Alabama vs. Florida Preview
Gainesville, FL (AP) – Florida and Alabama are the two No. 1 seeds in the upcoming SEC tournament.
However, they still have much to play for ahead of a potential conference tournament final preview.
With a share of the overall SEC regular-season championship on the line, the No. 14 Gators look for an eighth consecutive home victory over the Crimson Tide on Tuesday night.
Current college basketball odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made Florida a 6-point spread favorites for Tuesday’s game against Alabama. Current college basketball public betting information shows that 77% of more than 881 bets for this game have been placed on Florida -6.
While both clubs sport 11-3 records in conference, SEC East champion Florida (22-6) is likely headed to the NCAA tournament for the second straight season. Alabama (19-9) won the West, but still is in a precarious position for an at-large berth and likely needs a strong finish this week and potentially a deep run in the league tournament for its first bid since 2006.
“You’re at that point where you are not in the position to lose any more games,” Florida coach Billy Donovan told the school’s official website. “They all are a little more different so can you move to this part of the season and now move into the SEC then move into the NCAA. Now our total focus is on Alabama.”
Though the Crimson Tide has won 14 of 17, they have given up 80.7 points per game while going 0-7 in Gainesville since Donovan took over the Gators in 1996-97. Alabama also has dropped eight straight on the road against Top 25 teams since winning at then-No. 4 Mississippi State on Feb. 21, 2004.
Despite that history, Donovan knows his club faces a major challenge against an Alabama squad that allows a league-low 58.2 points per contest. The Crimson Tide also have incentive with coach Anthony Grant returning to Florida for the first time since spending 10 seasons assisting Donovan.
“They are a really good team; one of the best teams in the league,” Donovan said. “I think their record proves that; their wins prove that.”
However, it was Saturday’s 68-63 loss at Mississippi that could prove costly for Alabama.
The Crimson Tide shot 43.9 percent one game after hitting 26.2 percent of their shots in a 51-49 win over Auburn on Wednesday. Alabama can’t afford another subpar offensive effort against a Gators squad that gives up 62.3 points per contest.
Florida still must pay attention to Alabama forward JaMychal Green, who averages a team-leading 16.1 points. He had 12 with 15 rebounds in an 83-74 loss in the teams’ last meeting in Gainesville on Feb. 18, 2009.
Gators forward Chandler Parsons averaged just 8.0 points and 3.8 rebounds in four games versus Alabama, but 13.8 and 9.4 boards his last eight contests. The 6-foot-10 senior also averages a team-leading 3.7 assists.
“I can’t think of anybody quite as diverse as him with his size,” Grant told Alabama’s official website. “He can shoot the ball and stretch the defense and then with his ability to pass and drive the ball. He impacts the game in a lot of different ways.”
Though Parsons and the Gators had their six-game winning streak end with a 76-68 loss at No. 20 Kentucky on Saturday, they don’t believe much needs to change in order to bounce back.
“It feels like as long as we go out and play our best, everything will work out,” forward Alex Tyus said.
Tyus averages 8.7 points this season, but has totaled 35 with 14 rebounds the last two games versus Alabama.
Want More From TheSpread.com? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook or Subscribe to Our News Feeds!