The Florida Gators (14-6) travel to face off against the Kentucky Wildcats (15-4) on Wednesday, January 31st. This game will be played at Rupp Arena in Lexington and televised on ESPN. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 8:00 ET.
Florida Gators vs Kentucky Wildcats
The Florida Gators Are Coming Off A Win
Florida enters this game as a 6.5-point underdog, which is only the third time they have been the underdog this season. They are 0-2 in those games and have gone 13-4 when favored.
On the road, the Gators are 3-5 this season, and they have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games away from home. They are coming off a 79-70 win over Mississippi State and have won two straight games.
As the underdog, Florida has struggled against the spread this season, going 0-2. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Gators have an ATS mark of just 2-7-1. On the road this year, Florida is 3-5 vs. the spread and over their last 10 road games, their ATS record is 4-6.
Today’s over/under line of 171.5 is higher than the average over/under line in Florida’s games this season (154.5). So far, 18 of their games have finished with fewer points than today’s line. Over their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 and the average scoring total in those games is 164 points.
The Kentucky Wildcats Are Coming Off A Win
So far this season, Kentucky has been dominant at home, going 11-2 with an average scoring margin of +16.4 points per game. The Wildcats are coming off a win over Arkansas, 63-57, and have won five straight games at home.
Overall, Kentucky is 15-4, including a 5-2 mark in Southeastern Conference play. The Wildcats have been favored in 15 of their 19 games and have gone 13-2 in those contests. For the season, Kentucky has a scoring margin of +11.6 points per game.
As the favorite, Kentucky has gone just 8-7 against the spread this season. However, their ATS mark at home is 8-5. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Wildcats have an ATS record of 6-4.
So far this season, the over/under record for Kentucky games is 14-5. The average point total in their games is currently 164.8, which is 9.5 points higher than the average over/under line of 155.3. This year, 13 of their games have finished with fewer points than today’s over/under line of 171.5.
Florida Offense Breakdown
Florida’s offense is coming off a strong performance, scoring 79 points against Mississippi State. They had an overall field goal percentage of 42.2% and made 17/20 free throws. Leading the team in scoring was Will Richard with 23 points. Walter Clayton Jr. also added 15 points for the Gators.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walter Clayton Jr. (G) | 15.9 | 3.8 | 2.8 |
| Tyrese Samuel (F) | 13.2 | 8.1 | 1.8 |
| Zyon Pullin (G) | 14.9 | 3.7 | 4.5 |
Kentucky Offense Breakdown
Kentucky offense recently wrapped up a game with a total of 63 points against Arkansas. In that game, they made 9/20 three-point attempts and achieved a field goal percentage of 36.5%. The top scorer for the Wildcats was Antonio Reeves with 24 points, while Reed Sheppard also added 14 to the scoreboard.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antonio Reeves (G) | 19.5 | 4.4 | 1.5 |
| Tre Mitchell (F) | 13.4 | 7.7 | 3.3 |
| Rob Dillingham (G) | 13.9 | 3.1 | 3.8 |
Florida Team Defense
Coming into the game, Florida will be looking to improve their defense, as they are currently giving up 76.8 points per game (266th). In terms of field goal percentage allowed, Florida’s defense has allowed opponents to shoot 43.2% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 32.6% this season.
Kentucky Team Defense
So far, the Wildcats’ defense is ranked 258th in the country at 76.3 points per contest. Against Arkansas in their most recent game, the Kentucky defense gave up a total of 57 points while allowing Arkansas to hit 32% of their shots.
Gators vs Wildcats Trends
- Across their ten previous road games, Florida has an ATS mark of 4-6. Their straight up record in these matchups was 4-6 while averaging 80 points per game.
- Across their five previous home games, Kentucky has an ATS mark of 2-3. Their straight up record in these matchups was 3-2 while averaging 79 points per game.
- Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Gators have gone 2-7-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-9.
- The last ten games that Kentucky was favored, they have an ATS mark of 6-4 while going 8-2 straight up.
Gators vs Wildcats Prediction
For a pick on the point-spread in this Wildcats vs. Gators matchup, our bet is to grab the Gators at +6.5. Even though our projections have the Wildcats winning 75-70, we see the Gators as the play on the point-spread.
As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 171.5 and our model has the Gators and Wildcats finishing with a combined 145 points. Our pick is to take the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:January 31, 2024 Florida Gators, Kentucky Wildcats