Tennessee opened this NCAA tournament as a popular pick to win it while Michigan began almost as an afterthought. The teams meet for the third time over the last 10 tournaments in a second-round bout Saturday afternoon in Indianapolis.
Who do we like for our free NCAA tournament betting pick?
NCAA Tournament College Basketball Betting Odds
The NCAA tournament betting lines opened Tennessee at -5.5 over Michigan with an over/under of right around 136. Both those figures were holding steady in the early betting action.
According to Sagarin’s CBB ratings the Vols should be favored by five points for this match-up.
Michigan NCAA Tournament Betting Preview
The Wolverines reached this second-round match by coming from behind to beat a supposedly good Colorado State team Thursday 75-63. Michigan fell down to the Rams 28-13 midway through the first half but pulled to within 36-29 at the break. The Wolverines then took the lead for good with about 10 minutes left, ended up winning the second half 46-27 and covered as 1.5-point favorites.
Michigan shot 54 percent from the floor Thursday, held Colorado State to just 35 percent shooting and won the rebounding battle 36-25.
Still, stretching back a month or so the Wolverines are only 5-5 both SU and ATS over their last 10 games, including a loss to Indiana (which got its ass kicked Thursday) in their first game in the Big 10 tournament. So basically Michigan had a full week off before playing Thursday, started slowly, then woke up in the second half.
The Wolverines are also now 8-12 SU, 9-11 ATS this season against teams that made this NCAA tournament.
On the injury front Michigan PG DeVante Jones (10 points, five assists PG) missed Thursday’s games (concussion) and is questionable for Saturday. But replacement Frankie Collins tossed in 14 points and grabbed six boards.
Tennessee NCAA Tournament Betting Preview
The Volunteers, meanwhile, reached this second-round bout by beating 14-seeded Longwood 88-56 Thursday afternoon. Tennessee only led the Lancers by a bucket midway through the first half but used a 37-14 spurt to lead 54-29 at the break. The Vols later pushed their advantage to 36, on their way to the easy victory and the cover at -18.
Tennessee shot a hot 60 percent from the floor Thursday, hit 14/24 from 3-point land, held Longwood to 39 percent FG shooting and won the battle on the glass 32-24.
The Vols are now 13-1 SU, 9-4 ATS over their last 14 games, a run that includes three wins in three days last weekend to win the SEC tournament.
Tennessee is also now 8-7 both SU and ATS this season vs. teams that made this NCAA tournament.
These teams met most recently in the 2011 and 2014 NCAA tournaments, Michigan winning both games.
- Get more details: Michigan vs. Tennessee 3/19/22 Betting Matchup Stats
NCAA Tournament Betting Trends
Over the last five NCAA tournaments No. 11 seeds are 5-5 SU and 8-2 ATS vs. No. 3 seeds.
Totals Report
- The overs are 20-12 in Wolverines games this season, which are averaging 143 total points.
- The unders are 19-15 in Vols games this season, which are averaging 137 points.
- The overs played 10-6 in Thursday’s first-round games.
