SEC East Rivals Florida and Georgia Clash in Athens

Florida Gators at Georgia Bulldogs, Stegeman Coliseum, Athens, GA
Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 7:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
Opening Line: Georgia -3
Current Line: Georgia -2 1/2
Opening Total: 131 1/2
Current Total: 134
Money Line: Georgia -140 / Florida +120

Erving Walker and the Gators are 3 point underdogs at rival Georgia in SEC action Tuesday.

Florida is ranked #23 in the coach’s poll and #24 in the AP poll. The Gators are 15-4 overall, and 4-1 in SEC play. The problem with the Gators is every time they get a big win, they follow it up with a loss to an inferior opponent. They lost at home to #1 Ohio St in the second game of the season. They also have losses to Central Florida, Jacksonville, and South Carolina. All three of those losses followed Gator victories over Florida St, Kansas St, and Tennessee respectively. The Gators also have wins over Xavier, Rhode Island, Ole Miss, Auburn, and Arkansas. Florida destroyed Arkansas 75-43 in Gainesville on Saturday in their last game. The Gators travel to Athens to take on arch-rival Georgia tonight. Georgia is 14-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play. The Bulldogs have losses to Notre Dame, Temple, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee. They have wins over Colorado, St. Louis, UAB, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Mississippi St on the year. Georgia beat Mississippi St on Saturday at home 86-64 in their last game. Florida leads the overall series 103-98. Georgia has won the last 2 by 2 points each, but Florida had won 12 in a row before that. The last 4 meetings have gone over the total. Georgia is 16-7 ATS versus conference opponents the last 2 years, and 20-10 ATS versus teams with winning records in the same span.

Florida has no significant injuries right now. The Gators are led by guard Erving Walker. He is averaging 13.7 points to lead the team, 2.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.3 steals a game to lead the team. He is shooting 41.9% from 3-point range. Guard Kenny Boynton is averaging 12.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists a game. Center Vernon Macklin is averaging 10.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and leads the team in blocks with 1.1 a game. He struggles from the free throw line converting only 17 out of 43 on the year, or 39.5%. Forward Chandler Parsons averages 10 points, 6.9 rebounds to lead the team, and 3.7 assists a game. Florida is outscoring opponents 70-60 on the season. The Gators are shooting 46.1% from the field and 34% from 3-point range. Gator opponents are shooting 41% from the field. The Gators shoot 65.6% from the free throw line. Florida averages 38.1 rebounds a game and has a rebounding margin of +7.1. They average 14.6 assists and 13.1 turnovers a game. The Gators force 13.2 turnovers a game on defense. Florida averages 6.1 steals and 4.3 blocks a game.

Georgia has no significant injuries. The Bulldogs are led by forward Trey Thompkins. Thompkins is averaging 17.4 points to lead the team, 7.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.6 blocks a game to lead the team. Guard Travis Leslie averages 14.7 points, 7.3 rebounds to lead the team, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals a game to lead the team. Guard Gerald Robinson averages 14.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists to lead the team, and 1.1 steals a game. Georgia is outscoring opponents 71-64 on the season. The Bulldogs are shooting 46.6% from the field and 34.1% from 3-point range. Bulldog opponents are shooting 39.9% from the field. They shoot 67.6% from the free throw line. Georgia averages 37.4 rebounds a game and has a rebounding margin of +4.8. Georgia averages 15.6 assists and 13.2 turnovers a game. They force 13.8 turnovers a game on defense. Georgia averages 7 steals and 5.6 blocks a game.

Statistically, these teams are almost a mirror image of each other. Florida gives up slightly less points per game but Georgia scores slightly more per game. Florida has the edge in rebounding. Neither is very good at free throw shooting, so that could come into play if the game is close.