NIT Tournament Picks - Penn State vs. Florida
by Tim Furious
I guess this is what happens when you focus all your damn time on football. The Gators are only a few years removed from winning back-to-back Championships in the Penn State Nittany Lions, it’ll be a testament to how resilient this team will be moving forward.
Florida has averaged a lofty 77.5 points this season, giving up just 67.3 points. Defense has always been the mode de plume for the Gators, and the +10.2 point differential is solid proof. As a betting team, they’ve gone 4-1 ATS in their last 4 games, matching that streak with SU victories. Their last five games has a single blemish on it – a 3 point loss to the Auburn Tigers. Even with that game in hand, they’ve averaged a +13.5 point differential in their last five games. Not bad, despite the competition.
The Nittany Lions have been a nice surprise in college basketball betting, but not by much. They’re just 3-2 SU in their last 5 games including two losses to Purdue and Iowa by an average margin of -11.0 points. There is a big name win, the one over George Mason, but that isn’t enough to credit Penn State credibility with a double-digit spread to cover.
Penn State Nittany Lions (24-11) vs. Florida Gators (25-10
Tuesday, March 24th --- Stephen O’Connell Center, Florida --- 9:00pm EST
NIT Betting Line: Florida -10.5 (137)
Florida is far and away the superior team this year. At home, they’re 10-8 ATS, and are also facing a team that has gone just 6-7 ATS. The oddsmakers corrected the line down a half-point, but that shouldn’t worry the Gators betting faithful. This is going to be a rout in the worst way possible. Penn State doesn’t belong on the basketball court, and the Florida Gators have a reputation to protect, no matter how dwindling it may be as they duke it out in the NIT tournament.
NCAAB Free Pick: Florida -10.5 (UNDER)
