NCAA Basketball Odds: Florida at Kentucky to Close SEC Play

Sunday is likely DeMarcus Cousins' final home game at UK. (AP Images)

If the Florida Gators are still on the NCAA Tournament bubble, as many believe they are, then the Gators certainly will get off said bubble by pulling an upset at No. 3 Kentucky on Sunday afternoon in the final day of college basketball’s regular season. However, the Wildcats have opened as 12-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.

Kentucky (28-2, 8-8 ATS at home) has a No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament locked up as well as a top seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats are unbeaten at home this season (all but one win by double digits) and beat the Gators by 12 in Gainesville on Jan. 20 behind a career-high 25 points from freshman Eric Bledsoe and 19 from fellow freshman backcourt mate John Wall. That ended UK’s five-game losing streak at Florida. It was a closer game than the score would indicate, but the Cats went on a 17-5 run in the final five minutes or so.

The Gators (20-10, 5-3 ATS on road) are slumping at the wrong time, having lost two straight and four of seven, and are 2-4 against ranked teams so far this year. They never get blown out, having not lost by more than 12 points all season and having five defeats decided by four points or less. Here’s a weird stat: Florida is 5-0 in this season when having two days or less to prepare for an opponent. When having four or more days between games, the Gators are 5-5. UF last played on Tuesday night, falling at home to Vandy. UF hasn’t won at Rupp Arena since 2007 but still has managed to take eight of the past 11 in the series.

When making your college basketball bets on this one, don’t rule out the emotion of it likely being the final home game for Kentucky stars Patrick Patterson, DeMarcus Cousins and Wall, with all three expected to head for the NBA after this season.

Get your SEC Tournament odds and props at Bodog