NCAA Picks and Odds: No 8 Florida Gators at No 1 Kentucky Wildcats
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
by Joe Rodriguez
The Florida Gators comes into the SEC first-place showdown leading the conference in scoring offense and 3-point shooting percentage. Kentucky Wildcats, though, has been almost impenetrable defensively, yielding an average of 47.5 points over its last four games.
The Wildcats have won six of the last eight meetings against the Gators, including a 70-54 triumph in last year's SEC Tournament championship.
The two schools split their regular-season series last season, with the home team winning both games. Kentucky has won an NCAA-best 48 consecutive home games.
- Florida Gators @ Kentucky Wildcats
When: 7:00 PM ET, Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Where: Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN, ESPN3 (web)
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Justbet Sportsbook currently have the Wildcats listed as 9-point favorites versus the Gators.
Florida Gators (19-4): The Gators lead the nation with 10.5 3-point shots made per game, making 40 percent of their 575 attempts. Defense, though, has been the key during the current seven-game win streak — Florida has not reached its season average of 80.4 ppg once during that span but is allowing just 60.7 points. Junior SG Kenny Boynton is second in the SEC with 17.5 ppg, while senior PG Erving Walker adds 12.7 points and a league-best 5.1 assists. The two veteran guards rank second and third in the SEC in 3-point percentage at 43.8 and 39.8, respectively.
Kentucky Wildcats (23-1): The Wildcats lead the nation in field-goal percentage defense (35.8) and blocked shots (9.4), one of the big reasons for their success has been the play of freshman F Anthony Davis (13.9 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 4.8 bpg), a national player of the year candidate and the NCAA leader in blocks. Kentucky's balanced lineup boasts three other starters averaging 12.5 ppg or more — sophomore SG Doron Lamb (13.5), freshman F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (12.6) and sophomore F Terrence Jones (12.5).
1. Kentucky owns a commanding 90-33 lead in the all-time series, but Florida won seven straight meetings between 2005 and 2008.
2. The Wildcats are 65-2 all-time at home when ranked No. 1 in the country.
3. Davis needed just 24 games to collect 116 blocks, eclipsing the SEC freshman record of 115 set by LSU's Shaquille O'Neal over 32 games in 1990.THE STORY: Florida comes into the SEC first-place showdown leading the conference in scoring offense and 3-point shooting percentage. Kentucky, though, has been almost impenetrable defensively, yielding an average of 47.5 points over its last four games. The Wildcats have won six of the last eight meetings against the Gators, including a 70-54 triumph in last year's SEC Tournament championship. The two schools split their regular-season series last season, with the home team winning both games. Kentucky has won an NCAA-best 48 consecutive home games.
BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Wildcats 73, Gators 69.
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anthony davis - doron lamb - erving walker - florida gators - kenny boynton - kentucky wildcats - michael kidd-gilchrist - rupp arena - terrence jones
