Tuesday night is a true gem in the college basketball world. 2025 College Basketball online betting sites roll into the week with a solid slate of college basketball. At Online Sports Betting, we preview one of the best games this week. Now, we look at the Volunteers vs Gators bets featuring the Tennessee Volunteers and the Florida Gators. Yes, this is a Top 10 matchup featuring the undefeated Volunteers against a highly entertaining Florida squad. .
- WHAT: Tennessee Volunteers versus Florida Gators
- WHEN: Tuesday, January 7th, 2025, 7:00 pm ET on ESPN2
- WHERE: Stephen C. O'Connell Center, Gainesville, Florida
- WHY: The first of more than a few Top 10 matchups this conference season
The betting interests are more than primed for Tuesday night. The Volunteers vs Gators bets attempt to find some answers for this Tuesday night SEC battle. Can Tennessee stay undefeated and get win number 15?. Or will Florida find a way to hand the Volunteers their first defeat?
Tennessee vs Florida By The Numbers
Volunteers vs Gators Bets Lean Toward Florida
Volunteers vs Gators bets lean toward Florida Tuesday night. So, how could this all set up? Honestly, Tennessee plays incredible defense allowing a mere 56 points per game. Now, that will not be easy to hold up on the road against Florida who ranks 6th in the nation scoring almost 87 points a contest. In this three-point shooting era, teams often live and die beyond the arc. This is pretty commonplace when it comes to the SEC.
So home-court advantage plays heavily into the equation on Tuesday too.. Do the Gators crank up the tempo and pace of play to a level where the Volunteers crack a little? It is something that has not happened in 14 games this season. Plus, Tennessee can pile up the points when they need to. Just ask Syracuse, who they nearly scored 100 against. For those wondering, Florida and Kentucky combined for 206 points last week.
Next up is simply trying to figure out what might happen in this SEC clash. Can Tennessee beat the odds and find a way to get their second conference win? Will Florida triumph at home and take down the current top team in the nation?
Can Tennessee Win This One Outright?
Volunteers vs Gators bets wonder can Tennessee win this one outright? This will be quite a challenge as Florida rebounds the ball exceedingly well (45.1 a game - 2nd in the nation). Florida hoists up nearly 29 three-point attempts per game and Tennessee gives up 24.3% shooting from that distance. The Volunteers are the premier team in the country when it comes to perimeter defense. Florida, however, can muscle teams on the boards. Even last week against Kentucky, they had a dozen offensive rebounds.
Now, the problem for Florida is their defense. Kentucky exposed some holes and hit 14 threes themselves. The Gators appeared a step slow in the first half of that game. After all, SEC pace is just different from those non-conference games. On the other hand, hostile environments are never easy. This will be one of the most competitive conferences by far all season and for good reason. It is also why Tennessee and Florida are so highly-ranked early in 2025.
So, how does Tennessee attempt to thwart the Florida physical presence? That is simple. The Volunteers need to get to the foul line more than the Gators. Florida gets to the line at a 21.6 foul shots per game clip. Tennessee is a couple below that at 19.6. Now, that likely needs to be reversed. Florida nearly came back against Kentucky by making 22 of 35 shots from the free-throw line. They were able to get Kentucky players into foul trouble late.
Tennessee knows they are in for a battle in this one. Rick Barnes is a veteran of these power conference battles. From coaching at Texas to Clemson and other locales, he knows how hard this game could be. It is that experience and intangible which gives the Volunteers a leg up. If any team can pull off a road win, it is Tennessee this night.
Volunteers vs Gators Step Up To The Over
So, Volunteers vs Gators bets step up to the over. The two teams could want to make another solid showing on the national stage. That means a few more three-pointers attempted and maybe some early defensive nerves. Florida needs to turn up the heat and crash the boards. Getting Tennesee's guards in foul trouble will be of utmost importance. The wildcard may be Igor Milicec. While everyone looks at Chaz Lanier and rightfully so, Milicic can go up against Florida's more athletic talent and grab rebounds.
The feeling is that the duo of Felix Okpara and Milicic will be vital to the game flow. Along with Florida's inside presence and speed, their forwards provide most of the rebounding thrust. However, their guards can shoot and rebound as well. Part of why, they excel at pace is their starting five. All five players possess the ability to rebound, play with speed, and know when to shoot. The only major red flag for Florida is their defense. Tennessee has the knack of getting to the basket much like Kentucky did.
Honestly, points could go easily above 150 here. This game total has stayed steady under that plateau (currently 149.5). Honestly, Rick Barnes may have the team he needs to get the job done. Yes, the Volunteers have played amazingly well. It is something to consider how well the Volunteers adapt even on the road. Expect a few more points.
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