NCAA Tournament Odds: UCSB Gauchos vs Florida Gators Preview & Pick
Looking for the #1 Internet gambling & NCAA Basketball handicapping info site on the WWW? Get the best College basketball picks in the industry to help you win more when you bet on March Madness with CappersPicks.com.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN SPORTSBOOK.COM – ONE OF OUR TOP RATED ONLINE SPORTSBOOKS – 50% SIGN UP BONUS FOR CBB BETTING ONLINE
Southeast Region Bracket
#15 UC Santa Barbara vs. #2 Florida
Date: Thursday, March 17, 6:50 p.m. ET
Venue: St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL
Broadcast: CBS
Santa Barbara Gauchos vs. Florida Gators betting lines from Sportsbook.com
Money Line: Off
Spread: -12.5
Over/Under: 128
Check Out Our Indepth CBB ATS Betting Stats For This Game —>
Bet Now @ Sportsbook.com
Florida (26-7, 14-14-1 ATS) lost the SEC Championship 70-54 to Kentucky, but the Gators still have plenty going for them heading into the NCAA Tournament. Despite the loss, Florida is 10-2 in its last 12 games—with both losses coming to the Wildcats. That Gators have been pretty generous on college basketball odds, too, as they’re 5-1-1 in their past seven games against the spread (they failed to cover as a 1.5-point favorite against Kentucky).
Their strong play towards the end of the season netted a No. 2 seed and, more importantly, a spot in Southeastern Region; Florida will be playing close to home and the school is 5-2 all-time when playing in its home state.
Balance is the key to Florida’s attack. The Gators have four players averaging at least double figures in scoring this season: Erving Walker, Kenny Boynton, Chandler Parsons and Vernon Macklin. Alex Tyus chips in with 8.7 points per game. Keeping all five players involved is crucial, as Florida has struggled when the players get a little too selfish. The Gators were also the top rebounding team in the SEC, so work on the glass should certainly play a big role in deciding this game.
Despite being the fourth-seed, UC Santa Barbara (18-13, 14-15 ATS) won the Big West, knocking off top-seeded Long Beach State 64-56 in the final. The conference tourney not only gave the Gauchos some momentum, it was crucial in propelling them into March Madness in the first place. Now, the team is riding a four-game winning streak—including a 4-0 run against the spread.
While the Gators rely on a balanced attack to put points on the board, the Gauchos use a one-two punch of Orlando Johnson and James Nunnally. Johnson has been marvelous this season; the junior swingman is averaging 21.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, and he’s upping his game when it matters most. Johnson 28.3 points over his last three games, including 23 in the crucial win over Long Beach State. Nunnally, a junior forward, is second on UC Santa Barbara with 16.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
UC Santa Barbara is a nice story, but the Gauchos didn’t even play that well in the Big West this season. They got hot at the right time and managed to steal a conference championship—and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament—but that isn’t going to happen against Florida. The Gators are simply too talented and should run away with this one.
Trends:
Under is 17-5 in UCSB last 22 neutral site games.
Over is 7-1 in FLA last 8 overall.
Under is 14-6 in FLA last 20 non-conference games.
UC Santa Barbara vs. Florida pick: Gators
Ian Van Den Hurk has covered amateur and pro sports for years, including a successful run handicapping anything from football to mixed martial arts.
