Florida had some issues in the middle of its non-conference slate but enters this one winners of four straight. The Volunteers have played a bunch of ranked teams tough this year but have yet to come away with the upset. Tennessee would love to get one here but will be the underdog on the road.
This war on the floor will go down Saturday, January 7, 2017, at 5:15 p.m. ET at the Stephen O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida.
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Odds at BookMaker.eu
Florida is 11-3 straight up and 8-5 against the spread. The Gators have played four games at home and have been able to cover in three of them. They will be favored in this matchup and are an impressive 8-0 against the spread as the favorite.
Tennessee is 8-6 straight up and 7-5 against the spread. The Volunteers have been really good on the road this season, covering in all four of their attempts. Tennessee has covered in five of six games as the underdog, so something will have to budge in this matchup.
Player to Watch
Robert Hubbs III -- Tennessee’s leading scorer is its senior guard. Hubbs has been a contributor for all four years with the team but has really stepped up this season to lead the way.
He is averaging 15.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game on the season and is shooting 52.5 percent from the field, which is a big-time improvement on years past.
Hubbs III had 21 points and seven rebounds last time out but didn’t get enough help in a close loss against Arkansas. He hopes to get some balance on the offensive end as Hubbs isn’t enough to spring the upset all alone.
Key Stat
8.1. That’s the number of steals per game Florida registers, and the Gators hope to dominate this game defensively. If they can get in passing lanes, it will turn into easy buckets on the other end of the floor.
If Florida gets going in transition, it’s going to be tough for Tennessee to hang around in this one. The Gators are only giving up 66.3 points per game and have the athleticism to make it tough on the Volunteers.
While Tennessee shoots a worst percentage than Florida, it has a slight rebounding edge. The Volunteers need to win the battle of the boards because the Gators figure to have the better offense.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
Tennessee has done a great job remaining competitive against ranked foes. It lost to the No. 16 Wisconsin Badgers by 12 points, the No. 13 Oregon Ducks by four points, the No. 7 North Carolina Tar Heels by just a bucket and to the No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs by 10 points.
While the Volunteers have yet to knock off an elite opponent, the matchups have been fruitful when it comes to covering the spread. Florida has gotten back into the national rankings with its recent win streak and hopes to control this one early.
The Gators may be a good team, but they haven’t yet shown the ability to be truly elite. It will be tough for Tennessee to win this one but the Volunteers should be able to once again cover the spread and give Florida a run for its money in this matchup.
Florida will win and defend its home court, but will need to squeak it out with some big shots late to shake off the pesky Volunteers.
College Basketball Odds: Florida 81, Tennessee 77
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