Virginia vs Florida Odds
| Virginia Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -104 | 135.5 -110o / -110u | -115 |
| Florida Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -118 | 135.5 -110o / -110u | -104 |
Friday's CBB slate includes a meeting between two borderline top-25 teams as part of the "Hall of Fame" series in Charlotte.
Given the very neutral location, I'd imagine the fanfare shows out evenly — maybe there will be a slight edge for the Cavaliers in the fan department since the base is just bigger.
So which side is worth backing here? Let's find out in my preview for Florida-Virginia on Friday night with our Florida-Virginia prediction and picks today.
Florida Gators
On the Florida side, it's a much-improved roster compared to the one that missed the tournament in Todd Golden's first season in Gainesville.
This team has a steady mix on both ends — a couple of guys like Tyrese Samuel and Micah Handlogten to patrol the paint and studs like Riley Kugel and Walter Clayton Jr. to put up crooked offensive numbers.
One area where I'm worried about Florida is the lack of depth. Before the season, EJ Jarvis retired from basketball, which left the Gators one spot shorter on the bench. Plus, guard Zyon Pullin is serving a three-game suspension, so he'll miss this one.
Freshman forwards Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh provided steady bench minutes — Condon scored 13 points and Haugh added six points. This will be the first big game of their young college careers, adding to the concern.
One player on the court is a surefire NBA draft pick, and that's Kugel. The 6-foot-5 sophomore is a terrific two-way player; he's an electric athlete who can stroke it from outside but pays plenty of attention to detail on defense. He's the biggest difference-maker in a game between two talented, well-coached teams like these. Sometimes, it comes down to one guy making plays in the biggest moments, and Kugel lives for those opportunities.
The biggest difference between these two teams is their tempo. Florida plays an up-tempo game, ranking in the top 70 for adjusted tempo last season. On the other hand, Virginia is known for playing slow and winning ugly games.
While I believe the Gators defense allows them to compete in low-scoring games, I don't think Virginia's offense can keep up in a high-scoring game, despite showing improvement in that area.
Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia's off-season actions lead me to believe Tony Bennett is searching for more offense. That's a consistent trend in Bennett's tenure in Charlottesville. Bennett grabbed versatile St. Thomas transfer Andrew Rohde, who could struggle against the athleticism of Florida's wings, and returning sniper Isaac McKneely isn't much of a defender, either.
Those beliefs rang true in Virginia's first game against Tarleton State where the Cavaliers put up 80 points, led by a 16-point showing from Reece Beekman.
Virginia's shooting also looked improve, hitting 10-22 shots from beyond the arc — four from McKneely and three from Oklahoma transfer Jacob Groves.
That said, Virginia's defense is still one of the best in the sport. Between the uber-athletic Ryan Dunn and Beekman, there's plenty of defense in Charlottesville. Beekman is only 6-foot-2, but his lengthy wingspan enables him to defend taller players without exposure.
Lastly, Virginia has to prove it can drive the ball to the basket. Otherwise, teams will start pushing McKneely and Groves off the three-point line on the catch, and forcing tough twos. If Beekman shows the ability to drive — opening up drive and kick opportunities — it greatly enhances UVA's offense.
Virginia vs. Florida
Betting Pick & Prediction
Something about this Virginia team just doesn't pass the sniff test. Plus, I like Florida's pieces — especially with Kugel's potential and the size up front.
Which Virginia player can create shots in key situations? That's an unanswered question to this point. Frankly, Virginia hasn't had a guy you can hand the ball to in big moments and feel good about it since Kyle Guy or Ty Jerome.
I'm fading the Cavs in this one. The pack line defense won't get the job done against the athletic Gator bunch.
Pick: Florida +1
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