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Round 2 of the FIBA World Cup 2023 is set to kick off on Friday, September 1 with a matchup between Serbia and Italy in Group I.
Serbia, led by guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (18.0 ppg), will enter Round 2 undefeated (3-0) as the team coasted to Group B victories against China, Puerto Rico and South Sudan in Round 1.
Meanwhile, Italy, led by forward Simone Fontecchio (16.7 ppg), will enter Round 2 with a record of 2-1. This comes after the Italians knocked off Angola and the Philippines, and fell to the Dominican Republic in Group A in Round 1.
Serbia vs. Italy FIBA World Cup 2023 Round 2 game preview
Serbia will enter Friday’s matchup against Italy with an edge in nearly every major statistical category through three games. Serbia as a team has shot 57.2% and 44.7% from 3-point range. Meanwhile, Italy has shot just 43.5% and 28.7% from deep.
However, Italy has the edge in free-throw shooting (89.2% to 81.8%). In terms of rebounding, the teams are tied, with an average of 37.3 rebounds per game, but Serbia has a big advantage in the assists department (29.7 apg to 20.0 apg).
Additionally, Serbia also has the edge in both blocks (3.7 bpg to 3.0 bpg) and steals (9.7 spg to 5.7 spg).
Outside of the stats, the Serbians will also be looking to get some revenge against Italy on Friday after losing to them in the 2020 Olympic Qualifying Tournament Belgrade Final and in the Round of 16 of the FIBA EuroBasket 2022.
Serbia vs. Italy prediction and odds
As for the odds, Serbia is viewed as the favorite to win Friday’s matchup. This comes after their wins in the previous three games by an average of 30.3 points per game. SportyTrader, for example, has Serbia at 1.33 odds, while Italy is at 3.4 odds.
Meanwhile, FIBA has Serbia pegged as the overall favorite in Group I. The reason being a combination of Bogdan Bogdanovic heating up, forward Nikola Jovic flashing star potential and big man Nikola Milutinov dominating the paint.
