The Gators and Volunteers take the floor in an old-fashioned SEC showdown tonight. Each squad finds itself in the top 40 on Kenpom, making this matchup one of the best games this week. Both teams can score the ball, having hit the OVER in three of their last four.
The Gators have had some ups and downs but boast several impressive wins. Florida has a 6-10 record against the spread, but they’re 11-5 overall with wins against Florida State (89-68), Pittsburgh (86-71), Michigan (106-101) and Arkansas (90-68). On the other side, the Volunteers are having an even stronger season. While they also have a 6-10 ATS record, their overall record is 12-4. Those 12 wins include victories over Wisconsin (80-70), Syracuse (73-56), Illinois (86-79) and NC State (79-70).
Here are the live odds for the Gators road trip to Knoxville as they take on the Volunteers. TV coverage will be on ESPN2 with a scheduled 5 p.m. ET tipoff. (This game was moved up two hours due to weather.)
Here is the latest Florida vs. Tennessee betting news, player props and a betting prediction.
Live odds for Florida vs. Tennessee
Here are the spread, moneyline and total points live odds for Florida vs. Tennessee at the best sportsbook apps.
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Florida Gators betting news
The Gators offense has been nothing short of elite, with five players averaging double figures and led by Walter Clayton Jr., scoring 15.9 PPG. The Gators present matchup problems for their opponents with so many scoring options. The team’s second-leading scorer, Zyon Pullin, is not far behind, averaging 15.2 PPG, but also leads the team in assists, averaging five per contest.
The Gators are also one of the top rebounding teams in the country, and while they don’t boast the best shooting percentage, they simply get more shots up per game thanks to second chances. Three players average at least seven rebounds, and the top eight players in their rotation average no less than 3.3 per game. The advanced stats back up just how good the Florida offense is.
The Gators rank 24th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency on Kenpom. The other side of the floor has kept them from reaching their ceiling, though they only rank 80th for adjusted defensive efficiency. Their elite rebounding has helped them play as one of the fastest teams in the country, ranking 11th for adjusted tempo.
Taking on the Volunteers will be a challenging task, and they will need their top players to step up to pull off an upset. Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, Zyon Pullin and Riley Kugel have all had multiple games over 20 points. If the Gators can get that type of performance from at least two, it will make tonight’s game a 40-minute battle.
Tennessee Volunteers betting news
Not many knew how good this Volunteers team would be coming into the season, partly because they were battling injuries coming into the season and still looking for their a star player to step up. No one could have imagined that Dalton Knecht, a transfer from Northern Colorado, would blossom into not just one of Tennessee’s best players but one of the best in the nation.
Knecht averages 17.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, with a 47.7 FG% and 39.7% from three. The senior guard has gone from a nobody to a potential lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. He has helped the Volunteers to a top-10 ranking on Kenpom with the eighth-best defensive efficiency ranking and the 20th-ranked offensive efficiency.
Although the Volunteers have four losses, they have played the ninth-ranked strength of schedule according to Kenpom. Tennessee is battle-tested with a bona fide star player and a strong supporting cast including Jonas Aidoo (11.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG), Zakai Zeigler (10.5 PPG, 5.1 APG) and Josiah-Jordan James (10.1 PPG, 6.9 APG). The team’s depth has kept opposing defenses from focusing on Knecht. Against better competition as of late, he has gone off with 28 and 36 in the last two contests.
Florida vs. Tennessee player props at FanDuel Sportsbook
With multiple star players taking the floor tonight for the Gators and Volunteers, there is a strong chance of multiple big-time performances. FanDuel has all the player props for tonight’s SEC rivalry matchup. Here are the odds for the top players for each team.
Dalton Knecht player props
- 17.5 points OVER (-105) / UNDER (-125)
Will Richard player props
- 10.5 points OVER (-110) / UNDER (-120)
Tyrese Samuel player props
- 11.5 points OVER (-110) / UNDER (-120)
- 8.5 rebounds OVER (-102) / UNDER (-138)
Zakai Zeigle player props
- 14.5 points OVER (-110) / UNDER (-120)
- 8.5 rebounds OVER (-112) / UNDER (-122)
- 5.5 assists OVER (-144) / UNDER (+104)
Zyon Pullin player props
- 14.5 points OVER (-110) / UNDER (-120)
- 4.5 assists OVER (-106) / UNDER (-132)
Josiah-Jordan James player props
- 10.5 points OVER (-110) / UNDER (-120)
- 6.5 rebounds OVER (-142) / UNDER (+102)
Jonas Aidoo player props
- 10.5 points OVER (-110) / UNDER (-120)
- 6.5 rebounds OVER (-130) / UNDER (-108)
Florida vs. Tennessee prediction: Tennessee pulls away late to defend home court
The Gators will test the Volunteers in the first half but don’t have the firepower to keep up with Tennessee late in the game. While the Gators’ highly ranked offense can keep up, their defense will have a tough time slowing down Knecht and the Tennessee offense. Tennessee also has a strong enough defense to hold the Gators’ offense in check to help build a lead throughout the game.
Pick: Volunteers