Florida vs. South Carolina Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Saturday, March 2 (Bet the Gamecocks)
One of a half-dozen ranked-on-ranked matchups on the Saturday slate, No. 24 Florida rides a 5-1 stretch into an afternoon tilt against No. 18 South Carolina. The Gators were dominant at home recently, pulling away from Vanderbilt (77-64) and Missouri (83-74), but can they do it on the road?
South Carolina has been a covering machine this season and picked up two quality road wins in the last week, taking out Ole Miss and Texas A&M. The Gamecocks return to Colonial Life Arena as a short favorite against Florida, looking to secure a top-3 spot in the SEC Tournament.
Here’s the betting preview of the SEC showdown with a best bet.
If you’re looking to bet on any NCAA game tonight, FanDuel Sportsbook has an amazing promotional offer. New users who sign up with the link below and wager $5 will receive $150 in bonus bets if their first bet wins.
Sign up for FanDuel now!
Florida vs. South Carolina Odds, Spread and Total
Florida vs. South Carolina Betting Trends
- Florida is 13-14-1 ATS this season
- South Carolina is 20-8 ATS this season
- Florida is 4-2 ATS as an underdog this season
- South Carolina is 9-6 ATS as a favorite this season
- The OVER is 16-11-1 in Florida games this season
- The OVER is 12-15-1 in South Carolina games this season
Florida vs. South Carolina How to Watch
- Date: Saturday, March 2
- Game time: 12 p.m. EST
- Venue: Colonial Life Arena
- How to watch (TV): ESPN/SEC Network
- Florida record: 20-8 (10-5 SEC)
- South Carolina record: 23-5 (11-4 SEC)
Florida vs. South Carolina Key Players to Watch
Florida
Tyrese Samuel: Florida has had four different 20-point scorers over the last six games and it was Samuel’s turn in Wednesday’s 83-74 win over Missouri. Samuel, a 6-foot-10 senior forward, had a 28-point, 10-rebound double-double and has shot 19-of-25 over the past two games combined.
South Carolina
Collin Murray-Boyles: The 6-foot-7 freshman forward has been terrific for the Gamecocks this season. Murray-Boyles is averaging 9.7 points per game but had scored in double figures in six consecutive games before being held to 8 points in Wednesday’s win over Texas A&M, though he did grab 12 rebounds in the close win.
Florida vs. South Carolina Prediction and Pick
South Carolina was picked to finish dead last in the SEC in the preseason but has defied the odds behind a dominant defense.
The Gamecocks, No. 42 in KenPom in defensive efficiency, have the No. 1 scoring defense in the SEC (65.3 points per game). South Carolina has held four consecutive home opponents to 65 points or less but will have to bring the intensity against Florida’s elite offensive attack.
Florida (No. 15) is one of five SEC teams ranked in the top 20 in KenPom in offensive efficiency. Against the previous four, South Carolina had mixed results. The Gamecocks went 2-2 and had great performances on the road against Tennessee (63-59 win) and at home against Kentucky (79-72), but also got blitzed by Auburn (101-60) and Alabama (74-47) on the road.
Despite a great offense, Florida is middle of the road in most shooting metrics, ranking No. 191 from downtown and No. 121 (ninth in the SEC) from 2-point range. Florida is No. 3 in the nation in offensive rebounding, but South Carolina dominates the glass, permitting an SEC-best 9.4 offensive rebounds per game.
South Carolina’s offense is No. 55 in efficiency and can control the ball well against a Florida defense that is No. 309 in turnover percentage. South Carolina is an absurd 20-8 ATS this season and they add to that mark behind its home crowd Saturday afternoon in a matchup with SEC tournament implications.
Pick: South Carolina -2
Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.