The Kentucky Wildcats have long clinched the SEC regular-season title, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t thirsty for a win this coming Saturday against the Florida Gators, who are +10000 to win the national title. For one, the Wildcats are coming off an embarrassing loss they want to get the taste of out of their mouth. The Wildcats are +1000 to win it all.
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Betting Preview for the Kentucky Wildcats vs Florida Gators NCAA College Basketball Game on March 7 2020
Where: Exactech Arena, Gainesville
When: Saturday, March 7, 2020, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Kentucky Wildcats (Odds) vs. Florida Gators (Odds) – view all 2020 NCAAB lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Kentucky Wildcats (24-6 Overall / 14-3 Conference)
The Wildcats just stepped on a thorn. On an eight-game win streak, the Wildcat felt good in their chances to come away with another victory in their regular-season home finale last Tuesday but was instead upset by the Tennessee Volunteers in an 81-73 loss in Lexington. The Wildcats entered that game as 8.5-point favorites. Kentucky’s defense was gutted by Tennessee, particularly in the second half wherein the Wildcats were outscored by 19 points. Kentucky hit a rough patch in the final 20 minutes of that game, but it could have had avoided a loss still if it did better on defense. Tennessee shot 52.8 percent from the floor and hit 8 of 18 threes. Or it could just simply had been one of those nights for the Wildcats, who are averaging 74.5 points per game and are allowing 66.0 per outing. In their 69-59 home win over Florida last month, the Wildcats mostly leaned on Immanuel Quickley, who had 26 points with four triples. Only one other Wildcats player scored in double digits in that game, though, so Kentucky will have to a more evened out production from its other scorers.
The Wildcats are 7-3 against the spread (ATS) in their last 10 games overall.
Betting on the Florida Gators (18-11 Overall / 10-6 Conference)
Florida, which battles the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens this Wednesday, also tasted defeat at the hands of Tennessee in its most recent outing as of this writing. The Gators lost to the Vols in Knoxville last Saturday, 63-58. Despite that loss, Florida can still feel upbeat. After all, that was Quadrant 1 type of loss that shouldn’t really hurt their March Madness resume. Plus, Kerry Blackshear scored 20 points in that game, meaning he’s already recovered from that poor 8-point showing in the win over the LSU Tigers last week. Blackshear, the Gators’ second-leading scorer, had 18 points and six rebounds in the first meeting with Kentucky. Meanwhile, the team’s leading scorer, Keyontae Johnson, had 19 points and nine boards against the Wildcats. Johnson and Blackshear are averaging 14.0 and 13.4 points per game, respectively. As a team, Florida is putting up 72.1 points per game and allowing 66.3.
The Gators are 4-2 ATS in their last six games.
Writer’s Prediction
Kentucky wins, 71-69.
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