Tennessee Volunteers vs Alabama Crimson Tide Prediction, 3/13/2021 College Basketball Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Tennessee Volunteers vs Alabama Crimson Tide

Date: Saturday, March 13, 2021

Location: Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN

TV: ESPN

Odds/Point Spread: Tennessee (+2.5)

Bridgestone Arena is the site where and the Alabama Crimson Tide (22-6) will play the Tennessee Volunteers (18-7) on Saturday. Alabama opens this contest as 2.5-point favorites. The O/U is set at 137.5.

Tennessee enters this game with a record of 18-7 for the campaign. The Volunteers are hitting 33.8% on shots from distance (166 of 491) and 74.5% from the charity stripe. They average 72.7 points per contest (136th in the country) while connecting on 44.4% from the floor. They are losing possession via turnover 12.2 times per contest and as a unit are committing 16.4 personal fouls per contest. As a team, Tennessee is pulling in 35.9 boards per game and has accumulated 378 dimes so far this season, which is 56th in the nation in terms of passing the ball. On defense, the Volunteers are forcing 15.7 turnovers per game and they draw 19.6 personal fouls. They are giving up 32.2% on three-point shots while they are 24th in college basketball in points per game allowed (62.8). The Volunteers defense is allowing an opponent shooting percentage of 40.0% (547 of 1,369) and they relinquish 33.4 rebounds per game as a team. They are currently ranked 80th in college hoops in giving up assists to the opposition with 249 relinquished so far this year.

The Tennessee Volunteers faced off with the Florida Gators and notched a win by a score of 78-66 in their last contest. Tennessee wrapped up the game having earned a 46.7% FG percentage (28 of 60) and converted 9 of their 25 shots from distance. At the charity stripe, the Volunteers converted 13 of 18 attempts for a rate of 72.2%. In the matter of grabbing boards, they compiled a total of 36 with 11 of them being offensive. They also distributed 21 dimes for the matchup while forcing the other team into 13 turnovers and earning 5 steals. Pertaining to defense, Tennessee allowed 34.5% from the field on 20 of 58 shooting. Florida earned 7 assists and had 5 steals for the contest. Additionally, Florida had 28 rebounds (9 offensive, 19 defensive) and got 5 rejections. Florida finished the contest at 88.9% from the charity stripe by converting 16 of 18 attempts. They buried 10 of their 24 shots from distance.

Santiago Vescovi is someone who was a factor for this game. He recorded 14 points on 4 of 9 shooting. He saw the court for 31 minutes and pulled down 1 rebound. Vescovi went 44.4% from the field and recorded 5 dimes. An additional guy that was a contributor in this matchup for the Volunteers was Keon Johnson. He grabbed 9 rebounds in his 30 min on the court. He finished the game at 54.5% from the field in this matchup by hitting 6-of-11 (13 points). When this game wrapped up, Johnson had accumulated 6 assists.

Alabama has a record of 22-6 on the year. Alabama has scored 2,234 pts for the year (79.8 per contest) and they average 40.1 boards per game. The Crimson Tide have committed 18.6 fouls every game and they go 71.9% from the free throw line. As an offense, the Crimson Tide are shooting 43.3% from the field, which ranks them 222nd in the nation. They are getting an assist 14.3 times per contest (96th in college basketball) and they are turning it over 14.1 times per contest. The Crimson Tide defensively are ranked 157th in college basketball in points allowed per game with 69.5. The Alabama defense surrenders 28.2% on shots from distance (163 of 577) and their opponents are converting on 68.4% of their free throw shots. They allow 11.0 assists and 38.8 rebounds every game, which has them ranked 48th and 318th in Division 1. They are forcing 16.1 turnovers per game and have allowed teams to shoot 40.4% from the field (34th in Division 1).

The last time they took the court, the Alabama Crimson Tide went home victorious with a score of 85-48 when they faced the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Crimson Tide earned 21 defensive rebounds and 11 offensive boards for a total of 32 for the matchup. They turned the ball over 9 times, while earning 11 steals in the matchup. The Bulldogs earned 12 fouls for this contest which took the Crimson Tide to the free throw line for a total of 8 attempts. They were able to knock down 8 of the free throw attempts for a percentage of 100.0%. With respect to 3-pointers, Alabama made 13 of 36 attempts (36.1%). When this game wrapped up, the Crimson Tide went 32 out of 66 from the floor which had them shooting 48.5%. The Crimson Tide allowed the Bulldogs to make 18 of their 62 tries from the field which gave them a percentage of 29.0% for the matchup. They finished shooting 5.3% from distance by going 1 out of 19 and walked away from this one shooting 11 of 16 from the free throw line (68.8%). In regard to how they rebounded, Alabama permitted Mississippi State to pull down 38 in all (17 offensive).

Jaden Shackelford was important for the Crimson Tide in this matchup. He knocked down 5 out of 12 in this matchup giving him a rate of 41.7%, and had 1 rebound. Shackelford scored 13 points in his 18 minutes on the hardwood and earned 1 assist for this game. One more player who was a determining factor for Alabama was John Petty. He left the arena with 2 assists in his 19 minutes played, and he put in 3 of 7 from the floor. Petty walked away from this one going 42.9% from the field while also contributing 9 points and 4 boards.

Who will win tonight's college basketball game against the spread?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Alabama (-2.5)

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