The SEC-Big 12 Challenge on Saturday has loads of interesting college basketball matchups across the board. Certainly one of them is the Texas Longhorns traveling to Tennessee to battle the Volunteers.
Tennessee is available in ranked No. 2 on KenPom and 8-2 in its past 10 games. I think, nevertheless, that the Vols are somewhat overvalued heading into this matchup. During that 10-game stretch, Tennessee faced two teams ranked in KenPom’s Top 50 (Arizona, Kentucky) and lost to each. The Vols are talented, but they’re built to beat up on bad teams, corresponding to LSU and South Carolina.
Texas vs. Tennessee (6 p.m. Eastern) pick: Texas +7.5 (BetMGM)
Texas has been good away from home this season, going 3-1 in true road games. The Longhorns even have a key edge within the matchup. Texas’ defense ranks twenty second in turnover percentage and fifty fifth in steal percentage. Tennessee’s biggest weakness is it could actually be sloppy with the basketball. The Vols rank 244th in turnover percentage and 295th in steal percentage.
Recent customers only. Should be 21+. AZ, CO, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, TN, VA, PA, WV, WY only. Full T&C apply.
Recent players only, 21+. Available in AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, NJ, NY, TN, VA, WV only. Full T&C apply.
Recent users only, 21 or older. Available in AZ, CT, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY only. Full T&C apply.
Texas’ aggressive ball-pressure defense should give you the chance to create turnovers that result in easy buckets in transition. That will probably be vital since the Longhorns are one in all the highest shooting teams from 2-point range this season, but Tennessee counters with the perfect 2-point percentage defense within the country. Texas will need to get out and run and keep the Vols from making this a half-court game.
Betting on College Basketball?
The 2 teams met last season, with Texas winning a 52-51 rock fight. I see one other close, defensive battle this time around. The Vols are somewhat overvalued on this spot, so grab the points with Texas.
Texas vs. Tennessee pick: Texas +7.5 (BetMGM)