The No. 24 Florida Gators take on the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide in an SEC matchup on Wednesday, February 21. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET, and the game will air on ESPN2.
Florida (18-7, 8-4 SEC) is on a three-game winning streak right now after recent victories over Auburn, LSU, and Georgia. They have defeated the last two AP-ranked opponents they’ve faced (Auburn and Kentucky), and come into this game ranked 27th at KenPom. The Gators sit at 10th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency, averaging 84.8 points per game (6th in the nation) and grabbing 44.2 rebounds per game (1st in the nation).
This is the first of two times that the Gators will face the Tide this season, with the second matchup coming March 5. As Florida looks for a favorable NCAA Tournament bid, they need to step up their performances against Quad 1 opponents, against whom they are just 2-7 so far this season. The Gators are led by Walter Clayton Jr. with 16.4 points per game, but all five of their starters average in the double digits in scoring.
Alabama (18-7, 10-2 SEC) grabbed a big win over Texas A&M in their latest game, defeating the Aggies 100-75 in their fourth straight game scoring 99 points or more. Mark Sears led the team with 23 points. Alabama ranks sixth overall at KenPom and first in adjusted offensive efficiency. They lead the nation in scoring with 90.7 points per game, shooting 48.2% (23rd in the nation) and grabbing 39.4 rebounds per game (19th in the nation).
So how can you stop this powerhouse offense? A few teams have figured it out — Auburn, Creighton, and Tennessee were able to contain the Tide enough to grab a win. Alabama’s defense is somewhat lacking (as is Florida’s), as they rank 72nd in adjusted defensive efficiency at KenPom. The last three teams to defeat Alabama have ranked in the top 25 in adjusted defensive efficiency, which Florida does not.
Florida vs. Alabama odds from DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: Alabama -8.5
Total: 174
Moneyline: Alabama -410, Florida +320
Pick: Over 174
Florida’s offense may just score enough to cover against an Alabama squad that regularly reaches the triple digits, but I’m more confident in the over in this offensive matchup. The Tide will contribute at least 90 points, if not more, and Florida is no slouch when it comes to driving up the score.