The No. 18-ranked Florida Gators face the No. 5 UConn Huskies in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden tonight.
These programs clashed in the NCAA Tournament last season, with Florida ending UConn's title reign and going on to win the National Championship.
Early money has come in on the Over, shifting the total from 145.5 to 147.5, but my Florida vs. UConn predictions and college basketball picks are going against the line movement.
Florida vs UConn prediction
Florida vs UConn best bet: Under 147.5 (-110)
The Florida Gators won the national title in April but lost their four best guards in the offseason, and their new backcourt has been letting the team down. The Gators are just 344th in the country in 3-point percentage (27.4%) while sitting outside the Top 250 in turnover rate.
Meanwhile, the UConn Huskies are seventh in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom, while ranking 326th in adjusted tempo. They pressure ball-handlers and rank 15th in the country in opponent 3-point percentage (26.8%).
They also do a great job of defending inside, ranking third in the country in rim defense, per ShotQualityBets. This is a well-coached squad with the defensive chops to control the pace and slow down Florida's up-tempo attack.
That said, the Huskies have underperformed offensively lately. They're shooting just 28.3% from deep over their last five games, and Florida is ninth in the country in 3-point defense (26.2%). The Gators also have elite size, which helps them hold foes to 36.3% shooting in the paint.
Florida is coming off a 67-66 loss to Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium, while UConn's last three games against ranked foes (Kansas, Illinois, and Arizona) saw fewer than 140 total points on the board.
With both offenses struggling to knock down outside shots and both defenses preventing good looks at the rim, take the Under.
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Florida vs UConn same-game parlay
It's tough to know what side to bet on in this game, with UConn center Tarris Reed (15.8 ppg and 8.3 rpg) a game-time decision. He's missed four of the Huskies' last five games due to an ankle injury, but he practiced the last two days.
Even if Reed does pla,y I'm not confident he'll be 100% which has me leaning towards Florida with the points in what I expect to be a low-scoring contest.
Alex Karaban has grabbed fewer than 6.5 boards in six of his last eight games, and Florida leads the country in rebounding rate. If Reed ends up playing, there will be fewer available boards for Karaban.
Florida vs UConn SGP
- Under 147.5
- Florida +6.5
- Alex Karaban Under 6.5 rebounds
Our beyond the arc SGP: Big game Gators
Thomas Haugh leads Florida with 18.6 ppg, and he's stepped up in big games, dropping 20+ points against Duke, TCU, Florida State, and Arizona.
Florida vs UConn SGP
- Under 147.5
- Florida +6.5
- Alex Karaban Under 6.5 rebounds
- Thomas Haugh Over 16.5 points
Florida vs UConn odds
- Spread: Florida +175 | UConn -210
- Moneyline: Florida +175 | UConn -210
- Over/Under: Over 147.5 | Under 147.5
Florida vs UConn betting trend to know
The Under is 4-0-1 in UConn's last five games while going 5-1-1 in Florida's previous seven contests. Find more college basketball betting trends for Florida vs. UConn.
How to watch Florida vs UConn
| Location | Madison Square Garden, New York, NY |
| Date | Tuesday, December 9, 2025 |
| Tip-off | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
Florida vs UConn key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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