Kentucky Wildcats vs Tennessee Volunteers Prediction, Picks and Game Preview - 01/14/2023

Game Time: 12:00 pm ET, Saturday, January 14, 2023

Venue:  Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, TN 

Where to Watch:  ESPN

DraftKings:  Point Spread:  Kentucky +12, Tennessee -12; Over/Under:  132.5 points

Bet365:  Point Spread:  Kentucky +12, Tennessee -12; Over/Under:  132.5 points

BetMGM:  Point Spread:  Kentucky +12, Tennessee -12; Over/Under:  132.5 points

 

Kentucky Wildcats:  10-6 (1-3) (13th place, SEC)

Tennessee Volunteers:  14-2 (4-0) (2nd place, SEC)

 

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Kentucky Wildcats:  2-3  last 5

Tennessee Volunteers:  5-0  last 5

 

Kentucky is coming into this game with a 10-6 record overall and they are 0-3 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are also 1-3 in their conference games this season as well. They are entering this game on a 2 game losing streak with losses coming against the Alabama Crimson Tide and the South Carolina Gamecocks in their last game. Oscar Tshiebwe led the team in points in that game with 19 while CJ Fredrick was next on the team with 14 points. Sahvir Wheeler led the team in assists in that game with 3 while Oscar Tshiebwe led the team in rebounds with 12. They were 50.9% from the field, 30% from 3-point range, and 50% from the free throw line with their shooting in that game. Their offense is averaging 76.3 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 67.5 PPG against them. Kentucky has an ATS record of 4-12 this season and their O/U record is 9-7.

 

 

Tennessee is coming into this game with a 14-2 record overall and they are 8-0 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are also 4-0 in their conference schedule this season as well. They are entering this game on a 5 game winning streak with wins coming against the Austin Peay Governors, the Ole Miss Rebels, the Mississippi State Bulldogs, the South Carolina Gamecocks, and the Vanderbilt Commodores in their last game. Julian Phillips and Santiago Vescovi each led the team in points in that game with 15 while Uroš Plavšić was next on the team with 11 points. Zakai Zeigler led the team in assists in that game with 9 while Julian Phillips, Uroš Plavšić, and Santiago Vescovi each led the team in rebounds with 6. They were 48.3% from the field, 33.3% from 3-point range, and 93.3% from the free throw line with their shooting in that game. Their offense is averaging 75.5 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 53.4 PPG against them. Tennessee has an ATS record of 9-7 this season and their O/U record is 6-10.

The current betting odds have Kentucky listed as a 12 point underdog in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Kentucky is only 10-6 this season and they haven't been very good but they still have a lot of quality players along with a good coach and they are bound to start turning things around soon. They have been terrible in road games with a 0-3 road record and have been just as bad in conference games with a 1-3 conference record, but they are putting up fights in their games and will be desperate to make something happen here. Tennessee enters this game as a ranked team and has been very good all year with a 14-2 record overall and an 8-0 home record. They are even 4-0 in their conference games and entering this one with 5 wins in a row, but they struggled to pull away in their last game at home and Kentucky is not just going to lay down and die in this game. Kentucky is trying to save their season right now and put a stop to the bleeding with a huge win over a ranked team here. They may not be able to win this game on the road but they will put up a good fight and keep it closer than double digits. The best way to place a bet here is on Kentucky to cover the spread in this game.

 

Kentucky Tennessee Prediction:  Our NCAAB Pick for Saturday, January 14, 2023 (12:00 pm ET start time) is Tennessee 76 Kentucky 67.

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Kentucky Wildcats: 4-12 ATS in all games. 5-17 ATS when the total is 130 to 139.5. 15-8 UNDER in road games.

Tennessee Volunteers: 21-11 ATS after a game where they failed to cover the spread. 21-14 ATS off a home win. 24-7 UNDER after one or more consecutive overs.

 

 

Kentucky Wildcats:  J. Toppin (F) Ques Sat - Shoulder. G. Darbyshire (G) Out indefinitely - Lower Body.

Tennessee Volunteers:  D. Jefferson (G) out for season - Redshirt.

 

 

“If somebody is not willing to fight to give what we need, I’m gonna ask Coach to put him on the bench. If we’re gonna lose with the people who are fighting, even the walk-ons, we’re gonna lose with them, but at least we’re fighting.” - Oscar Tshiebwe on his team’s season this year.

 

 

“What I know is the respect I have for John Calipari and his program. What he’s meant not only to the University of Kentucky but to college basketball in general. When you think of his teams, all I know is they always get better. Always. I don’t care what has happened up to this point with either the University of Kentucky or the University of Tennessee. You can throw all of that out. It’s going to be a game where both teams are going to play hard, going to try to get better. So we’re going to have to be ready to play. You go back and look, like a lot of teams in college basketball, they’ve had injuries they’re dealing with. I’m not sure he’s had his whole team together all year. One thing I do know, that his teams always play better and play their best basketball late in the year. Hope that people can say the same thing about us, that we’re going to get better and we’re still going to play our best basketball later on.” - Rick Barnes on Kentucky coming into this game against them.

 

 

 

A. Reeves 

J. Toppin 

O. Tshiebwe 

C. Wallace 

S. Wheeler

 

T. Key 

O. Nkamhoua 

J. Phillips 

U. Plavsic 

S. Vescovi

 

 

PPG: O. Tshiebwe (16)

APG: S. Wheeler (6.3)

Reb/G: O. Tshiebwe (13.1)

 

PPG: S. Vescovi (12.9)

APG: Z. Zeigler (4.4)

Reb/G: J. Phillips (5.4)

 

Coaches:

Kentucky Wildcats: John Calipari (14th season)

Tennessee Volunteers: Rick Barnes (8th season)