It’s SEC Final time, with the No.8 (AP Top 25) Tennessee Volunteers meeting the No.22 Auburn Tigers this Sunday. Tennessee and Auburn have met 105 times since 1950, with Auburn winning only 37.1% of the time, and once again they’re coming into the meeting as the underdog. Going into the big game, NCAA futures give the Volunteers +1,100 odds to win the 2019 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament, while the Tigers have longer +6,000 odds to win it all.
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Betting Preview for the Auburn Tigers vs Tennessee Volunteers SEC Final College Basketball Game on March 17, 2019
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
When: Sunday, March 17, 2019, 1 PM ET
Line: Auburn Tigers (odds) vs. Tennessee Volunteers (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Auburn Tigers (25-9 Overall / 11-7 Conference)
Auburn beat the Florida Gators 65-62 on Saturday to make it through to the SEC Final. Guard Jared Harper led his team with 20 points in the closely contested lower scoring affair.
The good news for Auburn going into Sunday, is that they beat Tennessee last week on March 9, 84-80, with forward Chuma Okeke leading the charge this time with 22 points. Auburn was able to force some key turnovers in the game, with the Vols losing the rock 13 times to the Tigers’ five. They needed that edge because they got banged up on the boards, getting out-rebounded by Tennessee 39-27. Auburn shot 46.4% from the field, and 38.2% from beyond the arc that day. Harper made four consecutive free throws over the final 31 seconds, in addition to two late 3-pointers to help the Tigers clinch the victory in the regular-season finale.
In the SEC this season, Auburn is 19-13-1 against the spread, and is 14-8-1 ATS after a win in the conference.
Betting on the Tennessee Volunteers (29-4 Overall / 15-3 Conference)
Tennessee upset the Kentucky Wildcats to make it through to the SEC Final. In the 82-78 win, Admiral Schofield played admirably, leading his team with 21 points while forward Grant Williams and guard Jordan Bone added 20 and 18 points, respectively. Tennessee clearly has a bone to pick after suffering a loss to the Auburn Tigers last week. They shot well enough from the field, at 47.5% (their season average is 49.9%) although they could have used an extra 3-pointer or two to combat Auburn’s Jared Harper daggers. The Vols shot just 32.1% from beyond the arc, slightly less than their 35.4% average. What they won’t do, is be sloppy on the floor this time, as the 13 turnovers to Auburn was their undoing, that and a couple of late fouls.
Tennessee averages 82.3 points per game heading into the SEC Final. After a win in the conference this season, Tennessee is 16-12 ATS and in the conference overall the Volunteers are 17-14-1, covering 54.8% of the time.
Writer’s Predictions
Tennessee wins, 81-77.
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