The Florida Gators return to action on Monday night in defense of their national championship against the Arizona Wildcats in Las Vegas. Ahead of the opening tipoff of this season’s men’s basketball campaign, the betting lines are showing support for the Orange and Blue in their 2025-26 debut.

Todd Golden and Co. come into the new season ranked third in the USA TODAY Sports preseason Coaches Poll, along with one lonely first-place vote. Florida finished its title run with a final record of 36-4, thanks to a 12-game winning streak to wrap things up — a streak that can continue on Monday.

The Wildcats are ranked 13th in that same poll and are coming off a 23-13 campaign last time around that ended in the Sweet 16 with a 100-93 loss to the Duke Blue Devils. Arizona has seven new freshmen on the roster in Tommy Lloyd’s fifth season on the sidelines for the Cats.

Stream Florida vs Arizona with SlingTV Florida vs Arizona odds, money line, over/under

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Sunday, Nov. 2

Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!Moneyline: -175 / +145Spread: Florida by 3.5Over/under: 164.5Florida vs Arizona prediction, pick for college basketball’s season opener

With the football team floundering on the field, the return of men’s basketball could not be timed better. The Gators have both a high ceiling and high expectations coming into their title defense, and things start off with a bang on Monday night in Sin City.

Zona has been a perennial contender on the parquet and this season does not look to be much different. Their roster has several new faces after its Sweet 16 run last season — but Florida also lost three of its biggest stars, so both programs have some gelling to do.

With the all-time series split at two apiece, while also splitting both previous matchups on neutral court, Golden’s gang proves to have more carry-over from last year thanks to his deep bench. The Gators quickly coalesce and prove they are a force to be reckoned with in 2025-26.

PREDICTION: Florida 85, Arizona 79

Florida vs Arizona game notesFlorida takes the court for the first time since orange and blue confetti fell in San Antonio to celebrate the Gators’ third national championship. While UF’s top three scorers from last team all went in the NBA draft, Florida returns its top four rebounders and three of its next four highest scorers off the title team.The Gators and Wildcats have split four all-time meetings, including a pair of early-2000s neutral-site meetings and a home-and-home series in 2011 and 2012. Florida claimed an overtime win in Gainesville before Arizona took the rematch — a top-10 showdown — by one point in Tucson the following season.Florida opens its season on a neutral court for the second straight season, defeating South Florida in Jacksonville to open the 2024-25 campaign. The Gators have won six straight season openers, including 3-0 under Todd Golden, and 33 of their last 34 beginning with the 1991-92 season.The Gators visit Las Vegas for the first time since the Rebel Roundup on December 21-22, 1985, where Florida dropped a pair of games vs. Iona and San Diego State at UNLV’s Thomas and Mack Center.

Game notes courtesy of Florida men’s basketball’s official pregame notes

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