Grant Williams Colgate vs Tennessee Betting Odds Preview NCAA Tournament March Madness

Volunteers Heavy Favorites Over Tournament Novice Colgate

The Colgate Raiders have only made three NCAA Tournament appearances since 1996, but enter the 2019 big dance as Patriot League champs and winners of 11 consecutive games. Colgate is 8-3 against the spread during its win streak, 24-10 overall and 18-14-1 ATS on the season.

Auburn may have run Tennessee off the court in the SEC tournament title game, but the Volunteers also beat fellow No. 2 seed Kentucky twice this month. Tennessee is 29-5 overall and 17-15-1 against the spread. The Volunteers opened as 20.5-point favorites, but Colgate money brought the spread down to Tennessee -17.5. This point total opened at 152 before a slight pullback to 150.

Colgate vs Tennessee Game Center

STANDOUT STATS

  • Tennessee is one of the most efficient offenses in the country. The Volunteers rank ninth in points per game at 81.7, are 20th in effective field-goal percentage and third in assist-to-turnover ratio. This isn’t great news for those considering a Colgate cover as the Raiders rank outside KenPom’s top 200 in adjusted defensive efficiency and average 13.2 turnovers per game – 195th nationally.
  • The Volunteers rank 87th and Colgate 236th in adjusted tempo. Despite this, the OVER has hit in eight of the Raiders’ last 10 games with an average combined score of 151.6, and in each of Tennessee’s last four with an average combined score of 157.8. This could have to do with tired legs in the home stretch of the season. Don’t be afraid to look at the UNDER.
  • Colgate averaged nearly seven fewer points per game away from home this season (72.5), while the Volunteers averaged 82.5, nearly two more points per game than on their home court.
  • If the Raiders are to have a chance to hang around in this game, they’ll need to continue their hot shooting from deep. Colgate connects on 39.1 percent of its three-point attempts – which ranks 13th nationally – while the Volunteers rank 176th in defending the three.
  • Since 1995, Colgate is 0-9 straight up when dogs of 17.5 or more points and actually was +17.5 vs Syracuse earlier this season, but lost by 21, 77-56.
  • Tournament No. 2 seeds are 19-1 SU against No. 15 seeds over the past 20 matchups. However, they are just 7-12-1 against the spread when needing to cover 17.5 or more points, as the Volunteers need to accomplish on Friday. Also, the UNDER has hit in five of those seven most recent matchups dating back to 2017.

MY LEAN

Tennessee -17.5

Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes has lost 11 times in the Round of 64 – second-most all-time. However, most of those one-and-dones came while coaching underachieving Texas Longhorns rosters. This year and this group of Volunteers is special. Grant Williams’ 19 points per game led the SEC and Admiral Schofield connects on 41.1 percent of his triple tries. Colgate allows an average of eight made threes per game, which ranks 220th, while possessing the 260th-ranked strength of schedule. If your defense struggled against the Patriot League, the SEC will have no mercy.

Volunteers win and cover.

Colgate is 8-0 ATS in its last eight games vs teams with winning records.away Tennessee is 6-2 SU in its last eight games in the first round of the playoffs.home The total has gone UNDER in five of Tennessee’s last six games in the first round of the playoffs.home
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