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USATSI

Update: This game has been called off due to COVID-19 protocols.

The No. 18 Tennessee Volunteers will take on the Memphis Tigers at noon ET on Saturday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Tennessee is 8-2 on the season, while Memphis is 6-4. The in-state rivals have clashed head-to-head on the recruiting trail repeatedly since Rick Barnes and Penny Hardaway took over their programs, and the teams have split their two head-to-head matchups with those coaches in charge.

Tennessee won and covered as an eight-point favorite in 2018 and Memphis won outright as a six-point underdog in 2019. This time around, the Volunteers are favored by 5.5 points in the latest Tennessee vs. Memphis odds from Caesars Sportsbook, and the over-under is set at 142.5. Before making any Memphis vs. Tennessee picks, you'll want to see the college basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $2,400 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Tennessee vs. Memphis. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds for Memphis vs. Tennessee:

  • Tennessee vs. Memphis spread: Tennessee -5.5
  • Tennessee vs. Memphis over-under: 142.5 points

What you need to know about Tennessee

Tennessee is coming off of dominant victories over UNC Greensboro (76-36) and USC Upstate (96-52) and have the No. 1 adjusted defensive efficiency rating in the NCAA, according to KenPom. Tennessee has held five consecutive opponents to 40 percent shooting from the floor or less and have held its last four opponents to a combined 17-for-79 from the 3-point line.

But while Tennessee's offense ranks a respectable 37th in adjusted offensive efficiency, the Volunteers have run into problems at that end of the floor against quality competition. In losses to Villanova and Texas Tech, Tennessee shot a combined 29.8 percent from the floor. Freshman point guard Kennedy Chandler went a combined 5-for-22 in those games but is shooting 47.9 percent overall this year and averaging 14.6 points per game.

What you need to know about Memphis

It's been a disappointing season thus far for the Tigers after Hardaway brought in the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation. But Memphis was able to stop a four-game losing streak with a big 92-78 upset win over Alabama on Tuesday. Deandre Williams had 20 points and six assists in the victory and Memphis had five players score in double-figures while shooting 53.3 percent from the floor.

It was Memphis' best offensive performance of the season and forcing 19 Alabama turnovers helped alleviate some of its own turnover woes. The Tigers committed 17 turnovers in the win and are committing the most turnovers per game (18.4) in the NCAA so far this season.

How to make Memphis vs. Tennessee picks

The model is leaning over on the total and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in nearly 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Tennessee vs. Memphis? And which side of the spread hits nearly 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out, all from the red-hot model that has crushed its college basketball picks.