A lot of opening-night matchups are "buy games" or tune-ups for ranked squads, but out in Las Vegas, the Hall of Fame Series has two juicy matchups to watch.
The more anticipated of the two is the defending champion No. 3 Florida Gators vs. the No. 13 Arizona Wildcats (7 p.m. ET, TNT).
So, because this game is the biggest of the night, our staff breaks down how to bet Florida vs. Arizona, including NCAAB picks for Monday's marquee matchup.
Florida vs Arizona Best Bets
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Florida vs. Arizona: Spread Pick
By Jordan Mann
Florida is fresh off its National Championship and has a chance to make a statement neutral-site win to start off the 2025-2026 season.
Arizona returns Jaden Bradley, who will take a leap for the Wildcats, and freshman Koa Peat is someone I'm high on this season. However, I think Florida is the better team in this matchup, especially based on what the Gators return and who they brought in through the portal.
Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh’s versatility will cause issues for Arizona. Opponents shot 28% from the field when guarded by Condon last year and 19% on jump shots. Condon’s ability to defend the perimeter and the rim will make it tough for an Arizona team that lost its leading scorer.
Arkansas transfer Boogie Fland and Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee both have the ability to create shots to go along with their experience. Their veteran abilities will have them prepared for a game in Las Vegas, and they’ll be key contributors for Florida in this matchup.
Todd Golden’s group can beat you in a variety of ways, and with Condon and Haugh stepping into bigger roles, I like the Gators to cover the spread.
Pick: Florida -3.5 (Play to -4)
Florida vs. Arizona: Over/Under Pick
The Gators will have big shoes to fill following the departures of guards Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard to the NBA.
As a result, Florida will likely lean on its frontcourt of returning players in Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu.
Condon might've already given the game away, telling reporters that the onus will be on the frontcourt to provide the bulk of the scoring.
"A lot more of the scoring is going to come out of us this year. We talked about how we had great guards last year, but this is our year (for the frontcourt) to prove ourselves."
Arizona will also have its share of departures to contend with, as Caleb Love and Carter Bryant moved on to the NBA, while KJ Lewis (Georgetown) and Henri Veesaar (North Carolina) both transferred to other programs.
Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd has reloaded with the No. 4 recruiting class, according to ESPN, featuring two five-star players in Peat and Brayden Burries, top-40 prospect Dwayne Aristode and the three-star wingman Bryce James, son of NBA great LeBron James.
However, while there's no denying Arizona's young talent, I wouldn't expect it to begin the season firing on all cylinders.
Considering the total is as high as 163.5, the value lies in taking the under.
Pick: Under 164 (Play to 162)
Florida vs. Arizona: Player Prop Pick
By Sean Paul
The biggest question surrounding the Arizona Wildcats is how do they replace the consistent scoring from Love. Well, odds are it’ll be one of two freshman five-stars — Burries or Peat.
Peat will get his scoring inside, but Burries could be a shining star from day one. He’ll face a smaller Florida backcourt that he should be able to carve out scoring lanes against.
The current BetMGM line has Burries' point total at 10.5 points. I’m targeting the over for Burries today. Not only can the freshman phenom create his own looks, but Bradley’s ability to get into the lane and make plays could create more looks for Burries.
Expect higher point totals from Burries as the season progresses. This could prove to be a discounted number.
Pick: Brayden Burries Over 10.5 Points (Play to 12)
