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Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks
Understanding Public and Money
We wonder if Saturday's win over Auburn will make the high-water mark in Nashville for UT. The Vols held on late to knock off the top seed on Saturday, but dynamics are different for the SEC finale as Florida might be primed to atone for its worst effort of the season, and maybe most shocking SEC result, when falling 64-44 to a shorthanded UT at Knoxville back on February 1. The Gators only hit 24.5% from the floor and 14.8% beyond the arc (sheesh!). Needless to say, Florida has looked a different team lately, especially Saturday when chilling Alabama with a 57-point second half eruption. Florida is also scoring better than 95 pg in its current 5-game win streak. Play Florida (SEC at Knoxville)
The Gators are the best team in college hoops right now and they seem intent on being a one seed if not THE one seed in the big dance. TEN's defense is special but Florida's more balanced and can run-and-gun on anyone these days. They have covered 12 of last 13 games, all by at least 4 points. Florida has covered 5 straight all by at least 5.5 points. They beat TEN by 30 and lost by 20, but holding them under 90 points is tall order right now. Vols have covered just 3 of their last 9 games. Florida can cover this without going bonkers from 3. Expect a much closer game than previous two meetings, but not this close.
Florida and Tennessee meet in the SEC championship game and they split their two meetings this year blowing out the other on their home courts. Florida had the better record at 29-4 and Tennessee had a record of 27-6. The key figure I was looking at was their number away from Rocky Top where they were 16-1 but only 6-5 in away games. Florida was cleaner on the year with 25 covers and they have the top offensive rebounding team to go along with the 13th rated defense at 39.7%. They are terrific defending the perimeter as well. The Gators margin of victory is 16.4 per game. Tennessee's got a good team too but Florida is more polished. Florida with the cover.