The banter about the SEC getting four or five teams in the NCAA Tournament this year has died down after recent performances, but there is no doubt that the Kentucky Wildcats are still the cream of the crop. Only two conference foes have come within 10 points of Kentucky on the season and that has led to a 7-0 SU, 4-3 ATS start in SEC play. John Calipari’s squad will travel south to take on the Tennessee Volunteers and continue this run.
Don’t miss the hardwood action from Thompson-Boling Arena at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 24, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN. We will have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Tuesday schedule.
College Basketball Odds at BookMaker.eu
The Wildcats have been one of the better teams at covering the number at home this season, but on the road it’s a different story. Kentucky is 1-3 ATS and allowed 81 points to both Mississippi State and Vanderbilt in games that it failed to cover. Over has been a great bet in Wildcats’ games all season with a 13-6 mark.
Tennessee is still searching for its first good victory of the season. The Volunteers have had numerous games against top-tier opponents, but have yet to get the job done against any of them. They are in a rough patch, having lost four of their last six conference games heading into the showdown against border rival Kentucky.
Player to Watch
Malik Monk looks set to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft at the end of the season and is the best shot creator in college basketball. Many five-star freshmen struggle a little bit with their shot or finding ways to consistently get open, but Monk has had no such concerns.
He is averaging 21.7 PPG and hitting over 50 percent of his field goals and 40 percent of his threes from the floor while taking 15 shots a night. If there’s a complaint about his shooting, is that his numbers can vary wildly from game to game. Against South Carolina and Auburn, he hit over 50 percent from behind the arc, but against Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas he went just 1 of 12.
If Monk can get his teammates involved, Kentucky is an extremely dangerous team come March, but he has not been as unselfish as some would like. He is averaging just 2.3 assists a night as a guard and if he makes the extra pass, it can lead to a better shot for a teammate.
Matchup to Watch
Tennessee is one of the worse teams in the country at hitting the three and Kentucky is pretty good at defending the perimeter. The Vols are converting just 33.1 percent of their three-pointers on the season and that has been one of the big reasons why they can’t knock off quality teams. Of the rotation players, only Shembari Phillips is hitting better than 40 percent from distance, but he has attempted just 24 three-pointers on the year.
Meanwhile, Kentucky has been doing a good job of locking down opponents from range. Teams are hitting just a shade over 30 percent of their three-point attempts on the Wildcats this year and the ability to defend the perimeter has meant their only losses came against solid teams.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
Rick Barnes and the Volunteers would love this game more than any other regular-season game left on the schedule. Kentucky has dominated Tennessee for far too long and a win here would be a huge resume builder for a team with a ton of work to do to make the tournament. However, the Wildcats have too much talent and will overcome the home court advantage for the win.
College Basketball Odds: Kentucky 78, Tennessee 68
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