The No. 23 Tennessee Volunteers host the No. 24 Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday afternoon in an SEC college basketball matchup. The game tips off at 2:00 p.m. EST in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The Volunteers are listed as 3.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook with the total set at O/U 145.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and pick for this SEC college basketball matchup.
Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee prediction, preview
The Tennessee Volunteers are looking to close the regular season out with a season sweep over Vanderbilt. The Volunteers won the first matchup between the two teams in a tight game in Nashville. This is a huge game for Tennessee. They currently sit in solo fourth place in the SEC. The top four seeds get a double bye straight to the quarterfinals in the SEC Tournament. So, a win in this game would ensure Tennessee gets an extra day of rest with that double bye. Tennessee has also lost two of its past three games, so getting some positive momentum heading into postseason play would also be much appreciated. Tennessee will have to get it done without star forward Nate Ament, the team’s second-leading scorer and leading rebounder. Ament is set to miss his second straight game with an injury.
Vanderbilt would love to get revenge in this spot after losing at home to Tennessee a few weeks ago. That was a tightly contested game, which Vanderbilt led by four points at halftime. However, the Commodores let the game slip away down the stretch, eventually losing by four points. Vanderbilt is one of the best offensive teams in the country, ranking 14th in offensive rating.
They are not as wildly fast-paced as the likes of Arkansas, Georgia and Alabama, but still rank 79th nationally in adjusted tempo. They play an exciting brand of basketball, without getting out of control. Vanderbilt and Florida are the only two teams in the SEC to rank in the top-six in the conference in both points per game and opponent points per game. Sophomore guard Tyler Tanner is the standout player for the Commodores, but they have a collection of six players averaging at least nine points per game.
Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee pick
My best bet for this game is on Vanderbilt to cover as 3.5-point underdogs. The first game between these teams was a coin flip, with Tennessee coming out on top. This time around, Tennessee may have the home-court advantage, but the loss of Nate Ament is massive. Vanderbilt has also been strong on the road this season. The Commodores’ 7-4 road record is the third-best in the SEC this season.
Nate Ament gave Vanderbilt a lot of issues in the paint in the first matchup. He was the Volunteers’ leading rebounder with nine boards, plus he got to the free-throw line six times. It will be much easier to slow down Tennessee’s star guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie without Ament on the floor providing balance. Tennessee plays at a much slower pace than Vanderbilt, ranking 309th in adjusted tempo. The Volunteers can afford to play that slowly because they execute so well on the offensive end with Gillespie and Ament. Without Ament, that execution could become much more disjointed. Vanderbilt should be able to keep this game close with a great chance to win down the stretch.
