One-Sided Betting on Road Favorite #5 Florida at Florida State
Team Page: Florida :: Florida State
91% of Bets Placed on Florida -8.5 | Matchup | CBB Picks
Fourth-ranked Florida is battling more than just its opponents lately.
The weary Gators continue adjusting to life without star forward Corey Brewer when they visit Florida State on Sunday.
Brewer sat out Florida’s 83-27 rout of Southern on Tuesday because of mononucleosis and could miss at least the next two weeks. Brewer, the team’s best defender and most versatile player, is averaging 11.7 points and a team-high 3.6 assists this season.
Oddsmakers have made Florida -8.5 point spread favorites (College Basketball Odds) for todays game, the over/under has been set at 144.5 total points (View College Basketball Sports Books).
“I hope not to kiss him or drink out of his cup,” teammate Al Horford said. “We hope he gets back soon. We just have to take care of him.”
Coach Billy Donovan and preseason All-American Joakim Noah both felt congested and tired Tuesday, but Noah has been cleared to play against the Seminoles. Noah, who is averaging 12.4 points and 7.1 rebounds, had three points and six boards in 12 minutes against the Jaguars.
“It’s something we have to deal with and battle with,” Donovan said. “We’re a sick, tired team right now.”
Still, the Gators (7-1) rebounded nicely from their first loss of the season, an 82-80 overtime defeat to No. 5 Kansas in the Las Vegas Invitational on Nov. 25. Horford, who leads the team with 13.4 points per game, had 12 points in 22 minutes Tuesday.
It was the fewest points the Gators have given up since the shot clock was introduced in the 1985-86 season.
“I think they need sleep. I think they need rest,” Donovan said. “It’s got to be a balancing act because they also need to practice.”
Walter Hodge started in place of Brewer Tuesday and had nine points and six assists. However, Donovan said he hasn’t decided how his lineup will look without Brewer on Sunday.
The Gators are 38-19 against the Seminoles (4-2) and have won seven of the last eight meetings. Florida State, though, has won 16 of its last 17 non-conference home games, including an 82-69 victory over Florida on Jan. 2, 2005.
The Seminoles are wrapping up a brutal three-game stretch that includes an 88-66 loss at second-ranked Pittsburgh on Nov. 24 and an 81-66 defeat at No. 12 Wisconsin on Tuesday. They turned the ball over 21 times against the Badgers, four more than their average coming in.
“Any team is going to be good if we come out having 21 turnovers and eight assists, no matter who we play,” said Toney Douglas, who had 24 points. “We beat ourselves.”
Douglas and Al Thornton, who had 10 points on Tuesday, are tied for the team lead with 15.0 points per game.
“It wasn’t the pressure, it was poor decisions by our kids,” coach Leonard Hamilton said. “They’re the kind of turnovers we can correct, but we haven’t corrected them in the first six games, and we’re going to have to make sure we get those corrected because our schedule doesn’t get any easier.”
by: Marc Young – theSpread.com – Email Us
More NCAA College Basketball Coverage from theSpread.com
– NCAA College Basketball teams
– NCAA College Basketball standings
– NCAA College Basketball schedule
– NCAA College Basketball scoreboard
– NCAA College Basketball injuries
– NCAA College Basketball matchups
– NCAA College Basketball stats
– NCAA College Basketball odds
– NCAA College Basketball public betting chart
– NCAA College Basketball news wire
– NCAA College Basketball top stories
– NCAA College Basketball trends
– AccuScore NCAA College Basketball predictions
– Expert NCAA College Basketball picks
– Comments and discussion
– Signup for theSpread.com daily newsletter
– NCAA College Basketball Home
