Who says the SEC is only a football conference? From exhilarating finishes to all-out domination, the conference usually known for football has been entertaining, to say the least throughout its first couple days of conference tournament play. The next anticipated matchup includes the #10 seed Mississippi State Bulldogs taking on the mighty #2 seeded Tennessee Volunteers, a showdown that has generated buzz from SEC land and throughout the country. It is time to get out our magnifying glasses to take a closer look at our college basketball odds series and what this game has to offer, which includes our Mississippi State Tennessee prediction and pick.
The Bulldogs enter the quarterfinals of the tournament with a convincing 22-point win over South Carolina that saw themselves out-rebound the Gamecocks quite handily and they also did their part defensively by holding their SEC counterparts to a dreadful 28% from the floor. Mississippi State likes to control the clock and force you to make buckets, which was a recipe for success in their victorious triumph. The Bulldogs come into this contest sitting at a winning record of 18-14 (8-10) and will look to add to their win total with a satisfying win over the Volunteers.
It's been difficult to find a hotter team entering postseason play than Tennessee, as many believe they have a real shot at their first conference championship in nearly 40 years. The Vols haven't played since last Saturday, but are still at a scorching pace after winning nine of their last ten games. Overall, Tennessee sits at 23-7 (14-4) through 30 regular-season games.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Mississippi State-Tennessee SEC Tournament odds:
SEC Tournament Odds: Mississippi State-Tennessee Odds
Mississippi State: +7.5 (-110)
Tennessee : -7.5 (-110)
Over: 131 (-110)
Under: 131 (-110)
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Why Mississippi State Could Cover the Spread
During Tennessee's hot stretch of games, the Bulldogs struggled by going 4-9, plummeting the Dawgs further and further south in the SEC standings. However, the Dawgs' style of play can keep them in any game they suit up for, as their ferocious defensive style and mentality will hold teams without buckets for minutes at a time. Additionally, the Dawgs have some dawgs! Outside of their starting lineup consisting of behemoth front-court playmakers such as D.J. Jeffries, Tolu Smith, and Garrison Brooks, the Bulldogs have size depth galore, with their top three role players off the bench also standing tall in stature 6'7.
The size advantage that Mississippi State has on most teams they match up against works well in their favor, as the ten seed within the tournament currently has the 22nd best rebounding rate in all of the land. Combine the size factor that the Bulldogs present with the talents of First Team All-SEC guard Iverson Molinar, who still managed to drop 19 points on an off shooting day where he went 6/20 from the field. The lethality that Mississippi State can provide is scary to most, and they could cover the spread if the Vols overlook them even a tiny bit.
Why Tennessee Could Cover the Spread
As previously stated above, Tennessee is feeling hot, hot, hot! Since getting blown to smithereens against Kentucky on Jan. 15th, a switch has flipped and the Vols have only lost one conference game since allowing 107 points to the Wildcats in Rupp Arena. Since then, Tennessee has played the part of a bully, throwing around conference foes like a bull rider at a rodeo. Statement wins against tier 1 squads such as Auburn, Kentucky, and Arkansas has raised some eyebrows in the SEC community, and more importantly among the United States.
The talk of the town is that the Volunteers are playing their best ball at the most perfect time, and it wouldn't surprise most if there is a Final Four run in their not-too-distant future. In Tennessee's most recent win vs Arkansas, the Vols sizzled from three-point range, connecting on 12-18 outside shots, good for a ming boggling 66%. If the Vols' top-scoring backcourt in Kennedy Chandler and Santiago Vescovi can continue to drop buckets combined with Tennessee's offensive hot streak and defensive prowess, the spread will get smashed in the favor of ol' Rocky Top.
Final Mississippi State-Tennessee Prediction & Pick
Against the spread, Mississippi State sits at 5-8 over their last 13 games. Tennessee has been average when it faces the spread, compiling a record of 9-9 since the calendar year flipped to 2022. Something has to give in this one, whether it's Mississippi State's suffocating defense or Tennessee's blazing shooting, one or the other will prevail on Friday night. The betting public should expect this one to be close early given the Bulldogs' stellar play yesterday, but Mississippi State will wear down in the later portions of this matchup, giving the much more well-rounded Vols the upper hand when it is all said and done.
Final Mississippi State-Tennessee Pick: Tennessee -7.5 (-110)
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