The Miami Hurricanes didn't start off this season highly regarded, but they've really come out of the blocks on fire.
Just a few short weeks ago, one could've argued for the Florida Gators being favored in this game, but at this point, it would feel like a relatively big upset if the orange and blue got out of Coral Gables with a 'W'.
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HOW THE FLORIDA GATORS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
It's not like the Gators are that bad at this point, but not having Alex Murphy until around Christmas is a really bad injury to overcome. This isn't a particularly deep team as it is, and Florida needs all the size it can muster to contend with the Hurricanes’ bigs.
The one man the Hurricanes won't have an answer for is Dorian Finney-Smith. You don't think of Florida as a team which has to win a game with one man by himself, but asking John Egbunu and Devin Robinson to play well against "The U" is probably too much.
Finney-Smith though, at 6-foot-8 with all sorts of range, is a matchup nightmare. He's already got a pair of 20+ point games this season, and he's probably the best ball handler on the court as well dressed in orange and blue. If the Gators are going to cover this spread, Finney-Smith is going to have to come up big.
HOW THE MIAMI HURRICANES CAN COVER THE SPREAD
Miami basically brought back its whole team from a season ago, and it's showing. Ivan Cruz Uceda, a man who was supposed to be a tremendous difference-maker last year, is averaging just 9.2 points per game, but he's capable of completely dominating a game in the paint. He's going to be matched up with a big Florida front line, but we don't see him struggling.
Instead, if the Canes are to beat the number, they're going to do so with their outside game. Florida's perimeter defense can be had, and Sheldon McClellan, Angel Rodriguez, Ja'Quan Newton and Davon Reed are all capable of taking advantage.
These four men are all averaging double-digits in scoring through eight games, and it wouldn't be surprising to see them combine for 60 in this one. If they do, the Hurricanes are certainly walking away with yet another big time victory and a cover.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
The loss to Northeastern just after Thanksgiving could've derailed the Hurricanes just a bit, but they've gotten back to their winning ways for sure. They've got a ton of experience already in games like this, having bested Mississippi State, Utah, Butler and Nebraska, whereas the Gators probably aren't ready for what they're about to run into.
Certainly, Finney-Smith could be a one-man wrecking crew, and that might be the case for a little while, but in the end, he's fighting a losing fight. The Hurricanes have far too many scoring options in their backcourt, and their bulk on the inside should manage to keep the rest of the Florida bigs quiet. That's a great recipe for a cover in this instate rivalry.
Miami 72, Florida 66
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