The No. 3 Tennessee Volunteers have been flexing their muscles this season. They started their SEC schedule like a house on fire with back-to-back wins. Tennessee will now look to extend its winning streak to nine games this Saturday, when the Volunteers meet the Florida Gators in Gainesville. The Vols are +1,300 to win the national title, while Florida has odds of +8,000 to be the last team standing this season.
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Betting Preview for the Tennessee Volunteers vs. Florida Gators College Basketball Game on January 12, 2019
Where: Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville
When: Saturday, January 12, 2019, 6:00 PM ET
Line: Tennessee Volunteers (odds) vs. Florida Gators (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Tennessee Volunteers (13-1 Overall / 2-0 Conference)
The Volunteers are just manhandling teams in the conference right now. After dismantling the Georgia Bulldogs in a 46-point win at home last Saturday, the Vols proceeded to pummel the Missouri Tigers on the road, 87-73 on Wednesday. Tennessee managed to embarrass Mizzou despite the Tigers’ top scorer misfiring all throughout the contest. Grant Williams, who leads the team with 18.8 points per game, went just 1-for-8 from the field for four points. Williams is likely to recover, as he has never scored fewer than 13 points in any game prior to his debacle against the Tigers. That doesn’t sound good for Florida, which will also have to contend with another deadly Vols scorer in the form of Admiral Schofield. Schofield, who is second on the team with 18.0 points per game, had 17 points to go with nine rebounds and four assists in the romp over Missouri. The Vols are sixth in the nation with 86.4 points per game. They have the defense to match their prolific offense, as Tennessee is allowing just 66.8 points per game.
Tennessee is 4-0 straight up (SU) and 4-0 against the spread (ATS) in its last four road games.
Betting on the Florida Gators (8-5 Overall / 0-1 Conference)
The Gators didn’t know what hit them last Saturday, when they lost their opening game in SEC play against the South Carolina Gamecocks at home, 71-69. They were ahead by double digits in the second half, but collapsed and got beaten by late-game undergoal stab by Gamecocks star Chris Silva. It’s a loss that’s hard to shake off, but the Gators will have a chance to rid that bitter taste out of their mouths in a road game against the Arkansas Razorbacks this Wednesday. Then they will fly back home to meet the Vols. A win against the Razorbacks will bolster Florida’s confidence heading into a tough matchup with a team like Tennessee. Florida’s defense will be put into an acid test by Williams, Schofield, and the rest of the Volunteers, but cracking the Gators isn’t that easy either. KenPom has the Gators’ defense ranked ninth nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Gators are also ninth in Division I ball with only 60.7 points allowed per contest.
Florida is 3-0 ATS in its last three home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Tennessee wins, 79-71.
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