Saturday marks the final slate of regular season action for SEC men’s basketball teams, with a headline-grabbing matchup in Knoxville. The No. 13 Tennessee Volunteers welcome the No. 14 Arkansas Razorbacks to town for a high-profile matchup, and both teams will aim to keep hot streaks going. The Volunteers are 8-1 in the last nine games, improving to 22-7 for the season, and Tennessee remains unbeaten at home. The Razorbacks are 14-1 in the last 15 games, posting a 23-6 overall record, and Arkansas beat Tennessee by 10 points in February.
Caesars Sportsbook lists the Vols as 6.5-point home favorites for this noon ET tipoff. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over-under, is 139.5 in the latest Arkansas vs. Tennessee odds. Before making any Tennessee vs. Arkansas picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $1,700 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Tennessee vs. Arkansas, and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several college basketball odds and betting lines for Arkansas vs. Tennessee:
- Arkansas vs. Tennessee spread: Tennessee -6.5
- Arkansas vs. Tennessee over-under: 139.5 points
- ARK: The Razorbacks are 11-6 against the spread in SEC games
- UT: The Volunteers are 9-8 against the spread in SEC games
Featured Game | Tennessee Volunteers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks
Why Arkansas can cover
While Tennessee has fantastic defensive metrics, it is Arkansas that leads the SEC in defensive efficiency during conference play. The Razorbacks are also in the top 15 nationally in defensive efficiency this season, with top-two marks in the SEC in 3-point accuracy allowed (28.2 percent) and 2-point accuracy allowed (45.8 percent). Arkansas forces a turnover on 20.8 percent of defensive possessions, with top-tier marks in defensive rebound rate (74.0 percent), block rate (12.0 percent) and steal rate (10.6 percent).
Tennessee is making only 45.5 percent of 2-point attempts in SEC play, ranking near the bottom of the conference. Arkansas also has stout offensive characteristics, including a top-five overall mark in the SEC. The Razorbacks are No. 2 in the conference in turnover prevention, with top-four marks in free-throw creation and free-throw accuracy.
Why Tennessee can cover
Tennessee’s defense is electric. The Volunteers are No. 3 in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency, and Tennessee is allowing fewer than 60 points per game at home this season. Rick Barnes’ team is in the top 15 nationally in turnover rate (23.5 percent) and steal rate (23.8 percent), with a stellar 14.1 percent block rate. Tennessee also excels on the defensive glass with the second-best defensive rebound rate in the SEC this season, and opponents are shooting only 31.8 percent from 3-point range and 46.5 percent from two-point range against the Volunteers.
Arkansas is outside the top 300 in the country in 3-point accuracy, shooting just 30.9 percent for the season. The Razorbacks also have an ugly 2-point mark of 48.2 percent in SEC play, and Arkansas ranks solidly below the conference average in offensive rebound rate during conference games.
How to make Arkansas vs. Tennessee picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the total, projecting 142 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Tennessee vs. Arkansas? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism