Florida and Alabama met for a whole lot of big football games over the years but they’ve probably never met for a bigger game on a basketball court than Wednesday night’s tussle in Tuscaloosa.
These two teams are both ranked in the Top 7, both are fighting for the No. 2 spot for the upcoming SEC tournament and both are still in the running for top seeding for the upcoming NCAA tournament.
How are we playing this game with our free college basketball betting pick?
NCAAB Betting Odds
Wednesday’s CBB betting market opened Alabama at -3.5 over Florida, with an over/under of right around 176. Early betting action dipped that spread to -2.5 and bumped that total to 178.
Florida-Alabama Betting Preview
The Gators just bounced back from an upset loss at Georgia last week to beat Texas A&M on Saturday 89-70. Florida favored at -8.5, led 45-34 at the half, and pulled away late for the W and the money.
The Gators hit 14/33 from 3-point land while holding the Aggies to just 5/17 from long range.
Earlier this month, Florida strung together six victories in a row, including that big one at Auburn. The Gators then lost a crazy game at UGA last Tuesday 88-83 but rebounded Saturday against A&M.
Meanwhile, the Tide are just 2-3 in their last five games after falling at Tennessee Saturday 79-76. Neither team ever led that game by more than nine points, and it was tied at 76-76 with three seconds left. But Alabama turned the ball over on an inbounds violation from under the Volunteers basket, then lost on a long Vols 3-pointer at the buzzer.
The Tide shot only 42 percent from the floor Saturday, but that was only the second time in their last eight games they shot less than 50 percent. Alabama also held Tennessee to 43 percent shooting, the seventh time in their last eight games Bama held their opponent under 50 percent.
It was just a tough loss against a tough opponent.
About a month ago, Alabama ran off seven straight wins. The Tide then lost a big game to Auburn and then lost at Missouri. Victories over Kentucky and Mississippi State followed before Saturday’s defeat. So Alabama is struggling just a bit at the moment.
At 12-4 in conference play, these teams are tied for second place in the SEC. They can’t catch first-place Auburn, and they’re two games ahead of fifth-place Mizzou. (In the SEC the top four finishers in the regular season earn double byes into the quarterfinals of next week’s SEC tournament). So Wednesday’s winner will clinch that No. 2 seed, while the loser will have to play an important game this weekend.
By the Numbers
Florida is shooting 47 percent from the field this season, while Alabama is holding opponents to 42 percent FG shooting.
The Tide are shooting 48 percent from the floor while the Gators are holding opponents to 39 percent shooting.
Florida is out-rebounding opponents by a per-game margin of 39-31 and Alabama by 40-32.
Finally, the Gators own a 16/11 per-game assist/turnover ratio, the Tide 17/13.
Recent History
Alabama made the Final Four last season, but Florida swept two games from the Tide, 105-87 in Gainesville in the regular season and 102-88 in the SEC tournament in Nashville.
Both those games played over on the totals.
Totals Report
The Under is 16-12 in Gators games this season, which are averaging 151 total points.
The Totals are split 14-14 in Tide games, which are averaging 171 points.
The Overs are 7-0 over the last seven meetings between these teams.
