🏀 Florida vs. Kentucky Prediction & Odds: College Basketball Picks Today (March 7)

No. 5 Florida (24-6) takes a 10-game win streak into its regular-season finale with Kentucky (19-11) at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday in Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., on ESPN.

The Gators have aspirations of defending their title this March, but will they slip up in a hostile environment? My Florida vs. Kentucky prediction doesn't think so, as I expect the Gators to take care of business on Saturday.

🏀 Florida vs. Kentucky picks & odds today: March 7

See all of our experts' college basketball picks based on the latest college basketball odds; picks rated on a 1-to-5 star confidence scale based on betting value.

Total wagered: 1.5 units | Max profit: 1.3 units

💰 Florida vs. Kentucky prediction & best bet

Florida -6.5 (-105)

My Florida vs. Kentucky prediction suggests backing the Gators on the road if the spread is -6.5 or better. This line is -6.5 at most of the best sports betting sites, but BetMGM offers the best price on that spread (-105).

There is a gap between these two teams, and I'm not even sure Florida's 92-83 win over Kentucky on Feb. 14 tells the whole story. The Gators led by 10 within the first 10 minutes of that game, pushing their advantage out to 16 with 8:09 left in the contest.

Kentucky could get a boost at home, but its performance in Rupp Arena has been a bit overrated. The Wildcats are 9-9 ATS at home this season. They've been above .500 ATS at home just once in the past five years.

Score prediction: Florida 87, Kentucky 78

🔥 Best Florida vs. Kentucky player prop bet

Xaivian Lee Under 11.5 points (-130)

Florida guard Xaivian Lee scored 22 points against Kentucky in the first head-to-head meeting. It marked his second-highest scoring output of the year and best performance in SEC play.

But it's worth noting how well he shot from 3-point range in that game. Lee went 4-for-7 from long range, which matched his most 3-pointers in a single game this season.

However, I don't expect him to shoot that well in the rematch. Lee is 25.7% from deep in road games this year. And Kentucky ranks 54th in 3-point defense.

🚀 Florida vs. Kentucky same-game parlay

I'm targeting my favorite predictions in my Florida vs. Kentucky same-game parlay. These three legs aren't super correlated, so the SGP has a nice +589 payout. But this isn't worth more than a sprinkle on Saturday.

💡 How I'm betting Florida vs. Kentucky

Follow all of our college basketball analysis and expert predictions this season.

I only have 1.5 units split between three bets in Saturday's Florida vs. Kentucky matchup. That's because it can be difficult to feel too confident in the regular-season finale.

The reality is, neither team has much to play for. Florida has already clinched the SEC regular-season title. It wouldn't surprise me if both squads have shifted their focus to the postseason, with the conference tournament on deck.

If this game were played a few weeks earlier, I'd feel more confident in my handicap about how these rosters stack up. Still, Florida is the superior side.

📊 Live Florida vs. Kentucky odds

Florida opened as a 6.5-point favorite before the line dropped down to 5.5 at some of the best sports betting apps. At some point while writing this Friday evening, the line climbed back up to 6.5. So, someone with influence clearly believes in the Gators.

I don't expect the line to climb higher than 7, but it's clear Florida is the preferred side at this point.

📈 Florida vs. Kentucky betting trends

📺 How to watch Florida vs. Kentucky

• Date: Saturday, March 7
• Tipoff: 4 p.m. ET
• Location: Rupp Arena (Lexington, Ky.)
• TV: ESPN