Florida State vs. South Carolina Odds, Picks & Predictions: Value on Underdog Gamecocks? (Sunday, Dec. 12)
William Howard/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Pictured: Devin Carter.
Florida State vs. South Carolina Odds
| Florida State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -110 | 138.5 -105o / -115u | -250 |
| South Carolina Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -110 | 138.5 -105o / -115u | +200 |
The Seminoles will travel to Rock Hill to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in the No Room For Racism Classic.
And while it may be listed as a neutral-site game, Rock Hill is just 70 miles from Columbia, South Carolina. This will be the third neutral-site game of the season for the Gamecocks, who are 1-1 in those games. It will also be the first meeting for these two teams since the 2006 NIT Tournament — a game that South Carolina won, en route to becoming NIT champions that year.
After falling 80-56 in their first true road game of the season to Coastal Carolina, the Gamecocks were able to bounce back in their last game, posting an 80-67 win over Georgetown at Colonial Life Arena last Sunday. The Hoyas never once had a lead, while the Gamecock defense held Georgetown to just 32.9 percent (23-70) from the floor.
Florida State, meanwhile, is 5-3 on the season and currently on a two-game losing streak coming into this game. In their last game, the Seminoles posted their first conference loss of the season, losing to Syracuse at home 63-60. This season, Florida State is also 2-0 in neutral-site games.
It may be listed as a neutral-site game, but I expect this to feel very at home for the Gamecocks, just over an hour away from campus. Will that be enough for them to knock off the Seminoles with a potential home crowd advantage?
Florida State Seminoles
Houston transfer Caleb Mills leads the Seminoles at 12.6 points per game this season, while Malik Osborne averages 11.4 per game. Osborne also leads the team with7.3 rebounds per game. Mills has been the best in the conference and ranks 21st nationally with 2.38 steals per game.
As a team, FSU ranks 14th nationally with 10.2 steals per game, which is also the best in the ACC. The Seminole defense has been able to force 17.5 opponent turnovers per contest.
On offense, Florida State is tied with Syracuse as the fastest team in the ACC, but nationally it only rank 168th in adjusted tempo. The Seminoles also rank as the tallest team on average in college basketball, which is odd as they rank outside the top 100 in rebounds per game. However, they do rank 41st nationally with five blocks per game, but the Gamecocks have been better in rebounding and blocks.
The most significant weaknesses for the Seminoles have come on offense, where they struggle with turnovers and free-throw shooting. As a team, the Seminoles are only shooting 67.5% from the charity stripe, a number that puts them 255th in the country.
South Carolina Gamecocks
The Gamecocks are looking to get another win streak started after beating Georgetown at home. Against the Hoyas, the Gamecocks had one of their best performances of the season. Their 32 made field goals marked a season-high, while the 20 assists were the most the Gamecocks have recorded since February. They also set a season-low for turnovers, giving up just 10 to Georgetown.
Outside of the Georgetown game, South Carolina has struggled on offense for most of the season, but its defense has been winning games. The Gamecocks rank 55th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency, while they've been able to limit opponents to just 66.5 points per game. Teams have been frustrated by the Gamecocks, who rank 22nd in college basketball in limiting the opposition to a shooting percentage of just 38%.
The Gamecocks currently have four different players averaging double-digit points per game. Ten different players average more than 10 minutes a game. South Carolina is one of the deepest teams in college basketball, with talent all the way down the bench. The Gamecocks rank 21st nationally in bench minutes.
Florida State vs. South Carolina Betting Pick
Florida State has yet to win a game away from home this season. And while it is a neutral-site game, I think this will be a very South Carolina-leaning crowd, which should play a factor for a Seminoles team that has yet to play in a challenging environment.
In most statistics, the Seminoles rank ahead of the Gamecocks, but South Carolina is a more experienced team and matches up well on defense against Florida State. Despite the height advantage the Seminoles have, South Carolina has been a better rebounding team, and it's been better at limiting opponents' shooting.
The spread opened at +4.5, and I would feel comfortable taking South Carolina as low as +3.
Pick: South Carolina +3 or better
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