The Ole Miss Rebels take on the Florida Gators in Gainesville, FL. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Florida is favored by 12.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -850. The total is set at 157.5 points.
Here are my Ole Miss vs. Florida predictions and college basketball picks for March 8, 2025.
Ole Miss vs Florida Prediction
My Pick: Over 157.5 (Play to 159.5)
My Ole Miss vs Florida best bet is on the over, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Ole Miss vs Florida Odds, Lines
| Ole Miss Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+12.5 -110 | 157.5 -110o / -110u | +575 |
| Florida Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-12.5 -110 | 157.5 -110o / -110u | -850 |
- Ole Miss vs Florida spread: Florida -12.5
- Ole Miss vs Florida over/under: 157.5 points
- Ole Miss vs Florida moneyline: Florida -850, Ole Miss +575
- Ole Miss vs Florida best bet: Over 157.5 (Play to 159.5)
My Ole Miss vs Florida NCAAB Betting Preview
There won't be much of a letdown angle on either side here. Both teams are off the heels of substantial top-five wins, as Ole Miss beat Tennessee and Florida went into Tuscaloosa and beat Alabama.
When can we begin to give Florida its proper due? The Gators are on a torrid pace right now. They've won eight of their past nine games, including six by double-digits.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss won back-to-back games in Oxford.
I think Florida will tear up this Ole Miss defense. The Gators rank fourth in offensive efficiency, per KenPom, and shoot over 35% from deep. Even if the first shot doesn't go down, Florida often creates second chances, recording offensive rebounds 38% of the time.
The Florida shooters can cause real headaches. Walter Clayton Jr. leads Florida's high-powered offense with 17 points per game, while Will Richard and Alijah Martin average 14-plus PPG.
It comes down to their shooting, though. All three can be a bit streaky, especially Clayton, who's shooting well below 40% from the field in his past five games.
Florida has way more interior options. Ole Miss starts just one true big — Malik Dia — and he's more of a stretch option than a bruiser. Meanwhile, Florida has a pair of highly skilled bigs in Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh, while Rueben Chinyelu and Micah Handlogten serve as elite screeners and rebounders. It's quite the advantage for Florida.
That should pose a problem for Ole Miss, which ranks just 212th in defensive rebounding rate. Plus, this isn't your vintage Chris Beard team. The Rebels are a pretty poor defensive team, ranking 120th in defensive efficiency since Feb. 1. per Nart Torvik. Opponents are shooting 39% from 3 (333rd nationally) and 54.4% from 2 (278th) against the Rebels.
The good news? The cover looks like a strong play, as Ole Miss ranks 15th in offensive efficiency during that span. The Rebels are so good at getting shots off, turning the ball over just 11% of the time since Feb. 1 and just 12% this year.
While Florida has a bona fide scoring pecking order, Ole Miss' leading scorer can differ each game. Six different players average between 10-14 PPG, led by veteran guard Sean Pedulla.
This feels like a game Ole Miss needs Pedulla and Jaylen Murray to shoulder the load, as Florida excels at defending the rim.
Both teams will look to push the tempo. Ole Miss sits in the top 100 in adjusted tempo over the past month, and Florida is in the top 75, which isn't surprising for the analytically-minded Todd Golden.
The mix of tempo and offensive efficiency should lead to a high-scoring showdown. The total sits at 155.5, and I could see both teams scoring in the 80s, so let's root for buckets.
