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Did you know that Tennessee hasn’t won in Athens since 2011? Road trips to Georgia have been painful over the last decade for the Volunteers, as the Bulldogs have had their number for whatever reason.
With SEC and NCAA Tournament seeding on the line, Tennessee needs to change that trend tonight. Georgia is just 6-23 on the year and 1-15 in SEC play. They’ve dropped nine games in a row, as the Tom Crean era appears to be circling the drain.
“I have known Tom for a long time, and I can assure you he is coaching that basketball team like tomorrow is the Super Bowl,” Rick Barnes said on Monday. “Offensively, they really do a good job in getting you to spread out and excellent in running back cuts on you. If you watch them, they are a well-coached team, they really are. When you are in this league, and I tell everybody, you can throw out the records. Anybody, in this league, top to bottom, has a chance to put together a great game.”
Georgia checks in at 210th in KenPom, ranking as one of the worst defenses among major conference teams. On paper, Tennessee shouldn’t have any issues tonight. Vegas agrees with that, installing Tennessee as a 15.5 point favorite, per DraftKings Sportsbook.
Let down spot? Look ahead spot? Final stand for Tom Crean? It’s a potentially tricky game for the Vols, but Georgia simply might not have enough firepower to capitalize.
How to watch
Location: Athens, Georgia
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network
Streaming: Watch ESPN
Radio: Vol Network