17 Alabama Crimson Tide vs 22 Tennessee Volunteers

This NCAAB matchup features No. 17 Alabama Crimson Tide (21-7 (11-3)) traveling to take on No. 22 Tennessee Volunteers (20-8 (14-1)) at Food City Center, Knoxville, TN. These two teams are closely matched, with both squads posting similar scoring differentials this season. This projects as a competitive contest that could go either way. Tennessee averages 80.5 points per game, but they face a Alabama defense that holds opponents to 83.6 PPG. The visitors' defensive prowess could limit the home team's scoring output. The Alabama offense puts up 92.9 PPG and faces a Tennessee defense allowing 69.1 PPG. The visitors have the offensive firepower to stay in this one. Home court advantage is worth approximately 3.5 points in NCAAB, and Tennessee will look to leverage their home crowd. Our model projects Tennessee to win by approximately 6.8 points. The 68% confidence interval ranges from Tennessee winning by 20 to losing by 6. The market has this game at -4.5, but our model sees value on Tennessee with a 2.3-point edge. Our line: Tennessee -6.8. Combined with the total projection of 173 versus the market line of 164.5, there are opportunities to find value on both sides of this matchup.

Tennessee has been one of the more consistent teams this season with a 20-8 (14-1) record. Their 20-win campaign speaks to the quality of play they've maintained throughout the year. They've been solid on both ends of the floor and will look to continue that form in front of their home fans. Alabama comes in with an impressive 21-7 (11-3) record. They've been among the best teams in their conference and are playing with the confidence of a squad that expects to win. Road games can be tricky, but this team has the poise to handle hostile environments. When these teams meet, the home team typically has the edge given the crowd advantage and familiarity factor. The team that controls tempo and limits turnovers will likely dictate the outcome of this matchup.