No. 13 Florida Gators at Mississippi Rebels
Thursday, 1/26/12, 7:00 PM EST, TV: ESPN2
Opening Point Spread: Florida -6
Current Betting Line: Florida -5.5
Opening Total: 138.5
Current Total: 138.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Florida has won three consecutive games and will now look to improve upon its 59-42 record in the all-time series with Mississippi. The Gators are 12-6 versus the Rebels during the Billy Donovan era, with three of the past four games in the series being decided by six points or less. Offensively, the team has all five starters averaging in double figures, with guard Kenny Boynton leading the way in scoring 18.3 points per game. Florida is 6-6 ATS as a favorite this year and the “over” is 10-2 in that particular situation.
The Gators rank seventh nationally in averaging 82.2 points per game, while leading the Southeastern Conference in that category. Florida relies heavily on the three-point shot, hitting 10 or more shots from beyond the arc in 13 games this year. Guard play is the team’s strength, with its trio averaging a combined 45.3 points per game. Erving Walker is responsible for directing the offense and is tied for the conference lead with 4.9 assists.
Mississippi is one of three SEC teams that come into Thursday night’s action with an undefeated record, as the program has registered an impressive 80-15 mark inside Tad Smith Coliseum under the direction of head coach Andy Kennedy. The Rebels are 11-2 when their opponent shoots below 40 percent from the field, which will be a tough number to achieve against the Gators. The program has won and covered the last two games, while the “over” has cashed in the last three games. Mississippi is 17-15 ATS at home the past two-plus campaigns.
The Rebels have been ecstatic about the play of junior forward Murphy Holloway, who returned from a three-game absence with a sprained ankle, as the team is 12-3 this year when he plays the whole game. Three starters are currently averaging in double figures scoring, with senior forward Terrance Henry leading the way in scoring 11.5 points per game. Mississippi has moved up to No. 34 in the nation in the latest RPI rankings, which is actually two spots ahead of Florida. The program has tallied a 4-5 record against teams with an RPI of 100 or better.
Bettors will likely back the Rebels due to their 9-3 ATS mark as a home underdog, while the Gators are 2-7 ATS as a road favorite.
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