Florida vs. West Virginia Prediction
Two teams that could use a big win meet up in the Jimmy V Classic tonight at 9PM ET, as Florida faces off with West Virginia. Who will come out on top?
739 West Virginia vs. 740 Florida
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
9PM ET – Madison Square Garden
TV: ESPN
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Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, Florida is favored in this game, as the Gators are getting odds of -2 points against West Virginia. The over/under total for the contest is currently listed at 143 points. The public betting currently has 58 percent going on West Virginia as the underdog. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our College Basketball Public Betting Page for updated figures on the game.
Gators seek big win
Florida is coming off a 98-66 win over North Florida, but the Gators have suffered losses to Butler and Oklahoma over recent weeks on a neutral floor. Florida is 4-3 on the season, 3-4 against the spread and 5-2 with the under.
The Gators are struggling o offense so far this year, averaging just 71.7 points per game and shooting only 65.2 percent from the charity stripe. Defensively, Florida is holding opponents to just 62.4 points per game and 40.1 percent shooting. Deaundre Ballard has been leading the team this season with 10.9 points per game while Kavarrius Hayes is adding 7.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
WVU on a hot streak
West Virginia is coming off a 106-72 win over Youngstown State for its fourth straight win, but the opponents haven’t been too impressive. WVU still has losses to Western Kentucky and Buffalo this season. West Virginia is 5-2 on the season, 2-5 against the spread and 5-2 with the over. They have covered the spread in their last two games.
The Mountaineers are doing their usual thing on offense, putting up 86.4 points per game on the year despite shooting just 35.4 percent from the arc. The defense certainly could improve. WVU is allowing 75.9 points per game while opponents shoot 37.1 percent from the arc. Esa Ahmad is averaging 16.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game to lead the team while Sagaba Konate averages 14.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per contest.
College Basketball Betting Trends
Florida
The Gators are just 2-5 against the spread in their last seven neutral site games and 0-5 ATS in their last five following a win.
West Virginia
The Mountaineers are just 4-17 ATS in their last 21 against SEC opponents, but 5-1 ATS in their last six Tuesday games.
Prediction:
Florida is favored here, but I think the Gators lack of offense will hurt them in this game. West Virginia can get hot shooting and put up points quickly while the Gators can’t respond. WVU’s lack of defense shouldn’t hurt them in this game because Florida just doesn’t have the style to get into a shootout. The Mountaineers should be able to dictate the pace of play with their press and outside shooting. That is what should allow WVU to get the win.
College Basketball Prediction: West Virginia +2