The Florida Gators (6-4) will be at home in Stephen C. O’Connell Center when they go head-to-head against the James Madison Dukes (4-7). Florida opened as a 23-point favorite, while the games Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 149 points. Action begins at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, December 20, 2017, and it can be seen on SEC Network.
James Madison Dukes at Florida Gators Free Preview
The Dukes defeated the FIU Golden Panthers in their last outing, 76-67. Stuckey Mosley was the games leading scorer with 28 points on 7-for-14 shooting. James Madison dominated nearly every facet of the game. They had an absurd free throw rate of 0.431 (above their season average of 0.271) and a turnover percentage of 20.3 (worse than their season average of 15.5). For those same stats, FIU was 0.241 and 21.9, respectively.
In the Gators last game, they were topped by the Clemson Tigers, 71-69. Jalen Hudson was the games leading scorer with 23 points on 7-for-18 shooting. Clemson had a free throw rate of 0.444 (above their season average of 0.263). Florida, meanwhile, forced the Tigers into a turnover percentage of 20.5 (above their season average of 15.7).
The productive offense of Florida will face off against the porous defense of James Madison. The Gators currently rank 24th in offensive efficiency, while the Dukes are 266th in defensive efficiency. The Gators should have the advantage on that end of the court. Moreover, the Dukes are among the nations best at getting to the line, ranking 58th in free throw attempt (FTA) rate (0.284). The Gators, meanhwile, rank 265th in opponents FTA rate (0.269).
Of James Madison’s 10 games with betting action, seven have finished over the projected point total, while 4 of Florida’s 8 games have finished over the projected point total. Looking at straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) records, the Gators have a substantial advantage. They are 6-4 SU and 5-5 ATS, while the Dukes are 4-7 SU and 4-6 ATS.
James Madison Dukes vs. Florida Gators Free Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Florida, ATS Winner – Florida, O/U – Under
Betting Notes:
- The Gators average 14.0 assists per game, which ranks 126th in the NCAA. The Dukes rank 181st in assists allowed per game (15.0).
- Florida averages 4.5 blocks per game, which ranks 56th in the nation. James Madison ranks 87th in blocks allowed per game (3.3).
- Florida ranks 28th in steals allowed per game (5.1) while James Madison ranks 115th (6.6).
- The Gators average 23.3 three pointers per game, which ranks 100th in the NCAA. The Dukes rank 160th in three pointers allowed per game (22.5).
- James Madison ranks 101st in rebounds per game (37.3) while Florida ranks 161st in rebounds allowed per game (36.2).
Bettings Trends:
- The Gators have been outscored by an average of 4.4 points in their last five games. On the season, Florida has defeated opponents by an average of 9.4 points.
- During their last five games, the Dukes have scored an average of 77.0 points per game (0.4 above their season average) and allowed an average of 75.6 points per game (1.3 below their season average).
