Florida vs UCF Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for March 15 NIT Game (Gators Prevail in High-Scoring Contest)

Florida vs UCF Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for March 15 NIT Game (Gators Prevail in High-Scoring Contest)

Updated:

Florida vs UCF Game Info

  • 2022-23 NCAA NIT Game
  • Florida (16-16) vs. UCF (18-14)
  • Date: Wednesday, March 15, 2023
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
  • Venue: Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center -- Gainesville, Florida
  • Coverage: ESPN2

The 2023 NIT continues on Wednesday with a great first-round matchup between the UCF Knights and Florida Gators. UCF fell short of making the NCAA Tournament with a respectable 18-14 overall record (8-10 conference), while Florida did not make the field with a 16-16 record (9-9 conference).

Florida vs UCF Odds & Spread

Florida enters this contest as a small favorite on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 7 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 142.5 points, which is about average compared to Wednesday's projected totals.

Florida vs UCF Betting Trends

  • Florida has 16 wins in 32 games against the spread this year.
  • Against the spread as 2.5-point favorites or more, the Gators are 10-7.
  • Out of 32 Florida's games so far this season, 16 have hit the over.
  • Against the spread, UCF is 15-17-0 this season.
  • The Knights have an ATS record of 5-4 as 2.5-point underdogs or more.
  • Out of UCF's 32 games so far this season, 20 have gone over the total.
Florida Rank Florida AVG UCF AVG UCF Rank
180th 71.9 Points Scored 72.2 166th
139th 68.7 Points Allowed 66 61st
165th 32 Rebounds 31.3 210th
287th 7.2 Off. Rebounds 9.9 62nd
240th 6.8 3pt Made 8.9 41st
232nd 12.4 Assists 14.2 95th
50th 10.6 Turnovers 12.2 216th

Florida vs UCF Prediction & Pick

While UCF put together its sixth winning season in the last seven years, it played in an AAC that sent only two teams to the NCAA Tournament (Houston & Memphis). Florida battled through the SEC, on the other hand, which sent eight teams to the Big Dance. Experience is going to come in handy for the Gators.

The Knights are led by freshman forward Taylor Hendricks, who is expected to be a first-round NBA Draft pick in the spring. He is going to have a tough time scoring, though, as Florida's Colin Castleton (6-foot-11, 240 pounds) will be patrolling the paint and was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team.

Florida has won six straight home games against UCF, so back the Gators to advance on Wednesday.

Final Score Prediction: Florida: 76 | UCF: 71

Florida vs UCF Best Bet

There's a lot to like about the chance of this game turning into a shootout. Florida is playing at home and averages 71.7 possessions per game (No. 101 in NCAA), so expect the Gators to control what will be an above-average tempo. Each side is also averaging at least 74.7 points in the last three games.

The total has hit the over in nine of Florida's last 10 games overall as well as in 13 of UCF's last 17 games overall. The over has cashed in eight of the Gators' last 10 games played in March, too. There' are a few notable seniors on the court in this one, so expect those players to give it everything they got.

Bet: Over 142.5 Total Points (-115)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.