Predictions, Picks & Best Bets for Tennessee vs Kentucky (Feb. 7)

• No. 25 Tennessee visits Kentucky on Saturday night
• Kentucky is in prime position to pull off top-25 upset
• Check out my top Tennessee vs Kentucky picks and predictions for Saturday

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The No. 25 Tennessee Volunteers put their 16-6 (6-3 SEC) record to the test as they head to Rupp Arena to take on the 16-7 (7-3 SEC) Kentucky Wildcats at 8:30 pm ET on Saturday night.

The Volunteers have won four straight and are coming off a dominant win over Ole Miss, 84-66. That said, the Rebels sport an overall .500 record and are just 3-6 in SEC play.

Kentucky already got the best of Tennessee on the road this season, so who’s to say they can’t do it again at home? Since taking down the Volunteers on January 17 (80-78), they’ve gone on to win four of their last five. Keep in mind, their only loss was at No. 18 Vanderbilt but they followed it up with an eight-point road win against No. 15 Arkansas.

Tennessee vs Kentucky Picks & Predictions

Despite both teams shooting 47% from the field on January 17, Kentucky drilled three more three-pointers which proved to be the difference. The Wildcats were out-rebounded by seven, but they turned the ball over three fewer times which certainly helped their case.

Tennessee vs Kentucky Spread Pick: Kentucky -1.5 (-130 at FanDuel)

Knowing Kentucky pulled off a two-point win on the road, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where they can’t replicate that, or pull out an even bigger win at home. A ton of the basic numbers went Tennessee’s way last month, but that still wasn’t enough for them to get the job done.

Since the Tennessee game, Kentucky has won its four games by at least five points. Their smallest margin of victory was against Texas (85-80) with the largest margin being their most recent win against Oklahoma (94-78).

After their two-point loss to the Wildcats, Tennessee has won by six points, one point, seven points, and then 18 against Ole Miss. They needed overtime to get the job done at Georgia, though their six point road win at No. 17 Alabama is quite impressive.

Tennessee vs Kentucky Public-Betting Splits

Heading into Saturday night’s showdown, the college basketball public betting percentages reveal the one aspect where bettors are riding Kentucky. Otherwise, it’s Tennessee all the way.

Moneyline Splits

When it comes to the outright winner, Kentucky, who is favored, is receiving the most attention.

• Tennessee Volunteers: 33.0% of Bets / 41% of Money
• Kentucky Wildcats: 67% of Bets / 59% of Money

After all, Kentucky won the first game for a reason. Now at home, it’s up to them to knock Tennessee out of the Top 25.

ATS Splits

While there isn’t an overwhelming amount of support for the visiting team, these splits show that bettors aren’t completely sold on Kentucky replicating the results of their first meeting.

• Tennessee Volunteers: 60% of Bets / 54% of Money
• Kentucky Wildcats: 40% of Bets / 46% of Money

Since the spread is such a small margin, these numbers come as no surprise. If anything, it’s intriguing that only 60% of Bets were placed on the Volunteers.

Game-Total Splits

• Tennessee Volunteers: 76% of Bets / 86% of Money
• Kentucky Wildcats: 24% of Bets / 14% of Money

Kentucky remains the clear favorite when it comes to the Moneyline Splits, but here Tennessee saw their largest discrepancy of the three.

Tennessee vs Kentucky Odds

Saturday’s college basketball odds coin this one to be a close battle that should mirror their meeting from a few weeks ago.

Keep in mind, Kentucky has +1800 odds to win March Madness, while Tennessee’s odds sit at a distant +3500. The Volunteers getting their wind back would certainly change things, though the Wildcats clearly have more on their side.