SEC foes will do battle for the third time this season when the Kentucky Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers meet in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. This game is set to take place on Friday, March 28, 2025 from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. So far, this has been a one-sided rivalry this season, but that could change on the big stage with an Elite 8 berth on the line.
According to the latest college basketball odds, Tennessee is a 4.5-point favorite going into this all-SEC matchup. Oddsmakers have set the total for this game at 145.5. Here, you will find our thoughts on Kentucky vs Tennessee and get our top pick for this game for those who are interested in betting on the game.
Kentucky Riding High Entering Sweet 16
Kentucky had a terrific opening two rounds in this year’s NCAA Tournament. They crushed Troy in the first round and went into the second round as slight underdogs against Illinois despite being the higher seed. Kentucky passed that test with flying colors, taking a huge lead over the Fighting Illini and never looking back to set up this conference matchup in the Sweet 16.
Kentucky did a phenomenal job of forcing turnovers against Illinois, giving themselves plenty of transition opportunities in the first half. They also shot efficiently from three-point range, with Koby Brea leading the charge in that department. If Kentucky can do those things well again in this game against the Volunteers, they could go to the Elite 8 in their first tournament under head coach Mark Pope.
Can Tennessee Get Revenge On Conference Rivals?
Tennessee cruised through the first two rounds of this tournament as well. After beating up on Wofford in round one, the Vols played UCLA at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. They dominated that matchup as well, beating the Bruins by nine points in a game that was not as close as the final score would indicate. In this game, Tennessee will look for a better defensive showing than they have brought against Kentucky in their previous two meetings on the season.
Tennessee has allowed 60 points per game through their first two NCAA Tournament games. But they have given up 76.5 points per game in their two games to Kentucky, losing both of those games during conference play. If Rick Barnes can get more out of his defense against Kentucky this time around, it will be his team playing for a regional championship on Sunday.
Kentucky vs Tennessee Prediction
Kentucky +4.5 (-110) over Tennessee
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- Kentucky is 2-0 against Tennessee so far this season.
- Kentucky is forcing turnovers and should be able to disrupt the Tennessee offense to some degree here.
