Louisiana vs. Tennessee Bracket Prediction: Round of 64 March Madness Odds
With 58 points against per game, Rick Barnes’ Volunteers rank among the best teams on defence in the country. Tennessee ranks fifth in KenPom, but outside of a nine-point win over No. 1 Alabama on February 15 the Vols haven’t been playing their best basketball as of late.
Louisiana comes in winners of five straight, winning the Sun Belt Conference tournament. The Ragin’ Cajuns are without a tournament win in over 30 years, and their upset bid gets underway late on Thursday with a 9:40 p.m. EDT start at the Amway Center. Tennessee is a double-digit favourite on the spread with the total at 136 on the NCAAB odds.
Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns vs. Tennessee Volunteers NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
The SEC hasn’t been kind to Louisiana, who have failed to cover in seven straight against the conference. Tennessee is also 17-1 straight up in their last 18 games against a Sun Belt conference opponent. Four of Tennessee’s last five contests in March have went over the total, and they have reached at least 70 points in five straight outings. And if the over is to win Thursday, a minimum of 70 points should be needed from Tennessee.
Five of Louisiana’s last six outings have finished under the total. And in their five neutral site games this season the under is 4-1. And Tennessee ranks second in Ken Pom’s defensive efficiency rating.
Louisiana Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (13)
The Ragin’ Cajuns got some shooters, and they’ll need to prove their worth against Tennessee. Jordan Brown is the team’s top scorer, a 6’11 forward who’s got double-doubles in five of his last six showings. Brown averages just under 20 points a night and was named to the All-Sun Belt first team.
After Brown, the X-factors for Louisiana are guards Kentrell Garnett and Greg Williams Jr. Both shot 40 per cent from three-point territory this season. Williams Jr. had a stretch in late January of five-straight 20 point games, and the Ragin’ Cajuns need that magic back on Thursday. Themus Fulks is another option on offence after leading the team in the Sun Belt championship with 23 points.
Tennessee Volunteers (4)
With guard Zakai Zeigler out for the season with a knee injury, senior Santiago Vescovi has stepped up as Tennessee’s primary option on offence. Vescovi’s finished in double digits in scoring in nine of his last 10 games and hit 13 threes in his last three outings. The Vols are a deep club though, possessing three healthy double-digit scorers.
Olivier Nkamhoua and Josiah-Jordan James are being relied on more on offence too, and Tyreke Key is a guard who can provide a quick jolt off the bench. The Vols key to a deep run will go through maintaining their top-tier defending, but at some point they’ll need to make shots too.
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