by Chuck Sommers
Friday, Jan 27, 2023
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Venue: Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, KS
Where to watch: ESPN2
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
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Caesars: Check back later
Season record
Florida: 12-8
No. 5 Kansas State: 17-3
We’re nearing the halfway mark of the college basketball season and it’s been quite the ride so far. Will Rogers is going hard in the last 30 days with a 16-10-1 run, while Kyle Hunter has also had a strong run of form as of late at 28-24-0 (+$1,700). If they’ve been killing it as much as they were in the first half, what does the second half have in store? The only way you’re going to find out is by staying locked on bigal.com and following what our champion handicappers are up to heading into the second half. Trust us, you want to know.
Florida - Kansas State preview, prediction and analysis
Recent form
Florida: won four of five; won 81-60 vs. South Carolina on Wednesday
Kansas State: lost 80-76 at No. 12 Iowa State on Tuesday
The No. 5 Kansas State Wildcats will try to bounce back after a tough loss following their new ranking when they host the Florida Gators at Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday.
The No. 5 Kansas State Wildcats will try to bounce back after a tough loss following their new ranking when they host the Florida Gators at Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday.
Kansas State, thanks to two big home wins last week over Kansas and Texas Tech, leapfrogged to the top five in the nation. Unfortunately, that momentum halted when they lost 80-76 to Iowa State in Ames on Tuesday. Markquis Nowell led Kansas State with 23 points but shot 6 of 17 to get there, while Keyontae Johnson and Cam Carter had 15 points each. It was a blistering offensive performance, but the 12th-ranked Cyclones had it better by shooting 57 percent from the floor.
''I thought this was just an unbelievable Big 12 game,'' Kanas State coach Jerome Tang said. ''The environment was incredible.''
Probably one of the better games of the year, and it definitely shook some things up in the crowded Big 12. Kansas State is now in a 3-way tie with Iowa State and Texas, with the Cyclones holding the edge via head-to-head tiebreaker. There’s still the matter of TCU and Baylor playing some of their best basketball right now, and Kansas remains in the hunt even after losing three conference games in a row.
Kansas State is 8-2 outright in its last 10 and has covered in seven of its last eight against the spread.
After losing three in a row, Florida has rebounded to win five of six and put itself in the middle of the conversation in the also-crowded SEC. The Gators are coming off an 81-60 win over South Carolina on Wednesday when they were 15.5-point favorites, one of their larger spreads of the year. Colin Castleton scored a team-high 18 points while also blocking four shots, and Kowacie Reeves had 15 points in 21 minutes off the bench.
That win put the Gators right in the middle of the SEC standings, but still three games back from atop the conference ladder with Alabama, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Auburn still ruling the roost. Not to mention that Kentucky has won four straight heading into their Big 12/SEC showdown matchup with No. 9 Kansas.
Florida has covered its last five with the under cashing in four of those matchups.
Prediction
Kansas State has ran into some rough luck as of late with losses to TCU and Iowa State, but this could be what the doctor ordered. Florida has relied on its defense as of late to pick up the slack, but there’s much to like in regards to what Kansas State can do offensively that will get Florida on its heels. Kansas State 78, Florida 71
Betting trends
Check back later for trends.
Projected starting lineup
Florida:
PG: Myreon Jones
SG: Kyle Lofton
SF: Will Richard
PF: Alex Fudge
C: Colin Castleton
Kansas State:
PG: Markquis Nowell
SG: Desi Sills
SF: Cam Carter
PF: Keyontae Johnson
C: Nae'qwan Tomlin
Statistical leaders
Florida:
Points: Colin Castleton -- 15.0
Rebounds: Colin Castleton -- 7.6
Assists: Kyle Lofton -- 3.2
Kansas State:
Points: Keyontae Johnson -- 18.3
Rebounds: Keyontae Johnson -- 7.5
Assists: Markquis Nowell -- 8.3
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Florida Gators - Kansas State Wildcats prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily college basketball projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
