Tennessee has a much-needed mid-major game after its last four opponents have been brutal, playing some outstanding high-major squads. The Vols will host Gardner-Webb at 3 p.m. ET at the Food City Center on Sunday.
Gardner-Webb has had a rough season so far, winning only two of its 14 games. Their leading scorer is sophomore forward Jacob Hogarth, who averages 11.1 ppg and 8.1 rpg. The Vols shouldn't have any trouble with Gardner-Webb, because Tennessee is coming off its best win of the year versus a talented Louisville squad, and is beginning to hit its stride.
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Line: Tennessee -41.5
Over/Under: 152.5
Moneyline: NA
Prediction: Gardner-Webb no match for Tennessee’s firepower
Tennessee's depth was a major reason for the victory over Louisville. The bench completely dominated the Cardinals, outscoring them 34-3. There is no way the Bulldogs can keep up with this. Gardner-Webb is ranked 359th out of 365 teams on KenPom, compared to 15th for Tennessee.
Now, just because the Vols are rated much higher on paper, it doesn't mean a thing when the ball is tipped. The players still have to tie their sneakers and get to work. The most significant advantage Tennessee holds is its size down low. Felix Okpara and Jaylen Carey will be cleaning the glass all night long. Second-chance opportunities should come in plenty for the Vols.
Hopefully, Tennessee can get off to an early lead so the freshman can get some more live reps in. Ethan Burg should be running the offense the entire second half.
The Vols win this game convincingly with some solid depth perfolrmances from some names we don't hear too often.
Prediction: Tennessee 101, Gardner-Webb 63