Tennessee @ Auburn picks

The Tigers have the second-best offense in the country per KenPom but Tennessee has the top-rated defense and held them to 53 points on 31 FG% when these teams previously clashed at Neville Arena in January. Poor backcourt play has sent Auburn packing early in the NCAA Tournament in each of the last few years. It looked like they had fixed those problems this season but those issues cropped up yesterday against Ole Miss with Auburn turning the ball over 14 times and shooting 6-21 from deep. The Tigers held on for a 62-57 win but it was a shaky performance and they didn't come close to covering as 13-point favorites. They also lost their final two games of the regular season and have looked very beatable lately. Auburn has a terrific inside-outside game but the Vols are 18th in the country in opponent 2PT% (46.1%) and second in opponent 3PT% (27.7%). That elite defense and physicality will help them keep things close here.