🏀 Prairie View A&M vs. Florida Prediction & Picks: March Madness Round 1 (March 20)
No. 1 Florida begins its national title defense against No. 16 Prairie View A&M, a team fresh off a 12-point First Four win over Lehigh.
My best Prairie View A&M vs. Florida prediction for Friday's 9:25 p.m. ET (TNT/March Madness Live) March Madness game at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla., centers on Prairie View A&M's ability to cover the spread all season. Can Thomas Haugh and Florida cover as a 35.5-point betting favorite?
For more NCAA Tournament picks, check out our March Madness predictions.
🏀 Prairie View A&M vs. Florida picks & odds: March Madness Round 1
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.
| Pick | Best odds | Units | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie View A&M +35.5 | -110 via FanDuel | 1u -> 0.91u | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Under 155.5 | -110 via bet365 | 1u -> 0.91u | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Thomas Haugh Over 1.5 made 3-pointers | +122 via FanDuel | 1u -> 1.22u | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Total wagered: 3 units | Max profit: 3.04 units
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🏆 Who will win Prairie View A&M vs. Florida?
See the latest March Madness odds for every team in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
I'm taking Florida to win this game by 30 points, because the Gators rank in the top 10 in both adjusted offensive and defensive rating, according to KenPom, but Prairie View A&M almost always covers the spread.
Score prediction: Florida 87, Prairie View A&M 57
💰 Prairie View A&M vs. Florida prediction & best bet
Follow all of our college basketball analysis and expert predictions for March Madness.
Prairie View A&M +35.5 (-110)
After taking down Lehigh, Prairie View A&M is 22-9 against the spread this season, the fourth-best mark in the country. This is a team that challenged itself in the nonconference, facing Missouri, Oklahoma State, LSU, and Texas A&M. Though noncompetitive, Prairie View A&M kept all of those games within 30 points.
Florida is averaging 86.8 points per game, 12th-best in the country. But the Gators have shown a willingness to call off the dogs throughout the season, winning just two games by more than 35 points.
🔥 Best Prairie View A&M vs. Florida player prop bet
Our Rob Paul breaks down the top 10 bracket busters with his March Madness Cinderella Index.
Thomas Haugh Over 1.5 made 3-pointers (+122)
Prairie View A&M is allowing opponents to make 33.3% of their 3-pointers, which ranks 155th in the nation. And while Florida ranks 331st in 3-point field goal percentage, Haugh is shooting 33.1% from deep, averaging 1.8 makes per game.
Haugh has struggled leading up to the tournament, making one or fewer 3-pointers in four of his last five games. However, Haugh has also made at least two 3-pointers in 19 games this season, and this is a fantastic matchup.
I believe that this price would be much worse if Haugh weren't in a slump, so take advantage of this excellent number from FanDuel.
🚀 Prairie View A&M vs. Florida same-game parlay
Prairie View A&M isn't going to keep this game close, but Florida will play softer late, benching key players for a tournament run, allowing the Panthers to sneak in a cover and keeping the total from going Over. But before Florida stops trying, Haugh will break out of the 3-point shooting slump that has plagued him since the end of the regular season.
💵 Prairie View A&M vs. Florida SGP picks
- Prairie View A&M +35.5
- Under 155.5
- Thomas Haugh Over 1.5 made 3-pointers
Best odds: +692 via FanDuel (0.5u -> 3.46u)
💵 My betting record for college basketball
All college basketball picks, including SGPs, have been tracked since March 13.
| Bet type | Record | Net profit | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 10-14 | +1.09 units ✅ | +3.6% ✅ |
| Game picks | 6-8 | -1.83 units ❌ | -9.6% ❌ |
| Player props | 2-2 | -0.87 units ❌ | -13.3% ❌ |
| Parlays | 2-4 | +3.79 units ✅ | +75.7% ✅ |
💡 How I'm betting Prairie View A&M vs. Florida: March Madness strategy
I'm not overly confident in anything for this game. Prairie View A&M has some of the worst metrics of any team in the tournament. They're completely outmatched, and Florida is the defending national champion. Yet, I'm risking one unit on Prairie View A&M to cover, because March Madness betting trends show the Panthers covering 22 times this season. I'll also risk one unit on the Under, because I doubt Florida plays key players throughout the game. And my final unit will be risked on Haugh, who needs to break out of his shooting slump before opponents get tougher.
📊 Live Prairie View A&M vs. Florida odds: March Madness Round 1
The public loves Florida. The Gators opened as a 33.5-point favorite, and the spread is now 35.5. I'm hoping the number keeps increasing, because I think Prairie View A&M can get demolished in this game and still only lose by 30. As for the total, it's dropped one point after opening at 156.5. I expect it to keep dropping, so get in soon, as I already don't have much confidence in the Under at 155.5.
📈 Prairie View A&M vs. Florida betting trends
| Prairie View A&M | Statistic | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| 19-17 | Record | 26-7 |
| 22-9 | ATS record | 17-16 |
| 11-20 | O/U record | 13-19-1 |
| 280th | KenPom ranking | 4th |
| 101.2 (311th) | Adj. offensive rating (rank) | 125.5 (9th) |
| 111.0 (214th) | Adj. defensive rating (rank) | 91.7 (6th) |
📺 How to watch Prairie View A&M vs. Florida: March Madness Round 1
- Date: Friday, March 20
- Tipoff: 9:25 p.m. ET
- Location: Benchmark International Arena (Tampa, Fla.)
- TV: TNT
- Streaming: March Madness Live
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