The Florida Gators are hosting the West Virginia Mountaineers in college basketball action on Saturday. The game is scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPN. Currently the betting odds for the game have this one listed as a close contest, with the Gators as a slight favorite.

West Virginia is one of the best defensive teams in the country and defense is something that always travels in college basketball. The Mountaineers rank first in defensive efficiency this season in allowing just 87.9 points per 100 possessions, two of their three losses have come in Big 12 play, West Virginia gave up 70 in a loss to Oklahoma and only 56 in a loss to Texas.

The Mountaineers have to play well offensively in this one to win. Florida is also a strong defensive team, ranking fourth in the defensive efficiency rankings in allowing 89.8 points per 100 possessions. The Gators have a couple of bad losses at Tennessee and Vanderbilt, but both are conference defeats. This would easily be the best win on the resume for the season for Florida, and playing well coming off a loss to the Commodores would be a nice boost heading into the rest of the SEC schedule.

Purdue and Florida State own wins on Florida’s home court, West Virginia has been a pretty solid road team this year with a 4-1 record. The Mountaineers lone loss on the road came at Oklahoma, a game they could have won but dropped by two points.

The defense and just enough on the offensive end wins this game for West Virginia.

Free Pick: West Virginia

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