North Florida Ospreys vs Florida Gators NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/21/24

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Ospreys and Gators. The game is starting at 12:00 ET on SECN, and it’s hosted by the Gators at Exactech Arena in Gainesville, FL. Get ready to place your bets! The odds for this non-conference game currently have Florida as the -24.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 170.5 points.

NORTH FLORIDA OSPREYS VS FLORIDA GATORS BETTING PICK

The Pick: North Florida Ospreys +24.5

This game will be played at Exactech Arena at 12:00 ET on Saturday, December 21st.

WHY BET THE NORTH FLORIDA OSPREYS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-73 in favor of the Gators.
• Even though we have Florida winning straight-up, we like North Florida at +24.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 170.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.

Do the Ospreys Have What it Takes on the Road?

North Florida fell to 5-5 on the season after a 95-81 road loss to UNC Asheville on Tuesday. Entering the game as +3 underdogs, the Ospreys not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points reached 176, surpassing the O/U line of 162.

North Florida trailed 43-30 at halftime but put up 51 points in the 2nd half. However, their defense allowed 52 points in the same period, preventing them from mounting a comeback.

North Florida put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 41.3% from the field. They connected on 30% of their 40 three-point attempts, with an effective field goal percentage of 50.8%. At the free-throw line, they hit 77.3%, going 17-for-22.

The Ospreys had 17 assists and 11 offensive rebounds, with Toyaz Solomon leading the way with 24 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 69.2% from the field. Jordan Marsh added 19 points and 7 assists, hitting 3 of 5 from beyond the arc.

North Florida’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 95 points while allowing the opposing team to shoot 56% from the field. The Ospreys couldn’t contain their opponents inside, as they shot 63% on two-point attempts, going 24/38.

From beyond the arc, North Florida allowed 9 threes on 20 attempts, a 45% shooting performance. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 29 times, where they converted 20 of those attempts, shooting 69%. The Ospreys gave up 12 offensive rebounds as well.

Does Florida Have What it Takes to Win as Home Favorites?

Florida improved to 11-0 this season with a 90-84 win over North Carolina on Tuesday. The Gators, who were -3.5 point favorites, covered the spread in the victory.

Florida led 46-34 at halftime but allowed 50 points in the second half while scoring 44. The total points for the game reached 174, surpassing the over/under line of 167.5.

The Gators put up 90 points in their last game, shooting 46.2% from the field and posting an effective field goal percentage of 55.4%. They hit 57.6% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 34.4% from beyond the arc, making 11 threes. At the free-throw line, they shot 70.4%, going 19-for-27.

RJ Davis led the way with 29 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 52.6% overall, though he struggled from three, hitting just 3 of 11 attempts. Will Richard was efficient, scoring 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-5 from deep.

Even with Florida’s defense giving up 84 points, they managed to hold their opponent to just 5 made threes on 28 attempts, a 17% shooting performance from beyond the arc. However, the Gators struggled to contain the inside game, allowing 28 two-point baskets on 44 attempts, a 63% conversion rate.

Florida sent their opponent to the free-throw line 19 times, where they connected on 13 free throws, shooting 68%. The Gators also gave up 13 offensive rebounds, contributing to their defensive woes in this one.