A Top 10 matchup highlights an excellent SEC/Big 12 Challenge when No. 10 Texas visits No. 4 Tennessee. The Longhorns (17-3, 6-2) cut down Oklahoma State at home on Tuesday, 89-75, covering as -8 favorites. The Volunteers (17-3, 7-1) completely stuffed Georgia at home on Wednesday, winning 70-41 as -16.5 favorites. It’s a battle of Rick Barnes old school versus his new one with the Thompson-Boling Arena hosting a 6:00 p.m. EST tipoff.
Marcus Carr, fourth in the Big 12 with 17.6 points per game, scored a team-high 23 points on 7-for-12 shooting in the team’s win over Oklahoma State. It was his third 30-plus point game over his last four outings. A 46.5% shooter overall for the season, the senior guard has shot 50% over his last four.
Despite putting up 70 as a team in their win over Georgia, Zakai Zeigler’s 11 points turned out to be the team high. He was the fifth different high scorer for the club in the last six games. Tennessee has four players averaging double digits in points and six players averaging 8.9 points or more.
The Tennessee defense has been insanely good this season, making good offenses look pedestrian at times. Kentucky, the third highest scoring team in the SEC with 75.7 points per game, were held to just 63 by the Vols and they actually won their game. They held No. 3 Kansas to 50 points early in the season and No. 13 Maryland to 53 points along the way. Eight times this season the Volunteers have held their opponent under 50 points. Texas recently scored just 67 points against Iowa State, the best scoring defense in the Big 12. Tennessee’s defense is somehow getting stronger as they go and gaining experience against top notch offenses along the way, proving they can handle them. They hold a rebound advantage over the Longhorns and should be able to manipulate that to guide their offense as well. Tennessee is 2-1 ATS in the last three meetings between these teams.
Take the Volunteers.
Prediction: Tennessee
Texas-sized offense pacing Longhorns
Winners of two in a row straight up, the Longhorns have won five of their last six and currently sit 8th in the NCAA NET Rankings, 9th in KenPom overall ratings, and as a two-seed in Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology. They are 8-12 ATS this season and 2-3 ATS over their last five games. They are the top scoring team in the Big 12, averaging 80.5 points per game, the 23rd best average in the country. The Texas offense is shooting 48.3% from the field, tops in the conference, and 33.4% from three. In their last five games the Longhorns averaged 75.2 points per game and shot 47.3% overall. They are giving up 66.8 points per game and teams are shooting 41.7% from the field and 32.9% from three, the worst percentage against in the Big 12. Texas is fifth in the conference with 35.8 rebounds per game and hold a slim +2.3 rebound margin in their favor. They do well in possession, allowing just 12.2 turnovers per game and boasting a 1.37 assist-to-turnover ratio that is best in the Big 12.Marcus Carr, fourth in the Big 12 with 17.6 points per game, scored a team-high 23 points on 7-for-12 shooting in the team’s win over Oklahoma State. It was his third 30-plus point game over his last four outings. A 46.5% shooter overall for the season, the senior guard has shot 50% over his last four.
Hard to breathe versus Tennessee defense
Currently slotted as a 1 seed in Bracketology, the Vols have rattled off three in a row straight up and have been stifling teams. They currently rank second on both the KenPom overall ratings and the NCAA NET Rankings. They are 12-8 ATS this season and 3-2 ATS over their last five games. They are scoring 74.1 points per game on the offensive end, sixth best in the SEC. From the field they have shot 44.2% and from three-point range, 34%, third best in the conference. Over their last five games they averaged 70 points per game on 44% shooting, while holding their opponents to just 55.4 points per game. Their defense has been one of the hardest to penetrate all year, allowing a national best 53.7 points per game with opponents shooting 33.9% from the field and 21.6% from three, both the best averages against the country. They are 15th in the country, averaging 39.8 rebounds per game with 13.5 offensive rebounds per game ranking 16th. The Vols are coughing up 13.3 turnovers per game and have a 1.3 assist-to-turnover ratio.Despite putting up 70 as a team in their win over Georgia, Zakai Zeigler’s 11 points turned out to be the team high. He was the fifth different high scorer for the club in the last six games. Tennessee has four players averaging double digits in points and six players averaging 8.9 points or more.
The Tennessee defense has been insanely good this season, making good offenses look pedestrian at times. Kentucky, the third highest scoring team in the SEC with 75.7 points per game, were held to just 63 by the Vols and they actually won their game. They held No. 3 Kansas to 50 points early in the season and No. 13 Maryland to 53 points along the way. Eight times this season the Volunteers have held their opponent under 50 points. Texas recently scored just 67 points against Iowa State, the best scoring defense in the Big 12. Tennessee’s defense is somehow getting stronger as they go and gaining experience against top notch offenses along the way, proving they can handle them. They hold a rebound advantage over the Longhorns and should be able to manipulate that to guide their offense as well. Tennessee is 2-1 ATS in the last three meetings between these teams.
Take the Volunteers.
Prediction: Tennessee
