Tennessee-Kentucky Men’s College Basketball Odds, Lines, Spread and Bet

A best bet from Pat Forde as the Volunteers look to avenge a home loss to Kentucky earlier this season.

The Volunteers and Wildcats have been playing each other in basketball since 1910, with Big Blue winning more than half of their 236 matchups. That includes a Kentucky upset win in Knoxville last month that serves as just about the only thing keeping John Calipari’s team on the right side of the NCAA bubble — and only barely.

No. 10 Tennessee at Kentucky

Game Info: Feb. 18, 2023 | 1:00 p.m. ET | CBS

Tennessee Straight-Up Record: 20-6 (9-4 SEC)
Tennessee Against the Spread Record: 14-12

Kentucky Straight-Up Record: 17-9 (8-5 SEC)
Kentucky Against the Spread Record: 11-15

Prepare for the tables to turn this time in Rupp Arena. Tennessee missed a shocking number of layups in a seven-point loss in Knoxville, not the kind of thing you can expect to happen twice. The Vols also have a physical defensive mentality that can make life difficult in the paint for Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe, while also getting after guards Antonio Reeves and Cason Wallace on the perimeter. (Reeves has been hot lately, making eight three-pointers in his past two games.)

Both teams have had a couple of players out with injuries the past few games, so it’s worth waiting until pregame warmups to see who is available before committing. But for now, look for Tennessee to back up its big win over Alabama earlier this week with another one here.

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