The fourth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers will look to avoid being swept in the regular-season series on Wednesday when they battle the No. 17-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks. South Carolina posted a 63-59 win in Knoxville, Tenn., on Jan. 30. The Volunteers (23-6, 13-3 SEC), who are looking for their seventh win in a row, are coming off an 81-74 win over No. 14 Alabama 81-74 on Saturday. The Gamecocks (24-5, 12-4 SEC), who have won 10 of 12, defeated No. 24 Florida 82-76 on Saturday. Tennessee will clinch the SEC regular-season title with a win.
The game will tip off at 7 p.m. ET at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C. Tennessee is averaging 80.7 points per game, while South Carolina averages 72.1. The Volunteers are 5.5-point favorites in the latest Tennessee vs. South Carolina odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 142. Before making any South Carolina vs. Tennessee picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 18 of the 2023-24 season on a 141-100 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It is also off to a sizzling 26-17 start on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Tennessee vs. South Carolina and revealed its CBB picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for South Carolina vs. Tennessee:
- Tennessee vs. South Carolina spread: Tennessee -5.5
- Tennessee vs. South Carolina over/under: 142 points
- Tennessee vs. South Carolina money line: Tennessee -238, South Carolina +195
- TEN: The Volunteers have hit the game total over in 9 of their last 14 away games (+3.50 units)
- SC: The Gamecocks have won 21 of their last 28 games (+19.75 units on ML)
- Tennessee vs. South Carolina picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Tennessee can cover
Junior guard Zakai Zeigler has come up big over the past several games for the Volunteers, including an 18-point, four-assist and two-rebound performance in Saturday’s victory at Alabama. He also poured in 17 points, dished out nine assists and added four rebounds in a 92-84 win over Auburn on Feb. 28. He nearly recorded a triple-double in an 86-51 win over Texas A&M on Feb. 24. In that game, he scored nine points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out 14 assists. For the year, he has started 23 times while playing in all 29 games, and is averaging 11.4 points, 5.8 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 30.6 minutes.
Fifth-year senior Josiah-Jordan James is also a key to Tennessee’s success. In 29 games, all starts, he is averaging 8.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals. He is coming off a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds in the win at Alabama. It was his third of the year, and first since scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 boards in a 65-46 win over Tarleton State on Dec. 21. He also scored 15 points and grabbed 12 boards in a 73-56 win over Syracuse on Nov. 20. See which team to pick here.
Why South Carolina can cover
Junior guard Meechie Johnson has been red hot for the Gamecocks, scoring 20 or more points in each of the past two games. In Saturday’s win over Florida, he scored 25 points, while grabbing four rebounds, dishing out three assists and adding two steals. He had 22 points, five rebounds and three assists in a 70-68 win at Texas A&M on Feb. 28. In 28 games, all starts, Johnson is averaging 14.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, three assists and one steal. He is also draining 80.8% of his free-throw attempts.
Senior forward B.J. Mack, who is in his first season at South Carolina following one year at South Florida and three at Wofford, has started all 29 games for the Gamecocks. In 24.7 minutes, he is averaging 13.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds in the January win over the Volunteers. He has reached double-digit scoring in four of the past six games, including two 18-point performances with one of those being a near double-double, with nine rebounds against LSU on Feb. 17. See which team to pick here.
How to make South Carolina vs. Tennessee picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 141 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time. You can see the picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Tennessee vs. South Carolina, and which side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets from a model that’s 26-17 on top-rated college basketball picks this season, and find out.
