South Carolina playmaker AJ Lawson (00) plays Vanderbilt in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, January 30, 2021, in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP Photo / Mark Humphrey)
- Tennessee volunteers seek to overcome inconsistency in conference games while hosting falling South Carolina gambling
- Only 4-4 volts in the last eight against conference rivals, while Gamecocks hit the road after a poor family home
- Below are the odds and trends ahead of Wednesday night’s SEC conference match
Tennessee Volunteers will try to make up for lost ground in the national ranking when they return home on Wednesday to face South Carolina’s defeated Gamecocks as 10.5-point favorites.
Volunteers fell to 19th in the AP’s Top 25, after an impressive 78-65 loss to LSU last weekend due to three chalk points on the road. The Gamecocks hit the road after losing in each of the three games on their recent home scoreboard.
Here’s a look at all the odds and trends ahead of Wednesday night’s clash at the Thompson-Boling Arena.
South Carolina vs Tennessee Odds
| Team | To spread | Money line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina Gamecocks | +10.5 (-110) | +450 | O 141.5 (-110) |
| Volunteers from Tennessee | -10.5 (-110) | -620 | U 141.5 (-110) |
* Probabilities obtained in FanDuel on 02/16/2021.
Mixed Vols results in conference games
Volunteers have had mixed results since the opening of season 10-1, including wins in four of the first five matches in the conference. Tennessee stumbled to an average record of 4-4 SU in his last eight outings, covering the spread only twice.
#LSU recorded his most impressive win of the season with a 78-65 victory over Tennessee.
The tigers played very hard in defense and continued with some hot kicks.
More | https://t.co/8wHo8j9o0W pic.twitter.com/W3lBkeiHnG
– LSU Tigers (@ Geaux247) February 14, 2021
The Vols have been fighting particularly as big favorites during that period, losing the ATS in the last four matches and having eight or more points of advantage, including absolute defeats to Missouri and Georgia at home. These fights played a big role in the team’s steady decline in the AP’s Top 25, where they opened their season in 12th place and reached 6th place just four weeks ago.
Offense, cause for concern
Maintaining consistency in attack has been a real problem for Tennessee. Volunteers hit 37% or less of field shots on four occasions in the last eight games. This includes a dismal performance of 35.5% in last weekend’s defeat to LSU, in which they scored just 16 points in the first 16 minutes of action.
Tennessee has one of the most talented teams in all of college basketball. This team has the potential to reach the championship game in the NCAA tournament, but can they find their attack?
If Keon and Jaden continue to score as they did against the UK, watch out.
– TENNESSEE SPORTS FAN !!! (@ TENNESSEESPORT8) February 10, 2021
As a result, the team has managed to score 56 points or less on three occasions in the last eight matches. And although they remain listed in the 17th overall place in the Kenpom classification, they are 66th in adjusted offensive efficiency and occupy 148th place in the country with 72.8 points scored per game.
Gamecocks enjoy moderate success against ranked opponents
Gamecocks travel to Knoxville in search of answers after running out of victories during their last three home games, including defeats to Mississippi and Mississippi State as betting favorites.
Domination in painting paved the way for a South Carolina shift in Florida with stripes tonight, 72-66. #Gamecocks overcame the Gators by 50-30 in painting and overcame them by 43-35. AJ Lawson also had eight rebounds, totaling 22 points, the team’s best mark.#SECHoops
– Rocco Miller (@ roccomiller8) February 4, 2021
Overall, the team has lost seven of the last nine, but has remained stable over the last two dates with nationally ranked opponents. The Gamecocks shocked Florida No. 22 with a 72-66 victory over the Gators as 8-point underdogs two weeks ago. The Gamecocks also gave 11th Alabama everything they could in an 81-78 loss as an underdog at 7 points in Sunday’s Super Bowl.
Premium vs Tennessee points
AJ Lawson continued to drive South Carolina’s attack. The junior guard led the team in scoring in each of the last five games, reaching 20 points in four of those matches, and is one of only two Gamecocks players with an average of more 30 minutes per game this season. However, the talented guard averages less than eight points per game in four previous games against the Volunteers.
AJ Lawson averages 19.1 PPG in SEC games out of 10 games.🇨🇦🏀 @GamecockMBB @ItsAJLawson pic.twitter.com/zAql2CcsiZ
– NPHScouting 🇨🇦🏀🇺🇸 (@NphScouting) February 14, 2021
In fact, points were scarce for Gamecocks on recent dates with Tennessee. South Carolina averaged just 65.2 points per game, ranging from 1 to 5 SU in their last six clashes with the Volunteers. This race includes three defeats in Knoxville. However, the Gamecocks managed to keep things close to the road, with two of those three recent defeats being resolved by a single possession.
The team also covered seven of the 11 dates with the Vols, ranging from 5-1 ATS in six matches, while being ranked underdog by 6.5 or more points. Expect this trend to continue on Wednesday night.
The choice: Gamecocks +10.5 (-110)
Daniel Coyle
Sports writer
Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The experienced professional has contributed to companies such as Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, Globe and Mail and The Nation magazine.