The Mississippi State Bulldogs are trying to find themselves… and also find the kind of quality win that will improve their NCAA Tournament Prospects. They will get a chance versus Florida.
Mississippi State Bulldogs @ Florida Gators – Saturday, January 28
Sports betting line: No line
Why Mississippi State Will Win
When you do your homework and assess your sportsbook review on this game, you have to realize that one of the big reasons to give Mississippi State a good chance in this game is that Florida is not predictable. The Gators were a trendy Final Four pick before the season started, and that’s because most of their nucleus from last year’s Elite Eight team returned. Moreover, Florida welcomed Bradley Beal, a highly-publicized player, into its rotation, generating considerable buzz throughout the SEC. Beal was thought to be the kind of addition that would make Florida particularly imposing at the offensive end of the floor. Yet, it hasn’t quite worked out that way for the Gators. They lost on the road at Rutgers in late December, and they suffered a stunning ambush loss at Tennessee in early January. In previous seasons, a loss at Tennessee would have been nothing to be ashamed of.
The Volunteers made the Elite Eight in 2010 and very nearly advanced to the Final Four under former coach Bruce Pearl, but the 2012 Vols are a lower-tier team in the SEC. Florida had no business losing to Tennessee, so the Gators have had to reassess themselves. They’re going to be a work in progress, not a polished team that can simply flex its muscles and thump whoever stands in the way. Florida fails largely because its point guard, Erving Walker, is simply not smart with the ball. Walker takes too many bad shots, opting for the quick hoist instead of dribble penetration or the smart pass. Because of Walker, Florida could find itself in trouble against Mississippi State’s size and length. The Bulldogs have three players who are at least 6-foot-8, so if Walker and his Florida teammates miss a lot of threes, Mississippi State is likely to clean up on the glass, making Florida a one-and-done team at the offensive end of the floor.
Why Florida Will Win
The college basketball betting experts who follow the Southeastern Conference know that Mississippi State is less reliable as a program than Florida. In November, Mississippi State looked like an NCAA Tournament team when it took down Texas A&M and Arizona at Madison Square Garden in New York. However, the twin collapses of the Aggies and Wildcats have taken away the value of those wins. Moreover, the first few weeks of SEC play have shown the worst sides of Mississippi State, reminding national observers why the Bulldogs haven’t made the NCAAs since the 2009 season.. <br/>
It might be excusable to lose at Arkansas – which Mississippi State did earlier in the month of January – but it’s definitely not encouraging to surrender 98 points to the Razorbacks. Arkansas is not going to be in the NCAA Tournament this season, and Mississippi State simply failed to take care of business against a foe in a weak SEC West Division. The same basic thing happened when the Bulldogs fell to a bad Ole Miss club on Jan. 18. This team is too up and down, and it has only two players – guard Dee Bost and forward Arnett Moultrie – who play up to their potential on a regular basis. Winning a game on Florida’s home court is going to be an uphill battle for this team.
Who Will Win
It’s realistic to see Mississippi State winning this game, but it’s likely to see Florida winning it. The Gators are unbeaten at home this season, and that counts for something in a game like this. Only Kentucky should be favored to win in Gainesville, and even then, the Wildcats would have a tough time winning at Florida. Mississippi State will fail to do so. Take the Gators.
College Basketball Betting Pick: Florida