Both No. 18 Kansas and No. 17 Tennessee come into this game off of victories, but neither of these programs has played particularly well as of late. The Jayhawks had lost three straight before earning their win, and the Volunteers had lost back-to-back games before theirs.
Even with these teams not at their best right now, this should still be an extremely exciting game, so continue reading for our Kansas vs. Tennessee picks and predictions. The game tips at 6:00 p.m. ET Saturday, January 30 at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Kansas Jayhawks at Tennessee Volunteers Betting Preview
Key Injuries
Kansas: G Bryce Thompson (out)
Tennessee: F Corey Walker Jr. (questionable)
Find our latest NCAA basketball injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
Kansas is 11-1 ATS in its last 12 road games against teams with home winning percentages greater than 60 percent. Find more NCAA betting trends for Kansas vs. Tennessee.
NCAAB Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonIn yet another Saturday game that's part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge, Tennessee opened -2.5 at FanDuel and this morning moved to -3.5, where the number remains at 3 p.m. ET, three hours before tipoff. It's two-way point-spread action, with 53 percent of tickets on the Jayhawks and money running dead even. The total hasn't budged off 130.5, despite ticket count and money both running about 3/1 on the Over.
Check out the full line movement for this gameAgainst the Spread (ATS) Pick
Kansas lost three road games in a row before getting to head back home and take on a mediocre TCU team. The Jayhawks desperately needed a matchup like that to build some confidence, and the same goes for their opponent. Tennessee faced Mississippi State last game, earning a 56-53 win as a 9.5-point home favorite. The team had lost two in a row heading in, so it was a much-needed return to the win column.
When thinking about this game pretty generally, the Volunteers would seemingly be the right side. However, home-court advantage isn’t the same as it used to be as we continue to deal with the pandemic. On top of that, Tennessee’s collection of young talent just hasn’t come together the way it was expected to. That lack of cohesion has really manifested itself on the offensive end, where Tennessee is just 70th in the nation adjusted offensive efficiency (all efficiency stats according to KenPom.com). That’s not a good sign against a Kansas team that is 11th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency.
The Volunteers are an elite team on defense, where they rank second in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency. But overall, the Jayhawks are a bit more well-rounded than the Vols, and that should make a huge difference in this one. Tennessee being so one-dimensional is the reason the team has been struggling as of late.
One player to keep an eye on in this game is Kansas forward Jalen Wilson, who is averaging 12.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game on the season. He has excelled in a stretch-four role for the Jayhawks, but has really struggled as of late. This meeting with an undersized Tennessee team should benefit him, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he snaps out of his funk here.
PREDICTION: Kansas +2.5 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
With both of these teams really getting after it on the defensive end, it’s hard to imagine this being anything but a scrappy game. The Jayhawks are a pretty good offensive team, but they are nothing like Bill Self’s usual groups. They simply don’t have the firepower from the outside, so it’s hard to envision them lighting up this Volunteers defense. Meanwhile, the Vols are averaging only 56.3 points per game over the last three, so they’ll have to prove they can get it going before earning anybody’s trust again.
PREDICTION: Under 130.5 (-110)
Kansas vs Tennessee Betting Card
- Kansas +2.5 (-110)
- Under 130.5 (-110)
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