Florida Gators vs Ole Miss Rebels Picks and Predictions March 8th 2025

No. 5 Florida, Ole Miss Angle for Postseason Positioning in Finale

No. 5 Florida enters its regular-season finale against visiting Ole Miss on Saturday night with its sights set on a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. At 26-4 overall and 13-4 in the Southeastern Conference, the Gators have built a resume that demands national respect.

Florida’s Championship Aspirations

The Gators solidified their standing as a title contender with Wednesday’s thrilling 99-94 road win over No. 7 Alabama. Florida poured in 58 second-half points, dominated the glass 50-35, and committed just 10 turnovers. Alex Condon led the way with 27 points and 10 rebounds, while Walter Clayton Jr. added 22 points and eight assists.

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“I think we’re one of the best teams in America,” Florida coach Todd Golden said. “To (be) that, you have to go on the road and beat good teams.”

Florida has done exactly that, with SEC road victories over No. 1 Auburn and then-No. 22 Mississippi State, as well as dominant home wins over then-No. 1 Tennessee and then-No. 12 Texas A&M. If the Gators avoid an upset Saturday and make a deep SEC Tournament run, a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament is within reach.

“We think we’ve done enough,” Clayton said. “We think we’ve been winning games and shown who we are.”

Ole Miss Seeks Another Statement Win

The Rebels (21-9, 10-7 SEC) strengthened their NCAA Tournament case Wednesday with a thrilling 78-76 upset of No. 4 Tennessee. Jaemyn Brakefield’s last-second putback sealed the win as the Ole Miss student section stormed the floor.

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The victory over Tennessee was the Rebels’ second clutch win in a week. On March 1, Sean Pedulla’s deep three-pointer lifted them past Oklahoma, snapping a three-game losing streak.

“We’re trying to play our best basketball going into March,” Pedulla said. “At the same time, it’s basketball, and we were all just trying to have fun.”

A win over Florida could elevate Ole Miss to a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament and secure a more favorable regional placement.

Key Matchup: Pedulla vs. Clayton

Pedulla leads the Rebels with 14.9 points and 3.8 assists per game, while Clayton paces Florida with 17.0 points per contest. Both guards will play pivotal roles in determining Saturday’s outcome.

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