College Basketball on Tuesday and we will see the Florida Gators travel to Columbia, Missouri to take on the Missouri Tigers. The game is scheduled for a 9:00 pm (Eastern) start time and will be televised on ESPN. Currently the Odds for the game have Florida favored by 5 points while the total sits at 137.5.
Analysis: One month ago, No. 4 Florida left no doubt it was the class of the Southeastern Conference with a resounding home victory over Missouri. Florida shot 59.3 percent from the field and forced 21 turnovers in an 83-52 triumph over the Tiger on Jan. 19. Florida has mostly cruised through its conference schedule – with the Feb. 5 loss at Arkansas the lone exception – as each of its 11 SEC victories have come by at least 17 points. Florida not only shoots just shy of 50 percent from the field for 74.3 ppg, but has one of the elite defenses in the nation in yielding a scant 52.6 ppg. Boynton leads the way with 13.0 ppg, although he is having a rather modest season from the field overall (.411), as well as 3-point range (.342). Rosario scores 12.9 ppg, while Murphy shoots 50 percent from beyond the arc (52-of-104) for his 12.7 ppg. Patric Young is a force in the paint (10.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.8 bpg), and Wilbekin (9.4 ppg) has handed out 120 assists (5.5 pg) compared to only 46 turnovers.
After spending most of the first three months of the season ranked in the Top-25, Missouri has fallen from that lofty perch by performing rather modestly in recent weeks, as it is just 6-5 in its last 11 games. The Tigers dropped a tough road game at Arkansas on Saturday to dip to 18-7 on the season (7-5 SEC), but they will surely be eager to return home for this matchup, as they have yet to lose in 14 contests at Mizzou Arena. On the season Missouri drains 45 percent of its field goal attempts for 76.5 ppg, second-most in the SEC. It also benefits from an outstanding +10.1 rebounding margin thanks to sound play from forwards Oriakhi (10.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg), Ross (10.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Laurence Bowers (14.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.1 bpg). Jabari Brown is the top scoring threat with 14.6 ppg, and Phil Pressey nets 12.0 ppg and hands out 6.8 apg, but neither shoot greater than 40 percent from the field. Bell rounds out the deep scoring bunch with 11.7 ppg.
Pick: I like the Tigers in this one. It’s payback time. In the first meeting they were without Bowers and were crushed by the Gators. Now Bowers is back for this one and the Tigers are at home, where they are 14-0 on the year. Let’s also note that Florida’s lone SEC loss was at Arkansas and that was by 11 points, while Missouri lost by just 2 points there over the weekend. The Tgers are playing ver god ball right now and should get revenge for the earlier 29 point loss, especially since this game is at home and they are at full strength, while Florida is still missing Yeguete. Outright win by the Tigers here.
Betting Tips For College Basketball Conference Games
Chuck Edel, Chris Andrews and Vegas Runner give some tips on betting college basketball conference games.