With the first round of March Madness in the books and the round of 32 officially unveiled, the Michigan Wolverines will battle it out against the Tennessee Volunteers with a spot to the Sweet 16 on the line. Check out our March Madness odds series, which includes our Michigan-Tennessee prediction and pick.
The eleven-seeded Michigan Wolverines got off to a sluggish start versus six-seeded Colorado State, trailing as much as fifteen points late in the first half and going into the intermission facing a seven-point deficit. The Wolverines have been no strangers to adversity throughout the year, and they used that to their advantage in a gigantic second-half against the Rams, outscoring CSU 46-27 and eventually pulling off the so-called “upset” by a final score of 75-63.
Tennessee entered the NCAA Tournament as a potential dark-horse to make a run at a national title, and they sure showed the part of being a contender with their 88-56 drubbing over Longwood in the first round. The Vols haven't been defeated since Feb.19th in a loss versus Arkansas, and their offense is clicking on all cylinders. Rocky Top is here to stay, and Michigan will have its hands full on both sides of the court.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Michigan-Tennessee March Madness odds:
March Madness odds: Michigan-Tennessee Odds
Michigan: +6 (-110)
Tennessee: -6 (-110)
Over: 135.5 (-110)
Under: 135.5 (-110)
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Why Michigan Could Cover the Spread
The Wolverines' impressive win over a really good Colorado State team reminded America why Michigan made the big dance with only 17 wins, and they did it all without starting point guard DeVante' Jones, who was in the concussion protocol. With freshman guard Frankie Collins providing 14 points on 6/7 shooting in his first-ever start and big-man Hunter Dickinson leading the Wolverines in scoring with 21 points on 8/10 from the floor, Michigan quickly overwhelmed Colorado State on St.Patrick's Day in the second half, as it was clear that the talent gap was far and wide. The Wolverines will face a different kind of beast on Saturday, one that is fierce and ferocious when on the hardwood.
Michigan will be even greater underdogs heading into their second-round matchup versus Tennessee, and they will need to play nearly perfect to advance to the Sweet 16. In order for them to at least cover the spread, they will need to limit the 15 turnovers that they had on Thursday, and their 28.6% mark from deep will need to vastly improve to keep up with the Vol's hectic pace. Dickinson will be a force to reckon with, as the 7'1″ center is a mismatch nightmare for opposing teams. More likely than not, DeVante' Jones will sit out a second straight tournament game due to concussion symptoms, so who will step up again in his absence? This may be Michigan's toughest opponent yet, but if they can find a way to slow down the Vols' offensive onslaught, then the Wolverines have a shot. Michigan is 14-17-0 against the spread.
Why Tennessee Could Cover the Spread
To put it as simple as possible, Tennessee is just a better team. Coach Rick Barnes has the troops marching in every right direction, and there may not be a scarier team to play during the month of March. In their matchup versus Longwood, Tennessee didn't seem to miss a beat offensively, as they shot 60% from the field as a team and an absurd 58% from long-range. The well-balanced scoring attack that the Vols strive by can hit you from all angles, as it was junior guard Santiago Vescovi who led all scorers on Thursday with 18 points and even dotted up the Longwood defense with seven assists.
Even with Michigan possibly having a slight edge in the paint early, Tennessee should have no issue in outshooting the Wolverines. Not to mention, the Volunteers are 17-9 ATS and are dominant when giving up less than 73 PPG, compiling a 21-5 record overall when doing so. Michigan has also only accomplished a two-game winning streak one time since late January, a stat that works heavily in Tennessee's favor, as they have won eight straight contests.
Final Michigan-Tennessee Prediction & Pick
The opening line is closer than it may have been expected, as Tennessee bettors should feel comfortable in siding with the -6, as Michigan does not have the firepower offensively to keep up with the Volunteers for a full 40 min. Hammer the Vols in this one, as Michigan is just happy to be among the Round of 32 while Tennessee has championship aspirations.
Final Michigan-Tennessee Prediction & Pick: Tennessee -6 (-115)
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