Florida vs Alabama Odds & Pick
| Florida Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+8.5 -110 | 173.5 -115o / -105u | +333 |
| Alabama Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-8.5 -110 | 173.5 -115o / -105u | -450 |
There's no stopping Nate Oats' Alabama Crimson Tide. The Tide destroyed Texas A&M last Saturday in yet another convincing win at home.
On Wednesday night, the Tide host the Florida Gators. The Gators have been red-hot offensively, so the matchup has all the makings of a high-scoring affair.
Florida Gators
Florida added another victory to its impressive season by defeating Georgia, 88-82, last Saturday. The team's explosive offense has been the talk of the season, ranking ninth nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and second in offensive rebounding.
Remarkably, the Gators have achieved this without having a consistent 3-point shooter. Although the team's 3-point shooting percentage sits at 34% with a free-throw percentage of 69%, their offense remains one of the most dangerous in the country.
However, a significant improvement in these two areas would make them even more formidable.
Despite not relying on the deep ball, Florida's offense is capable of keeping up with Alabama's offense. The Tide's defense has struggled on the inside this season, which bodes well for Florida forward Tyrese Samuel, who's expected to have a big game.
The Gators also prefer to play fast, which is crucial against Alabama.
However, the Tide also boast a powerful offense that leads the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency, so Florida needs to make some stops down the stretch to pull off a road upset.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Fading Alabama against Texas A&M on Saturday was a bad idea from the get-go. However, the Aggies' poor performance from the 3-point line — they shot just 4-of-23 — made it even worse.
On the other side, Alabama's offense was on fire, making 44% of its 3-point shots for the game, finishing 18-of-41 from deep. Guard Mark Sears had an especially exceptional game, scoring 23 points while shooting 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Alabama's offensive prowess is hard to beat considering it leads the nation in adjusted efficiency. The Tide rank inside the top 10 in several offensive categories:
- 3-point percentage
- 2-point percentage
- Free-throw percentage
- Effective field-goal percentage
They're also one of the fastest offenses in the country, with a rank of 11th in adjusted tempo.
This team takes a lot of 3-pointers per game, which is a great strategy against a lackluster Florida perimeter defense that allows too many 3-point attempts.
While the Tide's offense is unstoppable, their defense still has some issues to fix. They're not a great defensive rebounding team, and they allow too many free-throw attempts for their opponents.
Fortunately for them, the Gators don't shoot well from the free-throw line, so that may not play a big role in this matchup. However, it gives more reason to think that Florida will be able to score throughout the entire game.
The Tide will have to show up offensively once again to pull off a comfortable win at home.
Florida vs Alabama
Betting Pick & Prediction
With the Tide's impressive performance on Saturday, I don't think I can underestimate them at home. In any case, taking the over seems like the best way to approach this game.
It's hard to imagine both offenses experiencing shooting droughts throughout the game. Both sides will have numerous opportunities to score since it's expected to be a high-paced game.
The Gators are capable of keeping up with the Tide on the offensive end, and both teams have defensive issues that will translate into more success for the opposing team.
Samuel is expected to have a big day for Florida, especially since the Tide struggle with defensive rebounding, which will give the Gators plenty of second chances.
If you're a fan of offense, this game is a must-watch. Take the over with confidence, then sit back and enjoy the fireworks display on the court.
