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The Florida Gators enter the college basketball season as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press’ preseason hoops poll and have the second-shortest odds to win a national title (+600) behind the Duke Blue Devils.
The Gators get a good test right off the bat when they open the season against the No. 14-ranked Miami Hurricanes in a cross-state battle taking place in the same arena where their season ended in the NCAA Tournament.
They enter the season opener as 4.5-point favorites against the ‘Canes on a neutral court with the Over/Under set at 160.5.
Miami vs. Florida prediction
Florida may have fallen short of repeating as national champions, but that doesn’t take away the dominance they displayed last season in their quest to defend their title.
The Gators went 16-2 in a crowded SEC field and finished as the only team in the conference with a winning record against AP-ranked teams (6-4).
Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh, key members of their title team, returned for their senior season.
Haugh made a massive leap last season, boosting his scoring output from 9.8 points per game to 17.1. He could have easily entered the NBA draft and been a lottery pick, but he should be even more dominant at the college level this season.
The high-flying forward puts pressure on the rim in transition better than most players in the country, but he also made a concerted effort to shoot more 3-pointers last season.
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I’m expecting another leap from Haugh this season, specifically as a more efficient shooter and scorer. Monday’s game is a great showcase for him to prove he’s the top player in the country.
I’ll take the Over on Haugh’s scoring prop at 17 points in the season opener.
The Play: Thomas Haugh 17+ points (-110, DraftKings)
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Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.
