NCAA College Basketball Odds – Gators looking for upset of Cougars

Sportsbook players will be on the hunt for upcoming upsets in the NCAA Tournament, and they could very well get one on opening day in the West region when No.7 BYU faces No.10 Florida. The Cougars haven't had much success in the big dance in their recent history, and even the Gators have struggled down the stretch, they have enough balance to make some noise on Thursday.

Florida vs BYU odds – Thursday, March 18, 12:20 PM ET

The Gators fell 75-69 in the SEC quarterfinals to Mississippi State, and their usually solid defense had an off night, allowing the Bulldogs to shoot 57.1% from the field, allowing 10 three-pointers. Kenny Boynton had 23 points to lead the way, while Erving Walker added 19 points for the Gators, who held a 33-20 edge on the glass, including 13-3 on the offensive glass. Florida needs to do a better job of moving the ball as they had just nine assists against the Bulldogs.

The Cougars were upset 70-66 by UNLV in the Mountain West semifinals, but it may not be that big of an upset as UNLV was playing at home during the MWC tournament. Jimmer Fredette followed up a 45-point performance against TCU with 30 more points against UNLV in a losing cause, but Michael Loyd Jr.'s 11 points made him the only other Cougar to score in double figures. The Cougars were second in the nation in points scored this year, thanks mainly to Fredette, but BYU missed freshman Tyler Haws in the UNLV game as he has a broken left orbital, although he should be alright for this game.

NCAA March Madness 2010 odds are favoring the Cougars by four points in this game, and this will be the first time these two programs have met. Florida is back in the dance after two years in the NIT, but in their last appearance, the Gators were cutting down the nets for the second straight year. The Cougars, on the other hand, have been eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the last three years, and they haven't been to the second round since 1993. The Gators are more balanced than the Cougars, and Walker and Boynton are more than capable of keeping Fredette quiet, which is more important with Haws at less than 100%. The Gators also have a sizable advantage in coaching, as Billy Donovan has kept this team together, while Dave Rose has yet to prove he can take the Cougars into the second round. If the Cougars can't get scoring outside of Fredette, it'll be another early exit for the Cougars.

March Madness betting pick: Florida +4