NCAAW: #11 Tennessee vs #18 Florida State Odds, and Picks (Nov 9)

• Tennessee surged past Florida A&M in their opener, winning 93-64.
• Florida State took down Charleston Southern, 99-63, to start out 1-0.
• These two teams last met on January 26, 1986, in a game Tennessee won 89-43.

The highly anticipated 2023-24 women’s college basketball season is here! Let’s preview the Tennessee vs Florida State game. Both of these teams dominated in their first game, and are aiming to start out 2-0.

How to Watch

• Where: Donald L. Tucker Center, Tallahassee, FL
• When: Thursday, November 9, 2023, at 6 p.m ET
• Channel: ESPN2

Odds

Preview

Tennessee had little trouble in their opener against Florida A&M, winning by 29 points. They led from wire-to-wire, demonstrating their ability on both sides of the court. Transfer Jewel Spear scored 20 points in her Volunteers debut, matching Karoline Striplin for the team high. Tennessee has a much tougher test against Florida State, but also has the chance to showcase their depth against a top-20 ranked opponent.

Florida State looked incredible in their win over Charleston Southern. They led 58-25 at halftime, after dominating for the first two quarters. All five starters reach double figures, with O’Mariah Gordon leading the way with 21 points. The Seminoles will face a significantly more difficult opponent in their 2nd game against Tennessee. They’ll need to improve on a 31.3% 3-pt shooting percentage to keep the game close.

Prediction

Both of these teams dominated lesser competition in their openers, and are ready for a true test with this matchup. It’ll be a great way to evaluate two teams that have little to improve on so far. That being said, neither team shot well from 3-pt range in their first game, so the team that heats up from deep first will likely win the game. Turnovers will also be key. I see Florida State’s deep starting lineup earning the win.

NCAAW Picks:

• Florida State 77, Tennessee 74 ()