— Saturday, January 08th Tennessee Volunteers @ LSU Tigers
A top 25 matchup is on the schedule in the SEC this weekend as the No. 18 Tennessee Volunteers (10-3, 1-1) head south to face the No. 21 LSU Tigers (13-1, 1-1). The winner could be tied for first by the end of the weekend and in a position to crack the top 15 in next week’s AP poll. Tipoff Saturday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, L.A., is set for 6:00 p.m. ET airing on ESPN2.
LSU has won the last three matchups in this series, and Tennessee hasn’t won in Baton Rouge since March 4, 2015. Last year the Tigers won at home 78-65, and they knocked off the Vols in overtime at home in 2020. LSU has a 6-3 record against Tennessee in the last nine games, and they have covered the spread in all of those wins except one.
Vols Look to Shoot Out of Slump
The Vols are 8-5 ATS, and the under is 8-5 in their 13 games. They are 8-0 at home but just 2-3 outside Knoxville, with a 1-1 record in true road games. They lost their last road game at Alabama on December 29 but bounced back to beat Ole Miss at home in overtime on Wednesday.
The offense averages 76.6 ppg but ranks in the bottom 100 in the nation in shooting at 43.9% from the field and 32.5% from 3-point range. The defense ranks 27th, allowing 60.4 ppg, and they hold opponents to 39.4% shooting.
Tennessee has two players in double figures on the season, with Santiago Vescovi leading the way at 13.6 ppg while making 37 3-pointers. He led the comeback against Ole Miss on Wednesday with a pair of late 3-pointers in regulation to force overtime. He had five of the Vols 15 points in overtime and led the way for the game with 17 points.
Freshman Kennedy Chandler averages 13.3 ppg and leads the team with 5.4 apg. Olivier Nkamhoua and John Fulkerson both average 6.1 rebounds per game and scoring 9.5 ppg. Both forwards also shoot better than 54% from the field and 73% from the free-throw line.
Tigers Dominate on Defense
The Tigers are 11-3 ATS, and the under is 12-2 in their 14 games. They are 9-0 at home this season, including a Tuesday night win over No. 16 Kentucky. The Tigers’ only loss for the season came on December 29 at No. 11 Auburn, and they have wins over Georgia Tech, Penn State, and Wake Forest on the season.
LSU ranks 7th nationally in defense, allowing just 55.6 ppg. They lead the nation in FG shooting percentage defense at 34.7 and rank 11th against 3-pointers at 26.7%. The offense ranks 79th in scoring at 76.8 ppg, and they shoot 31.6% from deep and 44.7% overall.
Three players were in double digits against Kentucky, led by Tari Eason, who scored 13 points off the bench. The Tigers frustrated Kentucky into shooting 36% from the field and turning the ball over 15 times.
Despite playing less than 24 minutes per game, Eason leads the team in scoring at 15.6 ppg, and he’s been in double figures in the last six games. Darius Days scores 14.3 ppg, and Xavier Pinson is at 11 ppg while handing out 4.5 apg. Days (7.9) and Eason (7.3) lead the team in rebounding, and Days has made 36-of-99 3-pointers.
Betting Analysis
- Tennessee Volunteers +3.5 (-110)
- LSU Tigers -3.5 (-110)
- Total Points: 133.5 Over -105, Under -115
Tennessee has been slumping since knocking Arizona from the unbeaten ranks on December 22. They have scored under 70 points in each of the last two games and were lucky to escape the Ole Miss contest with a win.
They now face the best defensive team in the country, with LSU riding high after beating Kentucky and looking for another ranked win to put on the resume.
Betting Pick: LSU -3.5 (-110)
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