The Tennessee Volunteers take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in Champaign, IL. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
Tennessee is favored by 1.5 point on the spread and is -125 on the moneyline. The total sits at 147 points.
Here are my Tennessee vs. Illinois predictions and college basketball picks for Dec. 14, 2024.
Tennessee vs Illinois Prediction
My Pick: Tennessee -1 (Play to -5)
My Tennessee vs Illinois best bet is on the Volunteers spread, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Tennessee vs Illinois Odds, Lines, Pick
| Tennessee Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 147 -110o / -110u | -125 |
| Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 147 -110o / -110u | +105 |
- Tennessee vs Illinois spread: Tennessee -1.5
- Tennessee vs Illinois over/under: 147 points
- Tennessee vs Illinois moneyline: Tennessee -125, Illinois +110
- Tennessee vs Illinois best bet: Tennessee -1 (Play to -5)
My Tennessee vs Illinois NCAAB Betting Preview
Two very good, very orange basketball teams meet in Champaign, Illinois, on Saturday as the baby-faced Illini take on a veteran Tennessee squad.
The Volunteers have rightfully claimed their spot atop the throne of college basketball as the nation's top-ranked team, but the Illini will have a chance to de-throne Rick Barnes' Vols with a statement win.
Two of the best point guards in the sport will face off here, as Tennessee's Zakai Zeigler has rightfully earned the respect as one of the best two-way guards in the country. Zeigler is a defensive pest and an elite playmaker, ranking 12th in the country in assist rate while averaging eight dimes per game.
Illinois' freshman sensation Kasparas Jakucionis isn't far behind. The Lithuanian superstar and sure-fire lottery pick has gotten everyone's attention in the past two weeks, nearly posting a triple-double against Northwestern with 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Stylistically Jakucionis and Zeigler could not be more different. Zeigler is a tenacious, undersized defensive monster who utilizes his quickness to get anywhere he wants on the floor. Jakucionis is big for his position and is a playmaking savant who picks apart defenses with his vision and step-back shooting ability.
Zeigler is a big part of Tennessee's second-ranked defense (per KenPom), but he surely isn't the Vols' only defensive sensation. Jahmai Mashack may be the best perimeter defender in college basketball, and he has the size and strength to frustrate Jakucionis.
On the flip side, Illinois often switches defensively, and that can cause problems against elite isolation scorers. Against Northwestern, the Wildcats hunted both Jakucionis and Ben Humrichous, and Nick Martinelli repeatedly made them pay with Brad Underwood's trademark "Booty Ball."
With all due respect, if Martinelli feasted against Illinois' switches, Tennessee's Chaz Lanier should be salivating. The Vols' latest transfer superstar has been one of the best scorers in the country, and he will be a matchup nightmare for Underwood's team in this one.
Speaking of Underwood, he has this Illinois program rolling, but a closer look suggests that his teams have struggled in their toughest tests. Going back to the start of last season, Illinois is just 1-6 outright against top-15 opponents (per KenPom), with all six losses coming by five or more points.
Illinois is a good team, but Tennessee is a great one. The Vols have more answers defensively for Illinois' stars than the Illini have for Lanier.
Take Tennessee to cover.
