Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee Odds
| Vanderbilt Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+17.5 -112 | 132.5 -120o / -102u | +1280 |
| Tennessee Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-17.5 -110 | 132.5 -120o / -102u | -3500 |
No. 5 Tennessee looks to continue its perfect start in SEC play with a victory against in-state rival Vanderbilt at Thompson-Boling Arena Tuesday night.
The Volunteers have been dominant in conference action so far, racking up three wins and multiple blowouts to go with a 13-2 overall record on the season.
Meanwhile, the Commodores opened their SEC slate with an overtime triumph over South Carolina before falling at Missouri.
Who doesn’t love a mid-week rivalry game? Let’s dive into this matchup to see where the betting value lies in the battle for the Volunteer State.
Vanderbilt Commodores
Which Vanderbilt will we see in this contest: the one that beat Pittsburgh and took No. 20 Missouri to the wire, or the one that lost at home to Grambling?
For head coach Jerry Stackhouse, he may be thinking that with a little more luck, this season could be a lot different due to all of the close games. On the year, the Commodores have played in eight games that have been won or lost by five points or less.
However, the only thing that matters is picking up victories, which Stackhouse’s team has not been able to do against quality competition. Vanderbilt is 1-6 against Quad 1 or 2 opponents on the season.
If they are going to pick up a victory in this one, the Commodores will need Liam Robbins to carry them offensively. The senior forward leads the team in scoring (12.9 PPG) and rebounds (6.0 RPG).
Tennessee Volunteers
In the opening three games in SEC play, coach Rick Barnes’ squad has showcased its dominant defensive unit, which leads the nation in AdjD, EFG% and 3-point shooting defense, according to Bart Torvik.
The Volunteers have held their conference opponents to an average of 51.3 points per game, with none of those teams reaching the 60-point mark.
Barnes’ team has also flexed its muscles on the offensive end of the floor, averaging 78.3 points in those victories and topping 80 points twice.
The Commodores may just be hoping to keep it respectable after Tennessee beat Mississippi State by 34 points before defeating South Carolina by 43.
I wouldn’t want to step in front of this squad right now.
Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee Betting Pick
At first glance, I will admit that you are absolutely buying Tennessee at the top of its market value if you bet it here at -17.5.
However, that doesn’t mean that I’m running to the window to bet against Vols, either.
With that said, I do think there is value to back the Volunteers to go over their team total, which I would play up to 77.
This is something that Barnes’ squad has cleared in four of six games at home this season and in two of three SEC contests, and I believe the Vols will be able to take advantage of a Vanderbilt defense that doesn’t travel well.
In the chart below from Bart Torvik, you see how the Commodores are in the bottom three of the SEC and below the national average in AdjD and PPP defense when playing on the road or on neutral courts.
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Photo By Bart Torvik
The results are very similar if you also pull a chart for 2- and 3-point defense in those same scenarios, which is not good coming up against a Tennessee team that is absolutely rolling right now.
This is a rivalry game that could spark some high intensity on the defensive side of the floor for both squads, but I just don’t think Vanderbilt has the talent to hold out the Volunteers in this one.
