College basketball is back, and opening night serves up an elite matchup when the defending national champion Florida Gators (35 - 4 last season) meet the up -and -coming Arizona Wildcats (24 - 13 last year) in the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas. The game tips off on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025 at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. local time) at T -Mobile Arena and will air on TNT. Florida enters ranked No. 3 in the AP poll, while Arizona opens at No. 13, making this one of the marquee games of the early season.

Florida’s title defence is built on continuity. Head coach Todd Golden returns the core of a roster that steamrolled through last season. The Gators went 35 - 4 and were dominant down the stretch, winning their final ten games straight up and covering 15 of their last 19 against the spread. Their up -tempo offence averaged 80 points per game a year ago and was particularly efficient in transition thanks to guards Riley Kugel and Will Richard. Stretch big man Alex Condon provides rim protection while spacing the floor with his shooting. Unsurprisingly, Florida games often turned into track meets—the total went OVER in 11 of the team’s last 13 outings. Monday’s opener gives the Gators a chance to reassert that high -octane identity against a quality opponent.

Arizona, meanwhile, continues its ascent under coach Tommy Lloyd. The Wildcats finished 24 - 13 last season and made a Sweet Sixteen run, relying on a deep rotation and versatile forwards Keshad Johnson and Motiejus Krivas. Although Krivas is reportedly out with a leg injury, Arizona still boasts athletic wings and an up -tempo philosophy that meshes well with Florida’s style. The Wildcats have been profitable for bettors in recent months, going 4 - 2 against the spread and cashing the over in six of their last eight contests. Lloyd’s club wants to push the pace, attack downhill and let its shooters fire away; when the game turns into a sprint, Arizona is comfortable trading baskets.

Expect a frenetic tempo in this neutral -site showdown. Both teams thrive in transition and will want to test each other’s conditioning early in the season. Florida’s backcourt is more experienced and efficient, and the Gators’ depth up front could wear down an Arizona team that lacks size without Krivas. While some models project a moderately low score (Doc Sports’ preview predicted a 75 - 68 Florida win), the recent trends point toward a higher -scoring affair—Florida’s last 13 games have averaged over 160 combined points, and Arizona has gone over the total in six of its last eight. Oddsmakers have installed Florida as a modest favourite (around – 3.5) and set the total near 163.5 points, reflecting expectations of a shootout.

Betting pick: Over 163.5 points. Florida’s offence should pick up where it left off, and Arizona’s tempo will oblige. Both teams feature explosive guards and are comfortable playing at pace, and neither defence has the rim protection to slow the other in transition. A final score in the mid -80s for Florida and high -70s for Arizona (around 85 - 78) would cash the over comfortably. If you’re looking for a side, Florida’s championship experience makes the Gators worth a lean at – 3.5, but the strongest play is on the total.