College Basketball Betting: Tennessee Favored In Jimmy V Classic Opener

Bad news for sports bettors: College football’s regular season has come to a close.

Good news for sports bettors: College basketball’s regular season is heating up fast, with several Power 5 conferences getting a jump-start on league play this month.

Going forward, Props.com will profile one marquee game every Monday through Thursday, examining that matchup from a college basketball betting perspective.

Tuesday’s featured clash is the opener of the Jimmy V Classic doubleheader, taking place at The World’s Most Famous Arena.

Texas Tech vs. No. 13 Tennessee

Tipoff Time: 7 p.m. EST
Venue: Madison Square Garden (New York City)
TV: ESPN
Texas Tech: 6-1 SU/4-3 ATS
Tennessee: 6-1 SU/4-3 ATS

Odds: Side & Total

Odds updated as of 2:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 7.

Betting Trends

Texas Tech Betting Trends

• The Red Raiders are 1-5 ATS in their last six neutral-site games.
• Texas Tech is 4-1 ATS in its last five games following an ATS setback.
• The Over is 5-1 in Texas Tech’s last six games following a straight-up defeat. The combined totals during this stretch: 183, 118, 133, 127, 143 and 128 points.

Tennessee Betting Trends

• The Volunteers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games as a neutral-site favorite.
• Tennessee is 4-1 ATS in its last five games as a favorite (regardless of venue).
• The Over is 10-1 in Tennessee’s last 11 when favored at a neutral site.
• The Under is 6-1 in the Vols’ last seven Tuesday games.

Odds & Ends

— Texas Tech is coming off its first defeat of the season, a 72-68 setback at Providence as a 2.5-point road chalk. The game cleared the 140-point consensus total by 3.5 points, making the Over 3-1 in the Red Raiders’ last four games.

— All seven of Tennessee’s games this season have produced double-digit results, including a 71-53 loss to then-No. 5 Villanova two weeks ago. The Vols have since rebounded with four straight blowout victories (3-1 ATS), most recently stifling Colorado 69-54 as a 5.5-point road favorite on Saturday. The game stayed Under the 136.5-point closing total.

— According to BetPrep.com, Texas Tech is dead even with Over/Unders in its last 34 games (17-17), while Tennessee owns a similar mark in its last 33 contests (17 Unders, 16 Overs).

— The Red Raiders and their opponents are averaging a combined 143.8 points per game this season. Consequently, Texas Tech has cleared tonight’s consensus total of 137.5 five times — vs. North Florida (183 points), Grambling (150), Incarnate Word (146), Lamar (146), and Providence (140).

— Tennessee and its opponents have averaged 145 combined points per game. The Volunteers have also scored 80-plus points in six of their seven victories. However, UT has surpassed tonight’s consensus total in only four of its seven games: 152 vs. UT-Martin, 156 vs. East Tennessee State, 181 at North Carolina, and 149 vs. Tennessee Tech.

— This game marks the first time this century that these schools have met on the hardwood.

— Player To Watch: Tennessee freshman guard Kennedy Chandler already leads the Volunteers in scoring (16.1 points per game) and assists (4.7 per game). The Memphis native notched a career-high 27 points in Saturday’s thumping of Colorado. He also racked up 12 combined steals against Tennessee Tech and Presbyterian in late November.