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The UConn Huskies take on the Florida Gators. Check out our college basketball odds series for our UConn Florida prediction and pick.
The UConn Huskies have a top-five national ranking. They have earned it. They haven't lost a game, but more than that, they have beaten quality opposition.
The Florida Gators begin a new era under Todd Golden, the former coach of the San Francisco Dons who took the open job after Mike White went to Georgia and ended his turbulent tenure in Gainesville. Florida fans naturally want a return to the Billy Donovan standard. Mike White couldn't deliver, so next up is Golden, a young coach on the rise who will try to capture the magic Billy D was able to develop a decade and a half ago.
A word to Florida fans: The transformation will not be instant. Golden is stepping into a less-than-ideal situation, at least in terms of the roster he has. It's not a win-now roster, at least not at an elite level of competition. Golden will need to find his sea legs and establish a recruiting base from which he can make bigger and better additions in the transfer portal in subsequent years. One season is not going to fix everything Mike White left behind, and the first few weeks of the new season have shown as much. Florida has lost to Florida Atlantic, Xavier, and West Virginia, with the West Virginia loss being by nearly 30 points. The Gators have defeated Florida State, but FSU is not very good this season, having won only one game thus far. Florida has a substandard resume, so the need for a big-time win is acute.
Enter UConn, the same team which defeated Florida at the 2014 Final Four and snapped the No. 1-ranked Gators' 30-game winning streak to deny Billy Donovan a third national championship before he went to the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder and later the Chicago Bulls.
UConn has been a nemesis to Florida over the past decade, but this season, UConn doesn't need to be thought of as a nemesis. It is simply a v very good team. Coach Dan Hurley has guided the Huskies to a 9-0 record. UConn has beaten four straight Power Five conference opponents, rolling past Oregon, Alabama, Iowa State, and Oklahoma State. Connecticut is getting the job done at both ends of the floor. This is a balanced team which can win in different ways. UConn has not allowed more than 67 points in any game it has played, and it has not scored fewer than 71 points in any game it has played. The Huskies' smallest margin of victory through nine games played: 10 points, in their most recent outing against Oklahoma State. This is a steamroller, and it will be fascinating to see if a road trip to Gainesville slows down the Husky freight train.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the UConn-Florida College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: UConn-Florida Odds
UConn Huskies: -4.5 (-110)
Florida Gators: +4.5 (-110)
Over: 143.5 (-114)
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Under: 143.5 (-106)
Why UConn Could Cover the Spread
This team is playing great defense. Yes, it can score, but defense is what will enable the Huskies to win on the road against a motivated Florida squad.
Why Florida Could Cover the Spread
The Gators are due for a breakout performance. You haven't seen this team's best game against a good opponent, but you know Florida will load up for this one and treat the game as the centerpiece of its season.
Final UConn-Florida Prediction & Pick
UConn is a better team than Florida. The Huskies have earned the benefit of the doubt here, and the Gators have not.
Final UConn-Florida Prediction & Pick: UConn -4.5
