Kentucky vs Florida prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch: Saturday, February 12
Kentucky vs Florida How To Watch
Date: Saturday, February 12
Game Time: 4:00 ET
Venue: Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: Kentucky (20-4), Florida (16-8)
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Kentucky vs Florida Game Preview
Why Florida Will Win
The Gators are making a push.
They might have some work to do to get into the NCAA Tournament mix, but they’re looking and playing the part with four straight wins and seven of their last nine.
What’s going right? Being at home for a few weeks has helped, but the defense is stepped it up with a whole lot of steals and big stops. It’s doing a great job at stopping the three and it’s keeping games low scoring and manageable.
There are a whole lot of blocked shots and a good inside presence to at least battle with Kentucky on the inside. If the D is working like it’s supposed to and the threes are dropping – the Gators have hit ten or more in four of their last five games – they’ll hang in this.
However …
Why Kentucky Will Win
You can’t beat Kentucky if you don’t do a lot on the boards.
It’s partly a function of the team’s style, but Florida is last in the SEC in total rebounds and it doesn’t get enough control on the defensive glass. Kentucky destroys teams when it owns the rebounding margin, which is almost always.
Even when it doesn’t, it’s still winning – Alabama and South Carolina did way too good a job on the offensive boards.
Florida has come up with double-digit offensive rebounds just once in the last ten games. That’s not going to get it done considering UK has been a bear at stopping the three.
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What’s Going To Happen
Kentucky is a bad, bad mix of things for Florida.
The Gators are good defensively on the inside, but it’s got to hit threes to win, and it’s not going to do enough. Combine that with the lack of rebounding – and Kentucky’s 14-0 record at home – and it’ll be a tough hill to climb.
Florida won’t be a pushover, but the defense won’t be enough.
Kentucky vs Florida Prediction, Lines
Kentucky 83, Florida 71
Line: Kentucky -9.5, o/u: 140.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Must See Rating: 3.5
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