Free Picks and Odds: Tennessee Volunteers at Florida Gators 2011 NCAA Basketball Predictions 2-11-2011: Guard Scotty Hopson will lead the Tennessee Volunteers on the road to the Stephen O’Connell Center to take on SEC rival guard Erving Walker and the No. 17 Florida Gators on Saturday at 6:00 PM ET on ESPN. Volunteer head basketball coach Bruce Pearl has returned for a loss and they enter the game (15-9, 5-4) with a trip to red hot Florida Gators. Head basketball coach Billy Donovan has the Gators at (19-5, 8-2) and looking for their 4th consecutive win and extend their lead atop the SEC East.
“I think Chandler’s proven to us and to our team that if he’s scoring, great, but there’s so much more that he can provide for our team,” said Donovan, who posted his 350th win as Gators coach Wednesday. “When we’re making shots like that, we’re tough to beat,” said forward Chandler Parsons, who has averaged 15.2 points and 11.4 rebounds in his last five games. “We just want to keep playing unselfish, keep playing the way we are.” The Gator team shot over 55% in their most recent SEC victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks. The odds makers at BetUS have the Florida Gators a -5 1/2 point favorite at home against the Tennessee Volunteers.
Florida is coming off a rout 79-60 over the Gamecocks on the road to move to just 8-10 ATS for the season. Erving Walker led the Gators with 25 points and 3 assists while center Macklin added 16 points and 6 boards. Forward Chandler Parsons had a big game with 14 points pulling down 12 boards and dishing out 8 dimes. Florida is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Tennessee. Vegas odds makers have the Florida Gators +8000 to win the 2011 NCAA Championship.
The Vols have lost their last 2 most recently on the road at the Kentucky Wildcats 73-61 to move to 10-11 ATS for the Season. Guard Melvin Goins led the scoring with 16 points 5 boards and an assist for the Vols while guard Scotty Hopson followed with 11 points 3 rebounds and 2 dimes. The total has gone OVER in 6 of Tennessee’s last 8 games when playing on the road against Florida. Vegas odds makers have the over/under for the total odds at 133 points combined of the Tennessee Volunteers and Florida Gators.
I predict a Gator victory at home.