#14 Miami vs. #1 Florida Prediction, CBB Picks – Monday, November 2

The college basketball season gets underway with the first full slate of games, including an in-state battle between #1 Florida and #14 Miami. The outing is part of the Orion180 Tip-Off Classic in Tampa, Fla.

Florida enters as the favorite, with opening tip from Benchmark International Arena expected at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

The Gators and Hurricanes meet for the 71st time, with Florida leading the all-time series 47-23 and winning the last three tilts.

Below, we’ll break down our Miami vs. Florida prediction and picks for Monday’s college basketball game, including the game winner and key player picks for PrizePicks.

Make your Miami vs. Florida picks on PrizePicks for Monday’s game.

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#14 Miami vs. #1 Florida Prediction, College Basketball Picks – Monday, November 2

After losing in the second round to Iowa in an attempt to defend their 2024-25 NCAA title, the Gators bring back almost 80% of their production. That group includes the frontcourt trio of Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, and Rueben Chinyelu — the reigning Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

Haugh, who was projected as a late lottery pick this past NBA Draft, scored 17.1 PPG last year and earned second-team All-American honors. Condon, a projected late first-rounder, comes back after scoring 15.1 PPG.

Florida also boasts a backcourt of Boogie Fland, SEC Sixth Man of the Year Urban Klavzar, and Denzel Aberdeen, who was a member of the 2025 title team and spent last season on Kentucky. 

The Gators earned a #1 seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament with a 25-7 record, ranking 11th in per-game scoring (87.1) and first in rebounding (45.1), offensive rebounds (15.9), defensive rebounds (29.2), and rebound margin (+14.7).

Miami enters the season ranked 14th after going from seven wins in 2024-25 to 26 last year in Jai Lucas’ first year as head coach. The Hurricanes finished third in the ACC, getting back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since losing in the Final Four in 2023. 

G Dante Allen and F Shelton Henderson return for the Canes. They're joined by former top-40 prospect Acaden Lewis (Villanova), C Somto Cyril (Georgia), and 5-star F Caleb Gaskins.

Miami finished 30th in KenPom last year, 35th in adjusted offense and 35th in adjusted defense. It had a lot of success inside, averaging 42.3 paint PPG and shooting 56.7% on 2-point attempts. 

Miami vs. Florida Prediction on Winner – 11/2/26

Here are the key stats and trends behind our Miami vs. Florida prediction on the winner for Monday, November 2.

• Florida finished 16-2 in SEC play to win the regular-season title, while winning the conference games by 17.0 per game, the second-best mark by an SEC team over the last 25 years. 
• KenPom projects Florida second nationally, including first in adjusted offensive efficiency and seventh in adjusted defensive efficiency. 
• Miami is projected 22nd overall: 27th offensively and 18th defensively. That's a substantial advantage for Florida on both ends of the court, particularly when it doesn't have the ball.
• The Gators defeated Miami 82–68 last November, with Condon producing 19 points and 10 rebounds.
• While Florida returns four starters and its top two bench players, Miami made plenty of offseason moves with only two starters back and 60% of the projected rotation playing its first games in a Canes uniform.  

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Miami vs. Florida Picks, Player Stats for PrizePicks: 11/2/26

Here are the top Miami vs. Florida picks to target on Monday, November 2. Today’s college basketball picks for PrizePicks include G Acaden Lewis and C Rueben Chinyelu.

Miami G Acaden Lewis vs. Florida: 15.5 Pts + Asts

• In 33 games last season for Villanova, Lewis averaged 12.2 points and 5.3 assists, breaking school records for a freshman. 
• Lewis was the first Villanova player to average 5+ assists per game since the 1998-99 season. 
• The Big East Freshman All-American went over this projection in 20 of 33 games last season before transferring to Miami.
• Lewis had 23 points and 10 assists in an exhibition win over Vanderbilt last week. 

‍Add Acaden Lewis to your PrizePicks lineup now.

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Florida C Rueben Chinyelu vs. Miami: 10.5 Rebounds

• Last season, Chinyelu was fourth in the country and first in the SEC in rebounds per game with 11.2. His 393 total rebounds led the nation.
• The DPOY had 22 games of 10+ rebounds, including 13 of the final 17 regular-season games and one of two NCAA Tournament bouts.
• In the meeting between Miami and Florida last year, Chinyelu had 10 boards and 16 points in 26 minutes.
• Miami landed Cyril, who went up against Chinyelu in SEC play last February. Chinyelu brought down a staggering 20 boards in that game. 

Add Rueben Chinyelu to your PrizePicks lineup now.

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Can Florida live up to its expectations as the top-ranked team in the country and win vs. Miami, or will the new-look Hurricanes pull off a shocker on opening night?

Don’t wait until tip-off — make your Miami vs. Florida picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.

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