The Florida Gators (9-4, 1-0 SEC) visit Texas A&M to take on the No. 11 Aggies (11-2, 0-1 SEC) in a matchup that pits outstanding offense against stifling defense. The game starts at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 2, 2018.
Texas A&M is a 3.5-point favorite on the opening line, while the Over/Under (O/U) for the game opened at 143 points.
Florida Gators vs. Texas A&M Aggies Free Prediction
The last time the Gators played, they beat the Vanderbilt Commodores, 81-74. Florida made good use of their 30 trips to the free throw line, converting on 27 of them (90.0 percent). Vanderbilt, on the other hand, was 10-14 (71.4 percent). Florida was led by Egor Koulechov, who was the top scorer from either team with 22 points on 5-for-13 shooting.
The Aggies got blown out by the Alabama Crimson Tide in their last matchup, 79-57. One of Alabama’s biggest advantages was their ability to convert at the free throw line. They were 20-24 (83.3 percent), while the Aggies were just 13-20 (65.0 percent). Robert Williams had a solid game for Texas A&M, leading the team in scoring with 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting.
Texas A&M should have the advantage on the defensive side of the ball. The Aggies rank fifth in effective field goal percentage allowed (0.423), while Florida is 184th in effective field goal percentage (0.513). Furthermore, the Gators rank seventh in turnover percentage (14.3 percent), while the Aggies rank 310th in opponents’ turnover percentage (16.8 percent).
Florida holds records of 9-4 straight up (SU) and 5-7 against the spread (ATS). It’s tough to find a trend for games including the Gators in regards to the total, as there has been an even split between games finishing over and under.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M owns records of 11-2 SU and 5-5 ATS. Games involving the Aggies have a tendency to finish under the total (60.0 percent).
Tyler Davis has averaged 14.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks over the last five games for Texas A&M.
After the Gators won the sole contest against the Aggies last season, 71-62, this will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams. The Gators knocked down 19 of their 25 free throws (76.0 percent) and had a much better turnover percentage (17.3 vs. 23.3).
Florida Gators vs. Texas A&M Aggies Betting Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Florida, ATS Winner – Florida, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
Florida is 3-2 ATS on the road with 3 overs and 2 unders.
At home, Texas A&M is 1-3 ATS with 2 overs and 2 unders.
Florida averages 24.5 three pointers per game, which ranks 73rd in the NCAA. Texas A&M ranks 245th in three pointers allowed per game (26.2).
The Aggies average 44.8 rebounds per game, which ranks second in the nation. The Gators rank 152nd in rebounds allowed per game (36.0).
Texas A&M ranks 21st in assists per game (17.8) while Florida ranks 154th (13.2).
The Gators rank 44th in blocks per game (4.8) while the Aggies rank 137th in blocks allowed per game (4.2).
Florida ranks 43rd in steals per game (7.7) while Texas A&M ranks 115th in steals allowed per game (6.6).
Bettings Trends:
In their last five games, Florida is 1-3 ATS with 3 unders and 1 over.
Texas A&M is 1-2 ATS with 2 unders and 1 over over their last five games.
The Gators’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 7.0, down from 9.6 for the season.
During their last five games, the Aggies have scored an average of 79.2 points per game (0.5 below their season average) and allowed an average of 65.8 points per game (0.3 above their season average).
