The No. 4 Villanova Wildcats (2-1) and No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers (2-0) meet Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Villanova vs. Tennessee odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
The Wildcats suffered an 86-77 overtime loss at UCLA. Villanova bounced back with a 100-81 win over Howard, although the Wildcats failed to cover for a second straight game. The Over is 3-0 through three games for ‘Nova.
The Volunteers will face their first out-of-state opponent after topping Tennessee-Martin and East Tennessee State in the first two outings. The Over is 2-0 through two games for the Vols.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Villanova vs. Tennessee odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:50 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Villanova -140 (bet $140 to win $100) | Tennessee +115 (bet $100 to win $115)
- Against the spread (ATS): Villanova -2.5 (-105) | Tennessee +2.5 (-120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 139.5 (O: -112 | U: -108)
PLAY: Free, daily sports pick’em contests. Play now!
Villanova vs. Tennessee odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Villanova 75, Tennessee 70
Money line
VILLANOVA (-140) isn’t overpriced in this neutral-site battle in Connecticut. The Wildcats are the better team, deeper, and they’re more battle tested, too, after a narrow overtime loss at UCLA, another Top 5 team.
Against the spread
VILLANOVA -2.5 (-105) is a little cheaper against the number, and all they have to do is win by a bucket. Either ‘Nova on the money line, or against the spread, is the way to go. Tennessee +2.5 (-120) won’t be ready for this measuring-stick game, but the experience of facing a top-tier program and the subsequent loss will do them well in the long run.
Over/Under
OVER 139.5 (-112) is the slight lean here, but play it lightly. Villanova has hit the Over in each of its three games so far, and Tennessee has hit the Over in its two games, too. The Over is 12-5 in the past 17 neutral-site games for ‘Nova, too, while going 9-3 in the past 12 neutral-site games for Tennessee.
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / USC / Wisconsin / College Football News
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1622]