The University of Florida Gators basketball team led by Coach Billy Donovan is right where it’s supposed to be at this point of the Big Dance. Today the top-seed Gators will try to emerge from the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional final game with the University of Oregon Ducks and move on to Atlanta for the Final Four where they can defend their 2006 National Title.
The Gators starting five are some of the best known in college hoops, returning all of them this year to defend their title. What is amazing, Lee Humphrey is the only senior in the starting five. Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, Al Horford and Taurean Green are all juniors and could possibly return next year to defend another title. Of course they still must get past the Ducks to have a chance.
Florida is chalked in as a -7.0 favorite at most offshore sportsbooks with the game total set at 144. Oregon could be a good bet to cover this line or even pull off a straight up upset win as they are a team who’s flown under the radar all year. In the Ducks last 10 games; they have gone 8-2 ATS. On the total, it’s a little more difficult to determine as they have split 5-5 on the OVER/UNDER in the same 10 game period.
The Gators are on a seven-game winning streak dating back to their loss at Tennessee on Feb. 27. Against the spread however, Florida has only covered five of its last 10 and has gone 0-2 in its games with Purdue and Butler. The Gators were favored in both games as double digit favorites. Like Oregon, the total split in the last 10 with five for the OVER and five for the UNDER.
Oregon is now 12-7 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 6-3 under current head coach Ernie Kent (four appearances). The Ducks have advanced to the regional finals for the fourth time in school history by virtue of a 58-56 first round win against Miami (Ohio), a 75-51 second round win over Winthrop and Friday’s 76-72 regional semifinal win against UNLV.
Led by senior guard Aaron Brooks, the Ducks should cover the +7 spread and at least put a scare into the Gators. Point-Spreads.com pick: Ducks +7
