NCAA Men’s Basketball ATS Picks - Florida Gators at Missouri Tigers Game Preview

The Florida Gators had a bumpy non-conference schedule but gave won their first two in SEC play. That pits them atop the conference standings and they will aim to stay there as a matchup against the Missouri Tigers awaits next time out.

Missouri has one fewer loss on the season and is aiming to keep up with the other top teams in the conference race. The Tigers have the home court advantage in this one and will aim to come away with an important win as the SEC action ramps up.

This could be a key play for both teams as they aim to bolster their resume for March Madness down the road.

Don't miss the hardwood action from Mizzou Arena at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 6, 2018. Catch every moment of the game live on CBS.

We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Saturday schedule.

Odds Analysis

Missouri is 11-3 straight up and 7-6 against the spread. The Tigers have covered in three of six attempts at home on the year. Missouri is 5-5 attempting to cover as the favorite and figures to be a slight one here.

Florida is 10-4 straight up and 10-8 against the spread. The Gators have covered in two of three attempts as the underdog this season.

Injury Report

Michael Porter Jr. — The Missouri freshman spoke to reporters this week regarding the back injury he suffered in November, but only to say it’s too early to tell if he will heal in time to return to the court this season. Porter, a five-star recruit out of high school, saw just two minutes of action this season in his team’s season opener before going down with the injury that resulted in spinal disc surgery last month.

Missouri fans would want nothing more than to get Porter back in action this year, but the young talent stated he wants to careful not to rush things. The 19-year-old has to look beyond just this season, as he is anticipated to be a top NBA draft pick this May as well.

Porter has a personal pull to get back in the lineup with the Tiger, however. His younger brother, Jontay Porter, reclassified to join Michael at Missouri and this could be their only opportunity to play together in college. Michael Porter’s absence is a big one in this game.

Key Stat

Three. That’s how many games Florida has won against ranked opponents this year. The Gators come into this contest against Missouri off a big win over No. 11 Texas A&M and with a four-game winning streak in tow.

The Gators defeated the Aggies 83-66 in that matchup on Tuesday and also has wins over Gonzaga and Cincinnati. The team’s only loss against a ranked opponent this season was at the hands of No. 1 Duke on November 26th.

The Gators had a real chance at pulling off the upset against Duke as well, but blew a late double-digit lead and wound up losing 87-84. Still, what the team has been able to do against some of the country’s top teams has been impressive.

Free NCAA Men’s Basketball ATS Picks

Florida has been hot and cold this season, but certainly has the talent to win this game. MIssouri has a solid group as well and the home court so it could be a competitive contest. Take the Tigers to win but Florida should be considered for the cover if the spread is too high.

The “over” is the side to consider when the scoring total is released as these teams should be able to shoot pretty well and put up some points. Missouri wants to get off to a hot start in conference play and a win here will help that cause.

NCAA Men’s Basketball Odds: Missouri 75, Florida 74

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