Florida vs. Norfolk State Prediction, Odds & Preview Tonight: NCAA Tournament Best Bets
The NCAA Tournament first round continues tonight, with the No. 1 seed Florida Gators (30-4) taking on the No. 16 seed Norfolk State Spartans (24-10) in the West Region. We have our Florida vs. Norfolk State prediction, odds, and preview with the game starting at 6:50 p.m. ET (TNT) at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C.
Unsurprisingly, Florida is a massive 28.5-point betting favorite over Norfolk State. Our March Madness predictions series continues as we discuss whether Norfolk State can pull off a huge upset and advance in the West Region March Madness bracket.
🏀 Florida vs. Norfolk State prediction & picks tonight
Here are my best Florida vs. Norfolk State predictions for the first round of the NCAA Tournament; use our parlay calculator to get the best odds for any same-game parlay:
✅ Against the spread pick: Norfolk State +28.5 (-110 DraftKings) vs. Florida ⭐⭐⭐
🔥 Best player prop bet: Alex Condon under 12.5 points (-120 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐
🎯 Exact score prediction: Florida 88, Norfolk State 65 (+15000 via DraftKings)
👉 Want more picks? Check out our latest college basketball picks and the rest of our March Madness first-round predictions.
🔢 Florida vs. Norfolk State updated betting action
- Bettors at BetMGM aren't scared off by this massive spread, as 76% of the handle on the spread is on Florida to cover
- However, they're much more split on the total
- In one of the most lopsided games of the day by the odds, Florida now serves as a 28.5-point favorite after opening at -26.5
🏆 Best Florida vs. Norfolk State pick, player prop bet & score prediction
Our NEW college basketball player prop odds tool can help you find the best odds for any March Madness market across legal sportsbooks in your area!
✅ Norfolk State to cover the spread: +28.5 ⭐⭐⭐
The Norfolk State Spartans won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament as the group’s top-seeded team, but they’re not getting much credit preceding the Florida game. Since Feb. 1, Norfolk State is 10-2 but only 227th in T-Rank. They are outside the top 200 in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency.
Meanwhile, Florida is 12-2 and second in T-Rank over that sample with the third-best offense.
One of the few genuinely appealing traits of this Norfolk State team is that they play slowly. They rank 228th in pace since Feb. 1, which isn’t super slow, but it’s slow enough to increase the significance of shooting variance.
They’re also a top-20 team by both free-throw rate and opponent 2-point rate. While I don’t think they’re going to upset the team receiving the second-shortest March Madness odds, covering the 28.5-point spread is doable with those metrics in mind.
We’ve seen Norfolk State take on a few big-name programs this year, too. They lost to Stanford by seven, Grand Canyon by 18, Baylor by 25, and Tennessee by 15. Those are significant losses, but they aren’t 29-point defeats, which is what bettors backing Florida will need. If you play the spread in this game, side with Norfolk State to cover.
📊 Best odds: -110 via DraftKings ($10 to win $9.09)
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🔥 Alex Condon under 12.5 points ⭐⭐⭐
The Gators have a deep rotation, so if this does devolve into a blowout, we'll probably see Florida’s starters get some rest. That could limit the volume of forward Condon, who averages 11.2 points per game. Condon played less than 30 minutes in all of his SEC tournament games and averaged 10 points per game.
The logic here is that Norfolk State is below-average in pace and can defend the interior. Condon takes most of his looks—just under 80%—from inside the arc, which bodes poorly for him. Norfolk State’s high free-throw rate could also mean foul trouble for Condon, who racked up four fouls in his last game.
Of our best sports betting apps, BetMGM is the place to lock in this wager as it offers the most competitive price.
📊 Best odds: -120 via BetMGM ($10 to win $8.33)
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🎯 Score prediction: Florida 88, Norfolk State 65
With this game’s total trading at 153.5, we’re keeping things close to the projected number with this final score prediction. That said, we’re expecting Norfolk State to cover.
Bart Torvik has this game projected at 90-64, so we’re also right around that number. Because games with massive spreads like this one tend to be snoozers, a final score bet might be just what the doctor ordered to get you through this game.
📊 Best odds: +15000 via DraftKings ($10 to win $1,500)
🤖 Florida vs. Norfolk State AI prediction
For entertainment purposes, we asked ChatGPT to analyze historical trends and live NCAA Tournament stats before predicting the winner and exact score for Florida vs. Norfolk State. Our AI prediction projects a final score of Florida 87, Norfolk State 64.
🖥️ AI score prediction: Florida 87, Norfolk State 64
- Florida's balanced attack, ranking third nationally in points scored (85.4 per game) and maintaining a strong defense, presents a formidable challenge for Norfolk State.
- The Gators' efficient shooting, coupled with their ability to limit opponents' field goal percentages, could exploit the Spartans' vulnerabilities on both ends of the court.
- Norfolk State's previous struggles against top-tier teams, including recent tournament losses to Gonzaga, Baylor, and Tennessee, suggest potential difficulties in matching Florida's caliber.
🤔 Betting takeaway: ChatGPT's AI prediction would mean Norfolk State covering the spread (+28.5) and a total of 151 points, slightly under the over/under line of 153.5. ChatGPT is not a dedicated sports betting model, but it can identify data that March Madness bettors might overlook.
📊 Live Florida vs. Norfolk State odds
Follow the latest live March Madness college basketball odds and real-time NCAA Tournament scores for the first round.
Latest Florida vs. Norfolk State odds
Here are the Florida vs. Norfolk State odds in the hours ahead of tipoff.
Spread
Florida is a 28.5-point betting favorite with that line holding steady from the opening number. The odds are equal at -110 on either side.
Total
The Over/Under has also stayed at the opening line and sits at 153.5 with -110 odds on either side of the line.
Moneyline
Florida is a hefty -10000 betting favorite for the outright win. Those odds represent an implied win probability of 99.01%.
🔢 Florida vs. Norfolk State opening odds
- Spread: Florida -28.5 (-110) | Norfolk State +28.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Florida -20000| Norfolk State +3500
- Over/Under: Over 153.5 (-110) | Under 153.5 (-110)
📅 Check out the full March Madness first-round schedule and opening odds.
🔮 West Region expert picks
- West Region betting preview
- Florida vs. Norfolk State prediction
- UConn vs. Oklahoma prediction
- Memphis vs. Colorado State prediction
- Maryland prediction Grand Canyon prediction
- Drake vs. Missouri prediction
- Texas Tech vs. UNC Wilmington prediction
- Kansas vs. Arkansas prediction
- St. John's vs. Omaha prediction
📺 How to watch Florida vs. Norfolk State: NCAA Tournament 1st round
📅 Date: Friday, March 21
🕗 Time: 6:50 p.m. ET
📍 Location: Lenovo Center (Raleigh, N.C.)
📺 TV: TNT
💻 Streaming: March Madness Live
💰 March Madness betting odds pages
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