It’s arguably the game of the year in the SEC’s regular season on Saturday when No. 4 Kentucky visits No. 7 Tennessee. The winner still has a great shot at the conference’s regular-season title, although LSU is also right there and holds the tiebreaker over both. Let’s take a look at the NCAAB odds for this encounter.
How to Bet Kentucky vs Tennessee NCAA Basketball Odds & Game Info
- When: Saturday, 2 PM ET
- Where: Thompson-Boling Arena
- TV: CBS
- NCAA Basketball Odds: TBA
Season Series
On Feb. 16 when Tennessee was ranked No. 1, it was throttled 86-69 in Lexington by the No. 5 Cats. PJ Washington scored 23 points, Keldon Johnson added 19 and Kentucky end the Volunteers’ school-record, 19-game winning streak. The Wildcats used a 25-7 surge over a little more than seven minutes for a 62-38 lead and never were threatened.
Johnson made 8-of-14 with three 3-pointers as the Wildcats shot 55 percent. Tyler Herro had 15 points and 13 rebounds as Kentucky beat Tennessee 39-26 on the glass. Jordan Bone had 19 points and Admiral Schofield 17 for the Volunteers, who scored the game’s first basket but trailed afterward. Tennessee shot 35 percent in the second half and 41 percent overall.
Why Bet on Kentucky?
UK won for the fourth straight game and 14th in the past 15 on Tuesday, escaping an Arkansas upset 70-66. Arkansas took a 39-28 lead into intermission. It was UK’s largest halftime deficit since trailing Duke by 17 points in the season opener.
The rally from 15 points down is UK’s biggest comeback of the season. The last time UK overcame a 15-point deficit for a victory was Jan. 27, 2018 at West Virginia when the Wildcats rallied from 17 down. Arkansas shot 37.7 percent from the field. UK is 178-15 (.922) under John Calipari when keeping the opponent at 40 percent or less, including 13-0 this season.
Tyler Herro had career highs of five 3-pointers and 29 points, including two free throws with five seconds remaining. UK is 15-0 this season when he scores at least 15 points. Herro finished 5 of 6 from behind the arc and 9 of 10 overall. His long-range baskets 43 seconds apart sparked an 18-3 run over 7:43, and the freshman guard capped the spurt with another 3 for a 54-51 lead. Herro made all five attempts after halftime and all six shots from the foul line.
Nick Richards scored seven points, hauled down 15 rebounds and blocked three shots. It is his second double-figure rebounding game of the season and third of his career. UK is 12-0 this season when Richards scores at least four points. Kentucky’s seventh straight series win over Arkansas also helped it maintain a share of the SEC lead. UK won the rebounding 40-27 and points in the paint 24-22. UK is now 21-2 this season when winning/tying the rebounding and 21-3 when prevailing in the paint.
UK remains without senior big man Reid Travis due to injury. as did the head coach. Reid Travis isn’t playing. The grad transfer from Stanford, a 6-foot-8 starting forward, hasn’t played since spraining his knee at Missouri on Feb. 19. Travis played really well in the first meeting with Tennessee. He had 11 points and eight rebounds and played great defense on likely SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams. He took a season-low four shots, making three.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 77.96
- Field Goal Percentage: 48.09
- Three-Point Percentage: 36.21
- Free Throw Percentage: 74.44
- Total Rebounds: 38.82
Defense
- Total Score: 64.93
- Field Goal Percentage: 40.16
- Three-Point Percentage: 35.14
- Free Throw Percentage: 69.25
- Total Rebounds: 29.11
Why Bet on Tennessee?
The Vols nearly were caught in their own trap game Wednesday, escaping 73-71 at Ole Miss. Rebels guard Breein Tyree missed the front end of a one-and-one with 18 seconds remaining, Tennessee grabbed the rebound and Grant Williams hit a driving, short jumper with four seconds left in the lane to make it 72-71.
Ole Miss had one more opportunity in the final seconds, but Devontae Shuler was called for a charge after running into Admiral Schofield while shooting a deep 3-pointer with a second left. That was a very shaky call. Rebels coach Kermit Davis threw his jacket to the ground in protest and was given a technical foul. Williams hit one of two free throws to clinch the game. After the officials signaled that the game was over, Ole Miss fans began showering the floor with drinks, shirts, shakers and other trash.
Williams led all scorers with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting to go along with six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks. Lamonte Turner helped spark Tennessee’s offense in the second half, scoring 13 of his 17 points in the period on 6-of-7 shooting. Schofield chipped in 11 points and six boards. The Vols shot 58 percent from the field in the period and 52 percent for the game.
Tennessee held the Rebels without a field goal during the final 2:40 in the game. Ole Miss was just 2-of-9 shooting from the field in the last nine minutes.
With a chance to repeat as SEC Champions, the Vols are currently in a 3-way tie for first place in the league with Kentucky and LSU. Wednesday’s win clinched a top-4 seed and gave Tennessee a double bye to begin the conference tournament. Two of Tennessee’s three losses this season have come in overtime. And all three losses were away from home against top-15 opponents.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 83.21
- Field Goal Percentage: 50.48
- Three-Point Percentage: 35.69
- Free Throw Percentage: 76.46
- Total Rebounds: 37.71
Defense
- Total Score: 68.07
- Field Goal Percentage: 39.42
- Three-Point Percentage: 33.43
- Free Throw Percentage: 65.03
- Total Rebounds: 33.93
Kentucky vs Tennessee NCAA Basketball Betting Trends
- Kentucky is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
- Kentucky is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kentucky’s last 6 games on the road
- Tennessee is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Kentucky
- Tennessee is 6-15 SU in its last 21 games when playing Kentucky
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tennessee’s last 6 games when playing Kentucky
Expert NCAAB Betting Prediction
Tennessee 74 – Kentucky 71
