The past meets the present for Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes, as his team will square off against the Texas Longhorns in the second round of March Madness on Saturday night. Barnes led the Longhorns to multiple Sweet 16 berths but didn’t get the sort of support he might have at a university less dedicated to football. At Tennessee, Barnes has continued to lead solid teams and make deep runs into the tournament. Don’t lock in your March Madness betting on this game until you’ve read our preview.
NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament Preview Midwest Region, Second Round Texas vs Tennessee
When: Saturday, March 23, 2024, 8:00 pm ET
Where: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
TV: CBS
Radio: No National Broadcast
Live Stream: fuboTV
NCAAB Odds: Tennessee -6 / O/U 146.5
Why should you bet on the Texas Longhorns?
Texas survived a defensive struggle against Colorado State in the first round, prevailing, 56-44. Max Abmas leads the Texas offense, scoring 17 points per game, but the Rams held him to just a dozen in the first round. Forward Dylan Disu puts up 15.7 points per game, and guard Tyrese Hunter scores 11 per contest. It was reserve guard Chendell Weaver, who came off the bench to score 11 points, who nailed some of the clutch shots in their first-round win.
The Longhorns’ defense put the clamps on Colorado State in the first round, holding them to 29.3% shooting. Some of that seemed to have to do with nerves for the Rams as they clanked more than their share of open looks in a game that they didn’t even know they would be playing when they took the floor in Dayton two nights before in the First Four.
Texas Odds to Win Today
Why should you put your money on the Tennessee Volunteers?
The Volunteers routed 15-seed St. Peter’s in the first round, 83-49. The Volunteers had been a projected 1-seed before Mississippi State stomped them, 73-56, in the SEC Tournament. In that game, the Volunteers only shot 30.6% from the floor and scored a season low in points. Expect the Longhorns to apply pressure on the perimeter in an attempt to slow down the Tennessee offense. That tactic worked for Mississippi State; on the season, Tennessee averages almost 80 points per game, so the Longhorns could have their hands full if they can’t slow the Vol offense down.
Dalton Knecht led Tennessee with 23 points in the win over St. Peter’s. He is at 699 for the season; his next point will make him just the fourth Volunteer to hit 700 or more in one season. He led all SEC scorers in league play with 25.5 points per game. Zakai Zeigler had 11 points and 10 assists in the first-round win and has nailed at least three shots from distance in five of the Volunteers’ last six. He is just three assists away from 200 on the season, which would move him into fifth place all time in the Tennessee program.
Tennessee Odds to Win Today
Texas vs Tennessee Final Score and Prediction
Tennessee looks like they solved some of their offensive problems in their win over St. Peter’s. While Texas was not one of the elite teams in the Big 12, they held their own in some tough matchups in the nation’s most grueling conference. Tennessee should be able to pull away from Texas late, but don’t be surprised to see the Longhorns make this a hard win. Tennessee to win and cover.
Current Odds to win NCAA Basketball Championship for Top 10 Teams
- UConn Huskies +350
- Houston Cougars +575
- Purdue Boilermakers +650
- Arizona Wildcats +1200
- North Carolina Tar Heels +1500
- Tennessee Volunteers +1700
- Auburn Tigers +1800
- Iowa State Cyclones +2000
- Creighton Bluejays +2500
- Marquette Golden Eagles +2500
2024 March Madness Schedule
| Round | City | Venue | Dates | Host |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First/Second | Spokane, Wash. | Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena | March 22 – 24 | University of Idaho |
| First/Second | Memphis, Tenn. | FedExForum | March 22 – 24 | University of Memphis |
| East Regional | Boston | TD Garden | March 28 – 30 | Boston College |
| South Regional | Dallas | American Airlines Center | March 29 -31 | Big 12 Conference |
| Midwest Regional | Detroit | Little Caesars Arena | March 29 – 31 | University of Detroit Mercy / Oakland University |
| West Regional | Los Angeles | Crypto.com Arena | March 28 – 30 | Pepperdine University |
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