Kentucky Wildcats at Florida Gators Betting Preview

Opening Line: Wildcats -3.5 / Gators +3.5 O/U 43

Time: 9 PM EST Tuesday January 12, 2010 on ESPN

Tonight the Florida Gators host the 2nd ranked and undefeated Kentucky Wildcats. Kentucky is off to their best start since starting the season 23-0 in 1965-66 and the Wildcats moved up one spot in the national rankings after top-ranked Kansas lost to Tennessee. Florida was ranked 10th in the nation earlier in the season, but since that time they have lost 3 of their last 6 games.

This season the Gators are 7-1 at home and 5-5 ATS and the Wildcats are 1-0 on the road and 6-7 ATS.

In their last game Kentucky beat Georgia 76-68 on Saturday while Florida lost to Vanderbilt 95-87 also on Saturday.

Tonight the Gators will have to play solid defense against a high-scoring Kentucky team that is averaging 82.4 ppg this season. That will be far from easy, as the Wildcats have a legit inside-outside game with 2 guards and 2 forwards averaging in double figures led by G John Wall (17.2 ppg) and F Patrick Patterson (16.7 ppg).

John Wall is the only player in the nation averaging at least 17 ppg and 7.0 assists while shooting at least 50% from the floor. If the freshman has a big game tonight shooting the Wildcats will be hard to beat.

The Gators have to keep Patterson (8.1 rpg) and DeMarcus Cousins (9.4 rpg) off the boards tonight and not let these 2 dominate the glass.

The Gators have a well-rounded offense with 5 players averaging in double figures led by G Kenny Boynton (14.6 ppg). They will have to move the ball well tonight against a very athletic Kentucky team. If they do not have good ball movement tonight the Gators will lose this game.

The Wildcats have only played one away game this season, beating Indiana, and they have lost their last 5 games playing at Florida.

Florida will have to play much better defense than they did in their last loss to Vanderbilt, as they allowed Vandy to shoot 52.5% from the floor and they went to the free throw line 33 times.

The Gators will have to slow the tempo down in this game, as if they get into a high-tempo running game Kentucky has a major advantage.

This season Kentucky is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games and 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following an ATS loss. Florida is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games.


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