The college basketball betting action continues with another intriguing non-conference matchup Tuesday, December 15, as the No. 12 Tennessee Volunteers host the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee.
These two schools will face off against each other for the first time since 2016 when the Volunteers beat the Mountaineers 103-94 as 12.5-point home favorites. Tennessee is unbeaten in its five encounters with App State, but the Mountaineers have covered on the previous two occasions.
The Mountaineers hope for the best, facing their biggest challenge of the season
The Appalachian State Mountaineers are 4-1 on the season, winning their previous two contests against NC Wesleyan 81-57 at home and Charlotte 61-57 on the road. The clash against the Vols will be the biggest test so far, as the Mountaineers suffered their only loss to Bowling Green 78-76 in overtime on November 30.
The App State is No. 184 in the KenPom rankings, nowhere near the best teams in the country. They score only 97.6 points per 100 possessions (211th in the nation) and surrender 99.9 in a return (176th).
The Mountaineers rank 19th in the country in opponent field goal percentage (35.7) and 42nd in opponent 3-point percentage (26.7), but their rivals through the first five games are not a proper benchmark.
The Vols are still gelling things, especially on the offensive end
Three of Tennessee’s five games were canceled due to the COVID-19, so the Volunteers are still trying to find the right rhythm. They are 2-0 on the season thanks to a couple of terrific defensive displays, as the Vols outlasted the Colorado Buffaloes 56-47 as 6-point home favorites and the Cincinnati Bearcats 65-56 as 7-point home favorites.
Tennessee is No. 12 in the AP Top 25 Poll and No. 18 in the latest KenPom rankings. The Vols are scoring 107.4 points per 100 possessions (53rd in the nation) on just 33.9% shooting from the field (307th). Also, they are averaging only 10.5 assists per game (286th).
However, the Vols are yielding just 86.8 points per 100 possessions (5th) on 35.8% shooting from the field (21st) and 26.0% from beyond the arc (33rd). They forced 17 turnovers against Cincinnati and 23 against Colorado.
[metabet_core_odds_compare query=”ncaab/tennessee” size=”300×250″ site_id=”atsio” css=”float:right; margin-left:10px”]Trends:
Appalachian State:
- N/A
Tennessee:
- 4-1 ATS in the last five games overall
- 4-2 ATS in the last six home contests
The Winner Prediction
The Vols should open as double-digit favorites on BetAmerica Sportsbook, so be careful when you’re picking up the points. The hosts are a better team in this matchup, no doubt, but they have some offensive flaws and like to play at a slow pace, so don’t hesitate to buy a few points if you’re going with the Volunteers.
Tennessee should easily win this game on the back of its stout defense. The visitors shoot only 31.3% from beyond the 3-point line (207th) and will struggle to cope with the Vols’ aggressive approach, so I’m betting on Tennessee.
Pick: Take Tennessee -19
The Total:
The under is 11-5-1 in App State’s previous 17 games overall, and it is 4-2 in the Mountaineers’ last six showings on the road. Appalachian State averages only 69.9 possessions per 40 minutes (250th in the country), while Tennessee records 69.1 (293rd), so I don’t expect to see a high-scoring affair Tuesday in Knoxville.
The Vols’ defense should be way too much for the Mountaineers, so I’m betting on the under, looking for the hosts to shut down App State. On the other side, the Mountaineers have been playing solid defense thus far and could cause some problems to the Vols’ offense, too.
The under is 4-1 in the Vols’ last five home games, and it is 14-5-1 in their previous 20 outings at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Pick: Go under 130.5