Gross Bombs: NFL Props for Week 16
Josh Gross
The SEC has once again looked like the class of college basketball this season, as it very well could have nine representatives in the tourney come March. However, a team that has been right in the thick of things is the Tennessee Volunteers.
Tennessee is in the midst of an impressive campaign, as they are currently the No. 22 team in the country. Head coach Rick Barnes has built an elite defensive team that not only holds the opposition off the scoreboard but aids heavily in creating points for themselves. This defense is not just impressive to the eye. KenPom has the Volunteers eighth in adjusted defensive efficiency. Though with only nine regular-season games remaining, can the Volunteers’ stout defense lead them to future success? Let’s take a look at what the oddsmakers think of them.
Tennessee Volunteers National Title Odds
The Volunteers have had mixed results this season when it comes to ranked opponents. They own victories over LSU, North Carolina and Arizona, but they have also lost to Villanova, Alabama and Kentucky. Their ability to limit opponents will allow them to compete against any team in the country. However, oddsmakers are not optimistic about the Volunteers’ chances of winning the National Title. They currently have the 18th-best odds on DraftKings Sportsbook at +4500. While those odds may seem long, they have a higher probability than projections seem to think the Volunteers have. Bart Torvik gives the Volunteers a 1.5% chance to take home the championship.
How to Bet on the Tennessee Volunteers
Betting on the Tennessee Volunteers is as easy as can be. For example, let’s take their next game against the South Carolina Gamecocks. All you have to do is log on to one of the many mobile sportsbooks, and if you don’t yet have an account click here to see all your options and pick the one that fits you the best.
Once you have registered and deposited, it’s now time to look at the types of bets you can place on Tennessee. KenPom has the Volunteers projected to be eight-point favorites and the total to be 132 points in this matchup. So if you think that Tennessee can beat South Carolina by more than eight points, you would be placing a bet on their spread. Though if you’ve learned how good Tennessee’s defense is and think that they won’t allow many points, your best bet would be on the under the total of 132.
Tennessee Volunteers Odds to Win the SEC
With only nine games remaining in the regular season, time is running out for the Volunteers to make a push for the SEC season title. They are currently three games behind the Auburn Tigers, who have gone undefeated in conference play this season. So as time is of the essence, let’s look at Tennessee’s chances of becoming SEC champs.
KenPom has the Volunteers projected to win seven of their final nine games. Now that does seem to open the door for them to make up the three-game gap between them and the title, but the two games that they are projected to lose are against Auburn and Kentucky, the two teams ahead of them.
Interestingly, the projections for those two games are that Tennessee is projected to lose by one point in each of them. Now we know that one-point losses are rare, and all you need is one bounce to go in favor of the Volunteers for them to be victorious in either matchup.
That said, the oddsmakers find it improbable that Auburn and Kentucky slip up while Tennessee wins out. Their current odds to win the SEC are +2500.
Tennessee’s Odds to Make the Final Four
Sitting here a mere five weeks away from Selection Sunday, the Volunteers are +1000 on DraftKings Sportsbook to make the Final Four. Those odds seem a bit long compared to their odds of winning the title, and that is because their road will be very difficult.
According to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, who is one of the best when it comes to bracketology, Tennessee is projected to be a four seed in the East Region come March. That seeding should provide hope as top seeds have better chances to go deeper into the tournament. The issue is the seeded teams above them in that projected bracket. The Volunteers would potentially have to go through one of, if not multiple of Purdue, Duke and Villanova. Tennessee may be in the upper echelon of teams in the country, but having to take down numerous giants seems like a very tall task.
