The Tennessee Volunteers will look to continue their hot start to the season tonight as they host the Syracuse Orange in the SEC/ACC Challenge in Knoxville.
The Volunteers are miles better than Syracuse, but I still like the Orange to cover the massive spread in my Syracuse vs. Tennessee predictions.
Read the rest of my analysis below to see all of my free college basketball picks for Tuesday, December 3.
Syracuse vs Tennessee prediction
My best bet
Syracuse +18.5 (-110 at bet365)
My analysis
Tennessee has been one of the best teams in the country over the first month of the college basketball season.
The Volunteers are 7-0 and haven’t played a game that has been decided by single digits yet this year. They’ve already covered four times as double-digit favorites, and haven’t been troubled in their three games against power conference opponents, either.
Virtually all metrics have Tennessee as an elite squad. The Volunteers are ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25 poll and are second in KenPom ratings. While there are several notable undefeated teams left across the country, Tennessee is one of the few that might stay that way for a while.
Certainly, I can’t see that changing tonight. The Volunteers should have no trouble beating a Syracuse team that lost to its only two major conference opponents and had to struggle down the stretch to beat such luminaries as Le Moyne, Colgate, and Youngstown State.
The only question is just how badly Tennessee will beat up on the Orange. In that regard, there are some signs that bettors should be backing the underdog tonight.
Syracuse’s two losses came to Texas and Texas Tech, but the Orange were surprisingly competitive in each of those games, losing by a combined nine points to two tournament-level teams away from home. While Syracuse may be playing down to the level of its cupcake schedule at home, it also seems to be able to hang with serious opponents away from the JMA Wireless Dome.
The Orange aren’t tournament contenders by any stretch, but nothing about what we’ve seen from them so far this year suggests they are non-competitive, either. Junior guard JJ Starling (19.8 ppg) is a legitimate scorer, and Syracuse is playing better on defense after some disastrous efforts to start the season.
Again, none of that suggests that the Orange can compete with a Tennessee team that is currently listed at +1,800 in March Madness odds (Syracuse is +20,000, for those who are curious).
However, it does make me question the 18.5-point line that has been placed on this game. Syracuse hasn’t lost a game by more than five points yet this year, and in what should be a relatively low-scoring game, I’m confident the Orange can stay within 15 of the Volunteers tonight.
Syracuse vs Tennessee same-game parlay
Syracuse +18.5
Under 143.5
Chaz Lanier Over 18.5 points
One reason the Orange can keep this game relatively close is due to Tennessee’s style of play, as the Volunteers play great defense at a slow pace. That should keep the game Under the 143.5-point total and prevent a complete blowout tonight.
Tennessee has plenty of scoring talent on the offensive end as well, and nobody has been better for the Volunteers than Chaz Lanier (17.7 ppg). The senior has scored at least 18 points in each of his last three games and is a great bet to eclipse his O/U against an outmatched Orange squad.
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Syracuse vs Tennessee odds
Syracuse vs Tennessee live odds
Syracuse vs Tennessee opening odds
- Spread: Syracuse +20 | Tennessee -20
- Moneyline: Syracuse +1,400 | Tennessee -3,000
- Over/Under: Over 145 | Under 145
Odds courtesy of bet365
Syracuse vs Tennessee betting trend to know
Syracuse is 2-0 ATS this season as an underdog. Find more college basketball betting trends for Syracuse vs. Tennessee.
How to watch Syracuse vs Tennessee
| Location: | Food City Center, Knoxville, TN |
| Date: | Tuesday, 12-3-2024 |
| Tip-off: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN |
Syracuse vs Tennessee key injuries
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