LSU and Tennessee Jockeying for SEC & NCAA Seeding
Two of the Southeastern Conference’s best will face off in Baton Rouge on Saturday afternoon. This should be a exciting game as both teams can play with anyone in the nation. The Volunteers lead the league in defensive rebounding at 27.6 per game. The Tigers top the SEC on the offensive glass grabbing 13.2 per game.
TV: Noon ET, ESPN; LINE: Tennessee -1; O/U: 157.
Fifth-ranked Tennessee did not need its best effort to rebound from a loss for the first time since Thanksgiving. They must come up with a better performance Saturday afternoon when they travel to play No. 15 LSU. The first-place Volunteers followed up their loss at Kentucky by shooting just 41.1 percent and scoring a season-low 58 points. They ended up with a 12-point victory over last-place Vanderbilt on Tuesday. That type of effort will not work against the talented Tigers.
The Volunteers hold a one-game lead over Kentucky and LSU in the SEC with five games left. They will again lean on forward Grant Williams. He scored 16 in an 84-61 rout of LSU last season. In that game, Tennessee shot 54.1% from the field and drained 12-of-25 from 3-point range. The Tigers are unbeaten on the road in SEC. They have dropped two of six on their home court this season. The last one was Wednesday’s 82-77 loss against Florida.
This, That, and a Dart Throw
The Tennessee Volunteers are 24-2 on the season and 21-1 in the SEC. The Volunteers are among the nations leaders in field-goal percentage at 50.7%. They have connected on just 40.9% the last two games. Including an abysmal 13-of-46 from 3-point range. Williams tops the team in scoring at 19.1 ppg and rebounding at 7.6 rpg. Guard Admiral Schofield is chipping in 16.5 ppg and is a major threat. G Jordan Bone (13.2 points) is 12-of-20 from the field the last two games and leads the SEC in assists (6.5).
The LSU Tigers are 21-5 on the season and 11-2 in the SEC. Guard Tremont Waters tops the Tigers in scoring at 15.7%, assists at 5.9 apg, and steals at 3.0 spg. That leads the SEC. He was limited to 3-of-12 shooting for an SEC game low of 10 points against Florida on Wednesday. Forward Naz Reid adds 13.8 ppg and a team-high 6.6 rebounds per contest. He posted his third double-double in six games. He had 16 points and 15 Windexes before fouling out Wednesday. Guard Skylar Mays scored 18 against Florida to raise his season average to 13.2 ppg. Guard Javonte Smart throws in 10.2 ppg and was 2-of-8 from the field Wednesday. F Kavell Bigby-Williams (7.8 rebounds, 6.0 rebounds) is 18-of-24 from the field the last five games.
PREDICTION: LSU 78, Tennessee 72
SEC Basketball Betting Odds & Trends
| Tennessee Volunteers |
|---|
| Tennessee is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games |
| Tennessee is 20-1 SU in its last 21 games |
| Tennessee is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road |
| Tennessee is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road |
| The total has gone OVER in 5 of Tennessee’s last 5 games on the road |
| Tennessee is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games when playing LSU |
| Tennessee is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing LSU |
| The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tennessee’s last 5 games when playing LSU |
| Tennessee is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against LSU |
| Tennessee is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against LSU |
| The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tennessee’s last 5 games when playing on the road against LSU |
| LSU Tigers |
|---|
| LSU is 14-2 SU in its last 16 games |
| The total has gone OVER in 10 of LSU’s last 14 games |
| LSU is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Tennessee |
| LSU is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing Tennessee |
| The total has gone OVER in 4 of LSU’s last 5 games when playing Tennessee |
| LSU is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games when playing at home against Tennessee |
| LSU is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Tennessee |
| The total has gone OVER in 4 of LSU’s last 5 games when playing at home against Tennessee |
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