Florida vs Michigan Basketball Prediction & Picks: Gators, Wolverines Eye Resume-Building Win in Charlotte

After missing out on March Madness two seasons in a row, Florida is looking to end up on the right side of the bubble come Selection Sunday this season.

The Gators have had a mixed bag against Power 6 opponents thus far, but they have a chance to pick up one more decent win before SEC play begins as they take on Michigan tonight in the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte (7:00 pm ET, ESPN).

Florida (7-3) has wins over Florida State and Pittsburgh, but they have lost their three toughest games, falling to Virginia and Baylor in neutral-site contests and at Wake Forest in the ACC-SEC Challenge.

Picks in this piece are courtesy of BetOnline. At BetOnline, you can get great odds on all of the top college basketball matchups every day.

The Gators are on the “Last Four Byes” line in ESPN’s latest Bracketology update, which is not a fantastic position to be in. But it is a better position than Michigan (6-5), who is on the outside looing in at present. In fact, the Wolverines are not even on the “First Four Out” or “Next Four Out” lines.

But there is plenty of basketball left, and a win tonight over the Gators will provide at least a little boost to Michigan’s March Madness resume.

Florida vs Michigan Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline. If you’re interested in trying them out, we recommend checking out our BetOnline review.

Spread

• Florida -3.5 (-110)
• Michigan +3.5 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 158 (-110)
• Under 158 (-110)

Moneyline

• Florida -160
• Michigan +140

Last Five Games for Florida

• (Lakeland, FL) vs East Carolina (12/14): won 70-65
• (Sunrise, FL – Orange Bowl Classic) vs Richmond (12/9): won 87-76
• vs Merrimack: won 77-57
• (ACC-SEC Challenge) at Wake Forest (11/29): lost 82-71
• (Brooklyn, NY – NIT Season Tip-Off) vs Baylor (11/24): lost 95-91

Last Five Games for Michigan

• vs Eastern Michigan (12/16): won 83-66
• at Iowa (12/10): won 90-80
• vs Indiana (12/5): lost 78-75
• at Oregon (12/2): lost 86-83 (OT)
• (Nassau, Bahamas – Battle 4 Atlantis) vs Texas Tech (11/24): lost 73-57

Top Players for Florida

• Walter Clayton Jr.: 16.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.7 SPG
• Tyrese Samuel: 13.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.5 SPG
• Zyon Pullin: 12.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 5.0 APG
• Riley Kugel: 12.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.0 APG
• Will Richard: 9.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.7 APG

Top Players for Michigan

• Dug McDaniel: 17.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 5.0 APG
• Olivier Nkamhoua: 16.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.9 APG
• Terrance Williams II: 11.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 40.4% 3PT
• Nimari Burnett: 10.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.5 APG
• Tarris Reed Jr.: 8.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.5 BPG

Florida vs Michigan Prediction and Picks

Prediction: Michigan to win

The Long Beach State loss looks less unsightly after the 49ers won at USC nine days ago, but it still sticks out like a sore thumb for Michigan.

The Wolverines have lost to some decent teams, and with the exception of the loss to the Red Raiders, are games that they could have or even should have won.

Those missed opportunities may hurt them significantly in March, but they also have double-digit road wins at St. John’s and Iowa, which could prove to be beneficial.

Those performances, as well as the close losses to Memphis and Oregon, show what Michigan is capable of. And I actually like them to take the win over Florida tonight.

The Gators, like the Wolverines, are a team full of potential, but results and performances leave something to be desired.

Yes, they have won three straight games, but shooting continues to be a concern. They have not made 40% or better from three in a single game this season, and they have shot under 45% overall from the field in each of their last five games.

Michigan, meanwhile, is 23rd in the country in shooting percentage (49.4%) and 42nd in three-point percentage (37.8%), and their top five scorers are all shooting at least 37.1% from three, including forward Will Tschetter, who has made 12 of 18 from outside.

I think both teams can put up some points in this one, but I expect the Wolverines will be more clinical offensively on the way to getting the win in Charlotte.

Picks: Michigan +3.5 & Florida/Michigan Over 158 (Both -110 at BetOnline – Bet These Odds & Get a 100% Bonus on Your First Cryptocurrency Deposit)

Bonus Pick: Walter Clayton Jr. Under 14.5 Points (-110 at Bovada – Bet This Play & Get a 75% Welcome Bonus If Your First Deposit Is Via Crypto)

I typically stick to just overs when it comes to player props, but this is a rare spot where I am going with an under. I’m doing so based on Clayton’s performances against Florida’s toughest opponents thus far.

• vs Virginia: 12 points (3 of 11 FG, 1 of 6 3PT, 5 of 6 FT), four rebounds, five assists, five turnovers
• vs Baylor: 11 points (3 of 12 FG, 1 of 8 3PT, 4 of 6 FT), six rebounds, four assists
• at Wake Forest: 12 points (3 of 11 FG, 1 of 6 3PT, 5 of 6 FT), three rebounds, two assists

Where to Bet on College Basketball

If you are looking for college basketball odds, you will always be spoiled for choice.

Sports betting sites all over the internet offer a vast array of NCAA basketball odds throughout the season, from the opening tip in November to the conclusion of the season in early April.

Along with being able to bet on games like Nevada vs Hawaii, many online sportsbooks offer men’s college basketball national championship odds, women’s college basketball national championship odds, men’s Wooden Award odds, women’s Wooden Award odds, and odds on who will win early season and conference tournaments.

Below are some of the books that we highly recommend for college basketball betting:

• BetDSI
• BetOnline
• BetUS
• Bookmaker
• Bovada
• MyBookie
• Sportsbetting.ag

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Other College Basketball Content

• College Basketball Betting Guide
• Men’s Wooden Award Winner Odds
• Women’s Wooden Award Winner Odds