The 13th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers face a tough test on Tuesday night at the 2021 Jimmy V Classic when they take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Both teams are 6-1 this season, with Tennessee losing 71-53 to then-No. 5 Villanova on Nov. 20 and Texas Tech dropping its most recent game 72-68 against Providence last Wednesday. The Vols have won four in a row, most recently a 69-54 victory against Colorado on Saturday, The teams have met just once before, and that was 68 years ago, when Texas Tech beat the Vols 88-71 in Knoxville on Dec. 3, 1953.
Tipoff at New York's Madison Square Garden is set for 7 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Volunteers as the 3.5-point favorites in its latest Texas Tech vs. Tennessee odds, with the over-under for total points scored set at 137.5. Before locking in any Tennessee vs. Texas Tech picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the red-hot SportsLine Projection 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 $2,200 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 broken down the Texas Tech vs. Tennessee matchup and revealed its Jimmy V Classic picks and CBB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for Tennessee vs. Texas Tech:
- Texas Tech vs. Tennessee spread: Volunteers -3.5
- Texas Tech vs. Tennessee over-under: 137.5 points
- Texas Tech vs. Tennessee money line: Tennessee -180, Texas Tech +155
- TTU: It is 9-10 ATS with the rest advantage since 2019
- TENN: It is 14-9-1 in its last 24 with a rest disadvantage
Why Tennessee can cover
Tennessee is scoring more than 80 points per game, ranking 51st in the nation, while allowing 62 points (63rd). The Vols are eighth in assists per game (18.9) and 12th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.63). The Red Raiders turn the ball over 13.4 times per game, compared to 11.6 for UT. The Vols shoot 36.2 percent from outside. Santiago Vescovi (38.9 percent) is the main option, but Kennedy Chandler (42.3) and Justin Powell (46.2) have been efficient on their attempts.
Chandler, a potential lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, had 27 points Saturday and averages a team-high 16.1, also leads the team in assists (4.7) and gets 2.4 steals per game. Vescovi scores 15.1 points and adds three assists, while Powell scores 9.6. Three players average at least six rebounds, with forwards Olivier Nkamhoua and John Fulkerson and for 17.6 points and 12.6 rebounds. Guard Josiah-Jordan James is a relentless presence, pulling down 6.3 rebounds and leading the team with 4.5 steals. The Vols are 10-5 against the spread in its last 15 nonconference games.
Why Texas Tech can cover
Texas Tech will be eager to rebound from its first loss of the season, and that was a tight contest with a quality Providence team. The Red Raiders have plenty of scorers, and they rank 12th in the nation at 85.4 points per game. They are yielding 59.4 on average (37th), putting them fourth among Division I teams in scoring margin. Terrence Shannon is on a tear after missing the first three games while clearing up eligibility issues. The guard is averaging 16.5 points, scoring at least 15 in every start, and is shooting 40 percent (11-of-25) from three-point range,
The Red Raiders also face a team that has struggled to stop the outside shot. Vols opponents have hit 34.7 percent from beyond the arc, 260th in the nation, while TTU hits more than 37 percent (61st). Shannon leads five Red Raiders scoring in double figures. Kevin McCullar (14.2 points) and Bryson WIlliams (13) combine for 11.4 rebounds. Kevin Obanor leads the team in threes, making 14-of-32 (43.8 percent). TTU is 10-8 ATS in its past 18 non-conference games.
How to make Texas Tech vs. Tennessee picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting that the teams will combine for 143 points. It also says one side of the spread is hitting in well over 60 percent of simulations. You can only get the model's Tennessee vs. Texas Tech pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Texas Tech vs. Tennessee on Tuesday? And which side of the spread is hitting well over 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of Tennessee vs. Texas Tech to back Tuesday, all from the advanced model up almost $2,200 on its top-rated college basketball picks over the past five seasons, and find out.