South Carolina vs Tennessee Basketball Predictions, Odds and Picks - Jan. 30

South Carolina vs Tennessee Basketball Predictions, Odds and Picks - Jan. 30 | College Basketball Season 2023-24

Modified Jan 30, 2024 04:22 GMT

Tennessee v Vanderbilt - the Vols meet South Carolina next

South Carolina and Tennessee are third and second, respectively, in the SEC right now, which means that this game could get quite interesting. The 15-4 Vols (5-1 conf) and 17-3 Gamecocks (5-2 conf) will clash on Tuesday, Jan.30, to see who gets to keep their position in the top three.

The two teams are going to put their winning streaks on the line to see who folds first. South Carolina has won three straight games while Tennessee has won four, but one could say the Vols have had the better-looking streak in terms of per-game performance. They outscored their last four opponents by an average of 17 points, while the Gamecocks' three wins look more modest.

South Carolina vs Tennessee Prediction

The Gamecocks have the best defense in the SEC (64.5 points allowed, 41.1% FG allowed), bannered by guard Meechie Johnson and forward BJ Mack. But if the Vols' last five games are any indication, South Carolina is going to have its hands full trying to stop just one guy: senior guard and sharpshooter Dalton Knecht.

As one of the best three-point shooters in the nation this year, Knecht has averaged 32 points in his last five games. This includes a 39-point explosion against Florida, where he dropped four treys and went 13-for-23 from the field. Even if he struggled in the next game against Alabama, Knecht still scored 25 points and only turned the ball over once every game during his five-game run.

If the Gamecocks can find a way to chase Knecht off the perimeter and force him to drive or pass, they have a great chance to win this game. But Knecht is far from the only guy on Tennessee's squad that can do damage.

Forward Jonas Aidoo is an effective inside scorer both off the catch and off the dribble. He also isn't afraid to bang down low, as he's averaging 7.5 rebounds; almost three of those being offensive boards.

South Carolina vs Tennessee Betting Odds

TEAM	SPREAD	TOTAL	MONEYLINE
SOUTH CAROLINA	+13.5 (-106)	137.5 (-102o / -120u)	+760
TENNESSEE	-13.5 (-114)	137.5 (-102o / -120u)	-1300

South Carolina vs Tennessee Head-to-Head

In the 80 meetings on the hardwood featuring South Carolina vs Tennessee, the Vols handily lead the Gamecocks 52-28. Not only that, they've also been extremely good playing against South Carolina in Knoxville, with a 31-9 record at home.

The last matchup between the two teams was not close as well. Back on February 25 of last year, Tennessee handed South Carolina a planet-sized black eye, winning 85-45. In that game, the Vols outscored the Gamecocks 47-19 in the second half and blew the game wide open after a hot 38-26 start. Josiah-Jordan James logged 18 points on 7-11 shooting, with four threes.