You would generally expect the SEC to have Kentucky at the top of the standings at this stage in the season, as that is generally how things have gone over the years. As it stands right now, though, the Wildcats are chasing Texas A&M and South Carolina for that top spot. There is still time to run them down, and they can try and close the gap a little against the Tennessee Volunteers. Be sure to look at out updated lines for College Basketball by clicking here.
Kentucky Wildcats Vs Tennessee Volunteers TV Info and NCAAB Betting Odds
When: Tuesday, February 2, 7PM EST
Where: Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, Tennessee
TV: ESPN
Radio: UTS Sports
Stream: WatchESPN
Opening Lines: TBA
How to Bet Kentucky Wildcats Vs Tennessee Volunteers
The Wildcats may not be having one of their more memorable seasons this year, but they are still good enough to be considered the favorite for this one. Pride is sure to be a factor, as Kentucky will want to close the 1-game gap that is keeping them off the top of the SEC standings.
Why Bet on the Kentucky Wildcats
It’s not very often that you see Kentucky (16-5, 6-2) with 5 losses on the season at this time of year, and you can bet that they are not a very happy bunch at the moment. They were definitely very unlucky in their last defeat, where they fell 90-84 to Kansas in OT. Kentucky will feel as though that was a game that they could have just as easily won, and it may even have served as a season changer if they had. As it is, though, they are now going to have to find a way to bounce back from that loss, and a game against the struggling Volunteers might be just what the doctor ordered. The Wildcats are averaging 78.2 PPG, and are giving up 67.5 PPG.
Why Bet on the Tennessee Volunteers
The Volunteers (10-11, 3-5) were not having a particularly good season to begin with, but their struggles in conference play have highlighted just how bad things really are. While it would appear that the Vols will be no match for Kentucky, that may not actually be the case. They have played a trio of ranked teams this season, and even though they have gone just 1-2 in those match-ups, they were very much in the hunt in all three games. The two games that they lost were by an average of just 6 points, and their last game against a ranked opponent was an impressive 78-69 win over South Carolina. The Volunteers may end up going down in this one, but not without a fight.
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
I think that the Tennessee Volunteers will once again be able to keep things pretty close in this one, but I also believe that they will come up a little short in the end. The Wildcats want that conference title, and the Vols are in the way.
Kentucky Wildcats 79 Tennessee Volunteers 71
