Florida (18-7) at Alabama (18-7)
When: Wednesday, February 21st, 2024
Where: Coleman Coliseum,
Tuscaloosa, AL
Time: 7:00 ET | TV: ESPN2
Opening Odds: Alabama -7.5/175
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The 13th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide will look to hold on to first place in the SEC when they host a very hot Florida Gators squad on Wednesday night in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The high-powered Alabama offense has reached 100 points in each of their last two outings – a 109-92 win at LSU and most recently, 100-75 at home to Texas A&M. The Tide have won six of their last seven games and hold a one game lead over Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference race.
Alabama will host a Florida squad that has won seven of their last eight after an 88-82 at Georgia on Saturday. The Gators are also 6-2 ATS in that stretch and are now tied for fifth place in the conference standings with Kentucky. Florida will look to atone from a 28-point loss in Tuscaloosa last season. The Tide have won each of the last three meetings and have covered the spread in four straight. Alabama comes into Wednesday’s contest as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 175.
RECENT TRENDS
Under is 7-3 in Florida’s last 10 overall.
Under is 7-3 in Florida’s last 10 vs. Southeastern.
Crimson Tide are 21-7-1 ATS in their last 29 home games.
Gators are 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings in Alabama.
Road team is 21-6-1 ATS in the last 28 meetings.
FLORIDA GATORS
Walter Clayton Jr. scored 21 points for his third straight 20-point outing and fourth in five games in leading the Gators to a win over Georgia on Saturday. Clayton, Jr. is the top scorer on Florida with 16.4 points per game. Freshman Thomas Haugh scored a season-high 17 points, while Zyon Pullin recorded 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists without committing a turnover in 38 minutes. Pullin, a transfer from UC Riverside, is averaging 15.5 points a contest and a team-high 4.9 assists.
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Mark Sears has scored at least 20 points in eight consecutive games after pouring in 23 against Texas A&M on Saturday. Sears is now averaging a conference-best 20.6 points and leads the Crimson Tide with 60 3-pointers and 44 steals. Rylan Griffen (17 points) and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (16) also contributed against the Aggies with the latter averaging 18.5 points over the past two games. Alabama has topped 100 points eight times this season, including in three of their last six.
PREDICTION
I’m going to lay the points here with Alabama. Florida is playing well, but the level of competition hasn’t been great. Also, Bama destroyed Florida last year at home and I can see a similar result. The Tide’s offense is way too good for the Gators to control on the road. Bama by double-digits.
