Tennessee vs. Auburn Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Saturday, Jan. 25

The top two teams in the SEC meet in a high leverage battle on Saturday night.
Auburn has been arguably the best team in the country for much of the season, even without big man Johni Broome for the last few games. The Tigers will look to thrive off its home court as considerable favorites against Tennessee in a battle of the top teams in the best teams in the best conference in the sport this season.
How do these two teams match up?
Here’s our betting preview.
Tennessee vs. Auburn Odds, Spread and Total
Spread
- Tennessee: +6.5 (-104)
- Auburn: -6.5 (-118)
Moneyline
- Tennessee: +235
- Auburn: -295
Total: 140.5 (Over -105/Under -115)
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Tennessee vs. Auburn How to Watch
- Date: Saturday, January 25th
- Game Time: 8:30 PM EST
- Venue: Neville Arena
- How to Watch (TV): ESPN
- Tennessee Record: 17-2
- Auburn Record: 17-1
Tennessee vs. Auburn Key Players to Watch
Tennessee
Chaz Lanier: Lanier has cooled off after a monstrous start to the season, shooting 35% from the three-point line in SEC play, but is starting to round into form. He is off a 23-point effort against Mississippi State where he hit five of his 12 three-point attempts. A floor spacer, the Vols need Lanier to unlock this Auburn defense.
Auburn
Johni Broome: Broome is reportedly a game-time decision as he works his way back from an ankle injury suffered two weeks ago. While the Wooden Award candidate would be a big boost to the Tigers, the team has been in good shape without him. Where he would really help is on the glass as Auburn has slid to 14th in defensive rebounding rate in SEC play.
Tennessee vs. Auburn Prediction and Pick
These two have similar offensive schemes, running a ton of flex concepts that revolves around working out of the high post and featuring baseline screens.
With that in mind, I like the under as each defense should be able to slow down the other with plenty of familiarity even with evolving rosters.
Auburn’s offense has a higher ceiling than Tennessee’s, second in effective field goal percentage to Tennessee’s 10th in SEC play, per KenPom. However, the Vols defense can put the clamps on the Tigers offense with its disciplined and compact defense against a rim running Auburn offense.
The Tigers are dangerous from the perimeter, but are right at the SEC average in three-point rate, which the Vols do a good job of forcing teams into. Meanwhile, whether Broome plays or not, I don’t trust Tennessee’s offense on the road with its lack of interior scoring. Tennessee is last in two-point field goal percentage in SEC play, a big struggle against a lengthy Auburn defense.
While this point spread is large on the surface, I’m not stepping in front of Auburn at home. Instead, I’ll opt for the under in a defensive minded affair.
PICK: UNDER 140.5
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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