Auburn vs Tennessee Basketball Prediction & Picks (2/28): Will the Vols Tame the Tigers in Knoxville?

With the top six teams in the SEC separated by just two games, the race for the regular season title is wide open with a week and half remaining in the regular season. Tonight, two of the top contenders for the crown will match wits in Knoxville, as #11 Auburn visits #4 Tennessee (7:00 pm ET, ESPN2).

Tennessee (21-6, 11-3 SEC) has won four straight games since a loss at Texas A&M and is tied atop the standings with Alabama (19-8, 11-3 SEC), who visits Ole Miss tonight.

Only a game behind the Vols and Tide are the Tigers (21-6, 10-4 SEC), who are tied record-wise with South Carolina (22-5, 10-4 SEC), who visits Texas A&M tonight.

Prep for March Madness with Our March Madness Guide

The most wonderful time of the year for college basketball enthusiasts is almost here. Get ready to follow and bet on all of the exciting action with our March Madness guide. Along with covering helpful information for betting on the NCAA Tournament, we also hook you up with the best March Madness bracket challenges and a bevy of historical facts that you can use to impress your friends and colleagues.

• March Madness Guide: How to Bet on the NCAA Tournament in 2024

Still in the hunt are Kentucky (20-8, 10-5 SEC), who scored a thrilling last-second win at Mississippi State last night, and Florida (19-8, 9-5), who hosts miserable Missouri—who is winless in the SEC—tonight in Gainesville.

With a trip to Tuscaloosa looming this weekend for Tennessee, holding serve at home tonight is imperative for the Vols, who are hunting a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in addition to an SEC regular season title.

But will they improve to 7-1 at home in SEC play? Or will the Tigers pick up their fifth road win in conference action? My Auburn vs Tennessee picks are below, but first, let's look at the odds for this exciting matchup.

Auburn vs Tennessee Basketball Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus and bet on tonight's game and much more.

Spread

• Auburn +7 (-110)
• Tennessee -7 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 151.5 (+100)
• Under 151.5 (-120)

Moneyline

• Auburn +250
• Tennessee -300

Looking for more college hoops picks for tonight's schedule? Our NCAA basketball picks page features moneyline, spread, and total (over/under) picks for all of tonight's top games, including this matchup, Oklahoma vs Iowa State, South Carolina vs Texas A&M, and Alabama vs Ole Miss.

Auburn vs Tennessee Prediction and Picks

Auburn vs Tennessee Betting Analysis and Prediction

In their most recent game, Auburn put up 97 points in a 21-point win at Georgia last Saturday.

It was the fifth time in SEC play that the Tigers hit the 90-point mark, and it continued their run of only winning by double digits this season. To date, their closest win is a 66-55 win over Texas A&M on January 9.

But for all of the pastings that Auburn has handed out this season, their results against the best competition that they have faced are a bit lacking.

Tonight's game in Knoxville will be Auburn's seventh game against a team currently in the top 30 at KenPom.

The only win the Tigers have in the first six is a 99-81 home win over Alabama three weeks ago.

Here are the other five games:

Auburn vs Current KenPom Top 30 Teams This Season

• 88-82 loss vs #14 Baylor on Nov. 7 (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
• 79-75 loss at #7 Alabama on Jan. 24
• 64-58 loss at #27 Mississippi State on Jan. 27
• 99-81 win vs #7 Alabama on Feb. 7
• 81-65 loss at #26 Florida on Feb. 10
• 70-59 loss vs #17 Kentucky on Feb. 17

That does not bode well at all for their prospects tonight. And we haven't even gotten to the part where, other than a surprising loss to South Carolina, the Vols have been absolutely dominant at home both in SEC play and overall.

In their six home wins in SEC play, Tennessee has won by 26 (vs Ole Miss), 19 (vs Florida), 20 (vs Alabama), 20 (vs LSU), 35 (vs Vanderbilt), and 35 (vs Texas A&M).

There is a reason why, despite these two teams both being highly ranked and not far apart in the conference standings, the Vols are so firmly favored.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Auburn keep it closer than a lot of other teams have, but the end result will be the same as it has been for everyone not named South Carolina.

Auburn vs Tennessee Betting Picks

Tennessee -7 & Dalton Knecht over 22.5 points

Tennessee (13-13-1 ATS overall this season) is 9-4-1 ATS at home this season, including 6-1 ATS in SEC play. Auburn (17-8-2 ATS overall this season) is 4-2 ATS on the road in SEC play and 7-4-1 ATS in road and neutral-site games this season, but I don't think they will improve those marks tonight. I don't think that they are only capable of flexing their muscles at home or against more mediocre competition, but their results against the better opponents on their schedule raise a big red flag here.

Knecht, the potential SEC Player of the Year, will have a big hand in that. Since being held to eight points in his SEC opener against Ole Miss, Knecht has averaged 26.7 points per game at home and scored 24+ points in every game but one (14 vs Vanderbilt on 2/17).

Bonus Pick: Auburn/Tennessee first half over 71.5

Tennessee and Auburn are among the top defensive teams in college, ranking second and fifth, respectively, at KenPom in adjusted defensive efficiency. But they are also two of the better offensive teams in the land, ranking 20th and 14th, respectively, in adjusted offensive efficiency, and both teams have shown numerous times this season that they can put up a lot of points. Look for an active opening half on the offensive end for both the Vols and Tigers.

Other College Basketball Betting Information

Where Can You Bet on NCAA Basketball?

Throughout the college basketball season, you can find a variety of NCAA basketball odds at the top online sports betting sites like BetDSI, BetOnline, BetUS, Bovada, and MyBookie.

Along with game odds, many sportsbooks offer men's and women's March Madness futures odds, Final Four odds, Wooden Award odds, and more.

If you are unfamiliar with any of these sites, check out our sportsbook reviews to learn more about what they all offer. Our reviews analyze available betting options, deposit and payout options, mobile and live betting, and the sportsbook sign-up bonuses and other promos offered.

• BetDSI Sportsbook Review
• BetOnline Sportsbook Review
• BetUS Sportsbook Review
• Bovada Sportsbook Review
• MyBookie Sportsbook Review

Other NCAA Basketball Betting Content

Are you interested in learning more about betting on NCAA basketball? Check out our college basketball betting guide, which covers the basics of wagering on the action from the Mountain West to the MAAC and beyond.

• College Basketball Betting Guide: How to Bet on NCAA Basketball in 2024

Auburn and Tennessee will be two popular picks in the $200,000 Bracket Madness contest at BetOnline. Would you like to have the chance to win at least $50,000? Selection Sunday and the start of the contest aren't until Sunday, March 17. But in the meantime, you can take advantage of their 100% cryptocurrency welcome bonus and build your bankroll for March Madness.