Vols Open as 3.5‑Point Underdog at Vanderbilt
Image: Elliot Walker/Tennessee Athletics
By Aidan Sidoti
Tennessee opened as a 3.5‑point underdog for Saturday afternoon’s trip to Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. At 19‑7 overall and 9‑4 in league play, Tennessee has won seven of its last eight and is coming off an 89‑66 dismantling of Oklahoma on Wednesday night in Knoxville.
Vanderbilt, meanwhile, sits at 21‑5 (8‑5 SEC) and is fresh off one of the wildest finishes of the conference season. The Commodores trailed Missouri by 21 points with 8:33 left in Columbia before a relentless 36-16 run to close the game. They nearly completed the comeback on a half‑court heave from Tyler Tanner off a steal as time expired, but the shot rimmed out and Vanderbilt fell just short.
This is familiar territory for the Vols. The last time Tennessee was an underdog came on Jan. 24, when they entered Coleman Coliseum as 3.5‑point dogs and left with a 79‑73 win over Alabama.
With both teams eyeing for SEC positioning and Tennessee looking to keep momentum rolling into the final stretch of February, Saturday’s matchup carries weight beyond the rivalry.
Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN.
