. The offensive end, we were sharing the ball.

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If the Huskies can knock off the Gators again at a neutral site in Arlington, they'll prove their win in early December was no fluke. However, an impressive performance by Florida this weekend would have the SEC champions feeling ultra confident having avenged a heartbreaking loss.

Matchup to Watch: Shabazz Napier vs. Scottie Wilbekin

There won't be a better individual matchup at the Final Four on Saturday than Napier vs. Wilbekin. The two senior point guards each provide tremendous scoring and poise for their respective teams and are sure to go back and forth all game long.

They met earlier this season in Connecticut's thrilling 65-64 win, but Wilbekin missed the final moments after spraining his ankle. That's important to note considering Florida lost by only a point.

Auerbach sets the stage for the intriguing point guard duel:

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Connecticut won the Dec. 2 game on a Shabazz Napier buzzer-beater, and it is the last game Florida lost. The Gators were without their best perimeter defender, senior Scottie Wilbekin, for the game's final minutes due to an injury. This time around, the Wilbekin vs. Napier matchup — hopefully, 40 minutes of it — will be the most compelling individual matchup of the Final Four.

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Napier scored 26 points in that game, hitting 9-of-15 from the field, including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. Wilbekin had 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting before leaving the game late. 

But that was four months ago. It's April now, and both floor generals are playing the best basketball of their lives.

As ESPN Stats & Info points out, Wilbekin has been rock solid with the ball in his hands in the Big Dance:

In addition to averaging 16.8 points per game in the tournament, Wilbekin has 12 total assists to just two turnovers in four games.

Although Napier has turned the ball over 15 times in four tournament wins, his supporting cast isn't nearly as talented or deep as Wilbekin's and, therefore, he's asked to do a lot more on the offensive end. Napier's averaging 23.3 points and 4.5 assists per game in the tournament and shows no signs of slowing down. 

The key to this matchup will be whether Wilbekin and Florida are able to force Napier into tough shots, thus limiting his opportunities to penetrate and draw the defense away from other scoring threats like Ryan Boatright and DeAndre Daniels.

On the other side, can the Huskies turn Wilbekin into a volume shooter?

While the 6'2" guard is an excellent offensive talent, if Connecticut is able to take away passing lanes and cut off driving lanes, Wilbekin will have to settle for low-percentage outside shots and won't be able to get his teammates involved nearly as often. 

The Huskies' defense was able to throw Michigan State off balance in the Elite Eight and could have similar success against Florida if they can protect the paint and keep the ball in front of them.