Many eyes in the college basketball world will be on Thompson-Boling Arena Saturday as host Tennessee looks to handle the Connecticut Huskies in NCAAB action.

The Volunteers bring a 8-10 record (9-6-1 ATS) to this tilt against the 14-4 Huskies, who are 5-8-1 ATS. OVER/UNDER bettors have witnessed Tennessee go 5-9-2 so far and the Huskies go 5-9.



View Connecticut vs Tennessee Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
If you're backing the visitors in this one, you'll find the Huskies listed as 3-point favorites

Power Rankings / Prediction:
According to new college basketball power rankings here, it's the No. 137-ranked Volunteers and the No. 12-rated Huskies in this matchup. Computer formulas aimed at predicting NCAAB scores point to a 77-73 win for the Huskies on Saturday.



How They Match Up:
Rebounding is always a key handicapping consideration and Huskies is ranked No. 36 in NCAA hoops at 38.8 per game. Contrast that with Tennessee’s No. 109 mark in the paint. When it comes to three-point shooting, Tennessee is the No. 59-ranked team in the country at 7.7 per game, while Connecticut rates No. 223 at 5.7 per game.

Defensively, Connecticut features the nation's No. 41-rated defense on the road, allowing 63 points per game. Tennessee, meanwhile, comes in at No. 106 nationally in scoring at home.

Connecticut lost its last outing, a 70-67 result against Cincinnati on January 18. They failed to cover in that game as a 6.5-point favorite. Shabazz Napier went off for 27 points and added 5 rebounds but it wasn't enough as Cincinnati handed Connecticut a 70-67 defeat at Gampel Pavilion.

Tennessee was a 57-53 loser in its last match on the road against Georgia. They failed to cover the 1.5-point spread as underdogs. The Volunteers got 16 points from Trae Golden, but it was Georgia that prevailed in a 57-53 final on Wednesday at Stegeman Coliseum.


Connecticut Huskies Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 9-1
Before playing Notre Dame are 7-3
After playing Cincinnati are 6-2
After a loss are 6-4

Tennessee Volunteers Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing Vanderbilt are 7-3
After playing Georgia are 5-5
After a loss are 3-7

A few Huskies at Volunteers trends to consider:
Connecticut is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Connecticut's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tennessee's last 5 games
Tennessee is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Tennessee is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games


Next up:
Connecticut home to Notre Dame, Sunday, January 29
Tennessee at Vanderbilt, Tuesday, January 24