March Madness betting continues onward this week! Our outlooks for Thursday games come to this late start that looks to be a lock on the surface. Maybe, Tennessee remains a lock. Maybe, they do not. At Online Sports Betting, we cover another South region matchup which could boil over. So, next, we examine Louisiana vs Tennessee bets featuring the Tennessee Volunteers. They clash with Louisiana, a team that can cause some havoc in the interior.
- WHAT: 13 - Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns versus 4 - Tennessee Volunteeers
- WHEN: Thursday, March 16th, 2023, 9:40 pm ET on BTN or streamed on FUBO TV
- WHERE: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
- WHY: March Madness Round 1 Picks
The bettors normally fret about games like this. The Louisiana vs Tennessee Bets wonder about a team who got banged up in the SEC. The Volunteers were one of the best teams in the nation last year. Now, betting on this team in the NCAA College Men's basketball futures is rough. After all, Tennessee still ranks high in the futures at +2500. Here is the table for this Thursday night contest.
| March Madness Round 1 Numbers |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Tennessee (-10.5) | -110 | -110 | -110 |
Louisiana vs Tennessee Bets Concerned With Injuries
Louisiana vs Tennessee Bets are concerned with injuries. Okay, what went a little south when it comes to Tennessee this season? That answer is injuries. Rick Barnes remarked when Zakai Ziegler got hurt, the Volunteers were just not the same. Tennessee finished the final ten games going just 4-6. Then, Missouri dismissed the Volunteers by eight points in the second round of the SEC Tournament. It came down to the fact that Tennesee's depth was not the same as the season before.
Despite that, the tournament committee rewarded Tennessee's body of work this year. Now, they were given a four seed in the South which may not be a gift. If everything goes as expected, the Volunteers would get the pleasure of playing a red-hot Duke team over the weekend. However, the first order of business is can Tennessee bounce back from their roughest stretch of the season?
This Thursday night game sees if Tennessee's health is enough of a concern to sway things much. Keep in mind, Ziegler tore his ACL and it turns out another Volunteers' guard may be out as well.
Experts Still Rank Tennessee Pretty High
Louisiana vs Tennessee Bets like this matchup as experts still rank Tennessee pretty high. When it comes after the first round though, some get surprised that some models project the Volunteers to still make the "Sweet 16" over Duke. Maybe, no one reads injury reports these days. Either way, this SEC team possesses enough tools to get past Louisiana on Thursday night. However, it may not be quite so easy as most expect.
The other thing Tennessee has going for them is that defense. It is a Volunteers' squad which ranks third in points allowed at 58.8. Few teams pile up the offense, but again the alarm bells went off when Missouri scored nearly 80. Their metrics are very high as a product of what happened before this latest stretch. Now, Tennessee ranks fourth in the Simple Rating System and second in defensive rating. After Ziegler went down to injury, the guard play suffered as numbers began to rise.
Rick Barnes figures to be concerned about this game. One of the reasons is Tennessee allows opponents to shoot 37% from the field, but that drifted past 45% during the last month. Again, fatigue, injuries, and lesser depth impacted what was looking to be another potentially special postseason run for the Volunteers. Can this team muster up enough to even get past Louisiana? Even a few experts have a doubt or two.
Again, Tennessee still has five Top 100 RSCI and yet there is something to be considered. The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns have a player who can throw all sorts of wrenches into the best laid plans of Tennessee. Louisiana's Jordan Brown and their front court might have something to say.
Louisiana vs Tennessee Bets Giving Up 10.5 Points?
So, what is with Louisiana vs Tennessee bets where Tennessee is giving up 10.5 points? Again, the Cajuns had a three game hiccup late in the season then bounced back with five straight wins. That included getting their Sun Belt revenge against South Alabama. The difference in that game was Brown along with Terence Lewis. Themus Fulks, their point guard, sets up the offense brilliantly.
The Louisiana team plays at a different pace than Tennessee does now. Their forwards carry speed in their transition game which may put the Volunteers in foul trouble. Getting to the line will be vital for the Cajuns. Tennessee's defense predicates itself on keeping teams from the charity stripe. Now, will the forwards open up the guard play as far as the perimeter. Tennessee held teams to 26.2% from three-point range. Louisiana shoots at 37.9%. Do not be surprised to see some runs from the Cajuns.
There is more than a belief that Louisiana can keep this tilt close late. On the other hand, Tennessee is a traditional SEC power that still has talent. Expect the Cajuns to put up a fight, but ultimately lose in the closing minutes. There is just enough offense for Louisiana to stick around against a not as good Volunteers' squad.
What Is With The Under For This Contest?
Lastly, Louisiana vs Tennessee bets considers the under for this contest. This game saw the over shift several times. Be vigilant when it comes to this game. In a six hour period, this contest moved down to 135.5 points (was 137.5). Yes, the Cajuns score 78 points per game but few are expecting much above 60. Consequently, most expect Tennessee to struggle to wind up around 70.
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