The No. 2 Houston Cougars (6-0) and No. 16 Tennessee Volunteers (6-0) meet Tuesday at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET (TNT). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NCAA basketball odds around the Houston vs. Tennessee odds and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions for the best bets.
Houston stayed perfect but had to grind for it, outlasting the Syracuse Orange 78-74 in overtime Monday night. The Cougars couldn’t cover the hefty 14-point spread as the Over (141) hit. Houston leaned on sharp perimeter shooting, knocking down 41% (11-for-27) from deep. G Milos Uzan stuffed the stat sheet with 26 points, 7 boards, 5 assists and 3 steals, while G Emanuel Sharp matched him point-for-point in a thrilling win.
Tennessee rolled past the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 85-60 on Monday night, comfortably covering as 15.5-point favorites while the total sailed Over (141.5). The Volunteers caught fire from deep, drilling 50% (11-for-22) of their triples to put the game out of reach early. G Ja’Kobi Gillespie led the charge with a brilliant 32-point effort, while F Nate Ament added 20 in a dominant performance.
The teams last met on March 30 in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Houston won 69-50, covering as a 3 point favorite with the Under (126.5) cashing.
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Watch NCAA basketball on Fubo!Houston at Tennessee odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 11:41 p.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML): Houston -170 (bet $170 to win $100) | Tennessee +140 (bet $100 to win $140)Against the spread (ATS): Houston -3.5 (-105) | Tennessee +3.5 (-115)Over/Under (O/U): 134.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)Houston at Tennessee picks and predictionsPrediction
Tennessee 68, Houston 64
BET TENNESSE (+145).
The way the Vols looked against Rutgers told me a lot. This team isn’t just defending well, they’re playing with confidence and flow on offense too. Gillespie has been fearless, Ament gives them another real scoring option, and the overall energy just feels different right now. They’re sharp, physical and buying into what coach Rick Barnes wants.
Houston is still a defensive monster, no doubt, but that Syracuse game raised a few flags for me. They had to grind their way through overtime and leaned heavily on a couple of players just to survive. When Houston’s offense stalls, it can get really stagnant, and Tennessee is more than capable of taking advantage of that.
There’s also no ignoring the revenge angle. Last year’s Elite Eight loss is still fresh, and this feels like a spot where Tennessee plays with something extra.
In a game that should be tight and physical, I trust the team that’s generating cleaner looks and showing more offensive balance. Instead of just grabbing points, I’m backing the Vols to win this game outright Tuesday night.
PASS.
If you’d feel more comfortable taking Tennessee with the points, I understand, but I’ll take the plus odds on the moneyline.
BET UNDER 134.5 (-105).
Even though both teams have seen some Overs lately, the matchup itself screams grind. Tennessee and Houston both pride themselves on defense, and when the game slows down into half-court sets, points get tough to come by. We saw these 2 lock each other up in last year’s Elite Eight, and this feels like a similar vibe — physical, choppy, and methodical. I’ll take the lower-scoring route here.
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