The #6 Arizona Wildcats (11-0, 2-0 away) clash with the #19 Tennessee Volunteers (8-2, 6-0 home) in a non-conference showdown of top-25 teams. Arizona looks to stay perfect on the year while the Vols aim to run their winning streak to three games in a row in their last tuneup before conference play begins.
Wednesday night’s tilt tips off at 7 p.m. EST inside Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. According to oddsmakers, Tennessee is a 2-point favorite in the contest, and the over-under total is at 149.5 points.
What to Know – Arizona Wildcats
The Wildcats continue to stay unbeaten, picking up wins over California Baptist and Northern Colorado last week. Arizona has one win over a ranked opponent, knocking off Michigan (80-62) earlier this year.
Arizona’s offense pours in 91.0 points per game, tops in the country while shooting 49.7% from the field and 34.8% from the 3-point line. Defensively, the Wildcats hold opponents to 62.8 points per game, 36.1% shooting from the floor, and 31.7% from the arc.
Shooting 50.8% from the floor and 40.9% from three, the Wildcats were able to outshoot the Lancers in an 84-60 victory on Saturday. Azuolas Tubelis led the Wildcats with 19 points, and Bennedict Mathurin poured in 14 in the victory. Christian Koloko added his third double-double of the year, scoring 13 points and grabbing ten boards.
Arizona is 8-2-1 against the spread this season, and the total has gone over in five of Arizona’s last six games. The Wildcats own a 7-2 mark straight up in their previous nine contests against teams from the SEC.
What to Know – Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee turns to its final non-conference game, looking for its second victory over a ranked opponent and first against a team in the top-10. The Vols haven’t played since December 14th after their in-state showdown versus Memphis was canceled one hour before tipoff last weekend.
Offensively, the Vols score 78.5 points per game, hitting 45.8% of their shots from the floor and 34.2% from three. The defense surrenders 57.9 points, allowing teams to shoot 38.0% from the field and 30.7% from the 3-point line.
Tennessee blew out South Carolina Upstate, 96-52, in their last outing over a week ago. The Vols built up nearly a 30-point first-half advantage and never looked back. Olivier Nkamhoua scored 21 points, hitting 9-of-10 field goals, and Kennedy Chandler picked up his first double-double of the year with 15 points and ten assists.
The Vols are 6-4 ATS and own a 4-1 mark ATS in their last five games at home. The total has gone under in four of the previous five games for Tennessee.
The Pick is In
Arizona hasn’t played on the road much, but the Wildcats have looked good when they have. Tennessee is a solid team who should have a lot of success in SEC play this season, but the Vols don’t have the weapons on offense to keep pace with the high-scoring Wildcats.
We will take the undefeated team as an underdog here.
Betting Pick: Arizona Wildcats +2
