Florida vs. Kentucky Pick
Can No. 18 Kentucky dispatch its SEC rival when the Wildcats host Florida tonight at 8:15PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Kentucky is the slight favorite at home, as the Wildcats are getting odds of -3.5 points against Florida. The over/under total for the game is listed at 148.5 points. Tonight’s game is set to take place from Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky and will air live on ESPN.
Florida is coming off an 88-73 win over Arkansas for its seventh win in eight games. The Gators are 13-5 overall, 5-1 in the SEC and 9-8 against the spread. Florida is averaging 82 points per game this season while allowing 72.6 per contest. Jalen Hudson has been leading Florida this season with 16.5 points and 4 rebounds per game while Egor Koulechov is adding 15.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per contest.
Kentucky is coming off a 76-68 loss at South Carolina this week. The Wildcats are just 2-2 in their last four. UK is 14-4 overall, 4-2 in the SEC and 8-10 against the spread. Kentucky is putting up 77.7 points per game on offense while allowing 70 per game on defense. Kevin Knox has been leading the way for Kentucky. He is averaging 14.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Hamidou Diallo is adding 13.3 points per game.
Kentucky has won six of the last seven meetings with Florida, covering the spread in five of the last six as well. Kentucky is coming off a bad loss, but it was on the road. The Wildcats have been perfect at home thus far, 11-0. Florida doesn’t have a lot of road experience, playing in just three true road games. In that is a loss at Ole Miss. Kentucky can’t afford to fall two games behind Florida in the SEC and I expect the Wildcats to be at their best at home against a rival. The public betting is siding with Kentucky as well.
CBB DAILY PREDICTION: KENTUCKY -3.5