Tuesday NCAA: Florida (21-6) at LSU (23-4)
The SEC isn’t very highly regarded this basketball season, with only one team currently ranked in the top 25, and that being West Division-leading LSU, which host East co-leader Florida tonight.
The Tigers are 4-point favorites on WagerWeb.com.
Florida and LSU are probably the only two “locks” for NCAA bids from the conference. UF comes into the game in a three-way tie with Kentucky and South Carolina for the lead in the Eastern Division, while LSU already is the West champ and No. 1 seed for the SEC Tournament.
If LSU — which has won five of its last seven meetings with Florida, including the last two in Baton Rouge — splits its remaining four regular-season games, it will claim the overall SEC title outright. The Gators have not beaten a nationally-ranked opponent on the road since a Feb. 10, 2007 win at No. 20 Kentucky, and UF has not won at LSU since 2003.
The Tigers have won eight in a row this season and 11 straight in the SEC and are the league’s rebounding leaders with 41.7 per game. Florida is last at 33.2. The Gators will use pressure defense to try and mask the fact that they are weak in the frontcourt.
“This is probably as good an opportunity as we can have this late in the season,” assistant Larry Shyatt said.
First-year LSU coach Trent Johnson’s team runs a free style of offense in which guard Marcus Thornton (20.5 points per game) thrives. Thornton is averaging 24.3 points and 7.2 rebounds in his last six games and scored 20 on 8-of-11 shooting in LSU’s 85-73 win at Florida last season.
UF’s Nick Calathes averages a team-high 18.6 points and had 16 points and seven rebounds against LSU last season. The Gators are just 2-5 on the road this season, however.
WagerWeb.com Game Trends
* Gators are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. win.
* Gators are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Gators are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Tigers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games as a home favorite of 0.5-6.5.
* Tigers are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games following a ATS loss.
* Tigers are 17-37-1 ATS in their last 55 games as a favorite.
* Tigers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
* Tigers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games.
* Tigers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite.
* Gators are 2-5 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
* Underdog is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings.
NCAA Basketball Betting at WagerWeb.com
