Virginia vs Florida Prediction College Basketball Picks 12/4/24

The Virginia Cavaliers are visiting the Florida Gators on Wednesday, December 4th at the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Virginia Cavaliers vs Florida Gators Prediction.

Florida Gators Preview

The Florida Gators have a perfect 8-0 record this season and are coming off an 88-51 win over Wichita State. The Gators are 5-3 against the spread, and 3-5 in over/under while having a 4-0 home record.

Offensively, Florida is averaging 86.5 points per game, which ranks 22nd in the nation. Defensively, they allow 64.5 points per game (50th). The Gators shoot 46.8% from the field (115th) and 32.9% from beyond the arc (204th). The Gators shoot 72.3% from the free throw line (153rd) and are grabbing 44.6 rebounds per game, which is the 5th-best in the nation.

Walter Clayton leads Florida in scoring this season, with an average of 17.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and a team-high 3.8 assists, while Alijah Martin adds 15.1 points and 5.9 rebounds.

Virginia Cavaliers Preview

The Virginia Cavaliers have a 5-2 record this season and are coming off a 67-41 win over Holy Cross. The Cavaliers are 2-5 against the spread, and 3-4 in over/under, while playing their first road game this season.

Offensively, Virginia is averaging 62.1 points per game, which ranks 352nd in the nation. Defensively, they are allowing 58.7 points per game, which is the 11th-best nationally. The Cavaliers shoot 44.8% from the field (195th) and 38.8% from beyond the arc, which is the 30th-best in the nation. The Cavaliers shoot with 69.5% from the free throw line (230th) and are grabbing 31.9 rebounds per game (339th).

Isaac McKneely leads Virginia in scoring this season, with an average of 13.3 points and 3.6 rebounds, while Andrew Rhode adds 10 points and 3 assists.

Why the Florida Gators will win

• Florida has won each of its last 16 games at Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O’Connell Center against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• Virginia has lost each of its last five games against AP-ranked opponents.
• Florida has won the first half in each of its last 15 games at Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

Why the Virginia Cavaliers will win

• Virginia has won each of its last nine Wednesday games.
• Florida has lost three of its last four night games against the Atlantic Coast Conference at Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
• Virginia has won the first half in each of its last eight Wednesday games against non-conference opponents.

Virginia Cavaliers vs Florida Gators Prediction

Florida leads Virginia 2-1 wins in their previous three meetings, and are 2-1 against the spread. In their most recent meeting last year, the Cavaliers won 73-70 on the road. In this Virginia Cavaliers vs Florida Gators Prediction, Florida is coming as a -16 home favorite. Florida is superior offensively, scoring 24.4 points more than Virginia, while the Cavaliers are better defensively, allowing 5.8 points less. Florida is shooting better from the field, while Virginia is shooting better from beyond the arc. The Gators have a huge edge on the glass, as they are the 5th-best rebounding team in the nation, while on the other hand, the Cavaliers are sitting in the bottom 30. Both teams are top-50 defensively, allowing 123.2 points per game combined, and are 9-6 to the under this season. I expect a low-scoring game and taking the under.

Nikos Lagouretos's Pick: Under 133