NCAAB: #7 Texas vs #2 Tennesee Odds, and Picks (Mar 23)

• Texas showcased their defense, limiting Colorado State to a mere 44 points in a 56-44 victory.
• Tennessee delivered a commanding performance, overwhelming St. Peter’s with an 83-49 win.
• These two programs last faced off on January 28, 2023, in a game that Tennessee won 82-71.

The NCAA Tournament is in full swing! Let’s take a look at this matchup between the Texas Longhorns and the Tennessee Volunteers. This should be a well-fought battle between two excellent teams that dominated their first-round opponents.

How to Watch

• CBS

Preview

Texas’ defensive excellence was on full display against Colorado State, holding them to just 11 first-half points. Despite starting slow start on offense themselves, Texas stormed ahead to a 25-3 run to close out the first half. However, their poor shooting from beyond the arc, going 1 for 14, prevented them from dominating even more. The Longhorns will need their 3pt-shooting to take a major step forward against a Tennessee team that is coming off a 34-point victory of their own.

Tennessee’s dominance over St. Peter’s was highlighted by a balanced offensive effort and solid defensive performance. Dalton Knecht led the charge with 23 points and 8 rebounds, while Tennessee out-rebounded St. Peter’s 47-21. The Peacocks never really had a chance of repeating their miraculous Elite-8 run, falling behind the Volunteers early and never catching back up. Tennessee is hoping their dominance translates into more success against Texas in the second round.

Prediction

While Texas is expected to put up a strong fight in this matchup, we predict that Tennessee’s all-around game will be too much for the Longhorns to handle. Tennessee’s overwhelming offensive firepower, coupled with their solid defense, should lead them to victory. That being said, Texas is a battle-tested and capable team that will put up a significantly better fight than St. Peter’s. They’re likely to cover the 6-point spread in what should be a closely contested game.

NCAAB Picks:

• Tennessee to win (TEX +6.0)