The LSU Tigers take on the Florida Gators in Gainesville, FL. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Florida is favored by 14.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -1600. The total is set at 159.5 points.
Here’s my LSU vs. Florida predictions and college basketball picks for January 20, 2026.
LSU vs Florida Prediction
My Pick: LSU +8.5 1H
My LSU vs Florida best bet is on the Tigers to cover the first-half spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
LSU vs. Florida Odds
| LSU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+14.5 -105 | 159.5 -110 / -110 | +900 |
| Florida Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-14.5 -115 | 159.5 -110 / -110 | -1600 |
- LSU vs Florida spread: Florida -14.5
- LSU vs Florida over/under: 159.5 points
- LSU vs Florida moneyline: LSU +900, Florida -1600
LSU vs Florida College Basketball Betting Preview
LSU Basketball
LSU began its 2025-26 campaign in scorching form, having won 12 of its first 13 contests.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, the negative regression was inevitable, as they went on to lose the first four games of their SEC schedule.
LSU followed up this skid with a great performance on Saturday in the comfort of its home arena at Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Matt McMahon’s bunch will be looking to build some momentum after that win as the Tigers go back on the road to Gainesville, where they have a big matchup with Todd Golden’s reigning champion Florida Gators.
Entering Tuesday’s matchup with Florida, LSU ranks top-50 in the country in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom. The Tigers will need to maintain that level of offensive output ahead of their matchup with a stellar Florida offense.
Junior forward Mike Nwoko leads the charge for an LSU offense averaging 85 points per game. The Canadian is posting just shy of 15 points, along with six rebounds. The Tigers' lineup is pretty well-rounded on the offensive side of the floor, with four of its five starters scoring in double figures.
6-foot-6 senior guard Max Mackinnon leads the Tigers' backcourt with over 14 points per contest. The Australian made a big move transferring from Elon to the SEC, but he's certainly held his own with consistent play over the course of LSU’s first 18 games.
While LSU has been great offensively, the same can't be said for its defensive efforts, as it ranks outside the top 75 in the country in defensive efficiency.
If the Tigers are to go on a run in the heart of their SEC schedule, they'll need to improve defensively, especially when matched up with the reigning champs on Tuesday night.
Florida Basketball
After cashing a 60/1 bet on Florida to cut down the nets this past season, I was unsure what to expect heading into this season without star guard Walter Clayton Jr.
Clayton put on arguably the greatest performance in NCAA Tournament history, hitting clutch shot after shot on the road to the Gators winning their first national title since the Billy Donovan era.
Golden’s bunch entered the season with a very difficult schedule, having to play the likes of UConn, Arizona and Duke over its first 10 contests.
The Gators went just 6-4 in the span, also dropping a game to TCU in a matchup they were heavily favored in. Since that difficult early-season schedule, Florida has won eight of its last nine games with a very impressive road victory against a great Vanderbilt team this past Saturday.
Despite losing Clayton to the NBA, the Gators have continued to excel on the offensive end of the floor, averaging over 85 points per game.
Alex Condon, who was a vital part of Golden’s championship team last season, leads the way, scoring over 17 points per game, in addition to eight rebounds.
The 6-foot-11 forward from Australia leads a stacked Florida frontcourt that also features Thomas Haugh and Rueben Chinyelu. The trio has been spectacular on the glass, which could prove vital as the Gators head into a very difficult conference schedule.
Florida’s backcourt features the likes of former Arkansas guard Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee, who was an unstoppable offensive threat in the Ivy League last season. On paper, the two guards looked to be one of the best backcourt duos in the entire country, but both have struggled in their first season playing for Golden.
Surprisingly, the Gators have actually been better defensively this season than the Clayton-led team that just cut down the nets in 2025. Florida’s defense ranks 10th in all of college basketball in defensive efficiency rating.
LSU vs. Florida Betting Analysis
These teams seem to be heading in opposite directions as the Tigers continue to struggle, while Florida enters Tuesday night’s matchup red-hot.
The Gators enter this contest as a massive favorite, and there’s a good chance they blow the doors off an LSU team coming off a massive skid.
However, Florida is laying more points than I'm comfortable with versus an LSU team with some momentum coming off a big win over Missouri on Saturday.
Thus, I'll take LSU to cover the first-half spread of +8.5, and trust it won't be a blowout after the first 20 minutes.
My Pick: LSU 1H +8.5
