The Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles aim to shock the basketball world when they face the ninth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers. ZenSports Tennessee sportsbook has the Vols favored heavily with a spread of -30 (-110).

When: November 6, 2023 at 6:30 PM ET

Where: Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee

Watch: SECN+|ESPN+

Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles Preview

The Golden Eagles capped off their 16-17 record season last year with a 89-82 overtime loss to the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks. This was back at the OVC championship, which would have granted the Golden Eagles a trip to the March Madness tournament.

Head coach John Pelphrey returns to the program with a 41-82 record, which is his worst among other schools he has coached at. Despite their losing record last season, the Golden Eagles finished second in the OVC with a 11-7 record in conference play.

Offensively, they did a solid job at scoring the ball with 73.7 points per game. This ranked them 131st in the nation (out of 363) for points averaged each contest. They had an efficiency rating of 103.5, ranking them 203rd in that regard.

On defense, it was not as appealing. They allowed teams to average 73.4 points per game, ranking 275th in the nation. Their efficiency on defense likely kept them from succeeding, as they ranked 217th with a rating of 103.1.

Tennessee Volunteers Preview

The Volunteers had a great season last year, but it ended abruptly when they faced the Florida Atlantic Owls in the Elite 8. This was a 62-55 outing, where the Owls scored 40 points in the second half to advance onto the next round. They now have a great opportunity to redeem themselves this season with a variety of positives to look at.

Rick Barnes is aiming for another title run with a quality team. He has yet to play for a championship, as his highest achievement was a Final Four appearance on his resume. The Vols went 25-11 (11-7 SEC) and finished the regular season ranked 20th.

They had some of the better stats among teams in the country last year, with a handful of returning players. They averaged 70.8 points per game, which ranked 196th. They also had an efficiency rating of 107.0, ranking 110th in the nation.

On top of that, their defense was excellent and was a key part of their success. They allowed teams to average 57.9 points per game, ranking third in the nation. Their efficiency on defense was even more impressive, as they had a rating of 87.6 that ranked first in the country.

Betting Odds

ZenSports offers compelling college basketball opportunities for bettors in Tennessee. At this time, the Tennessee Volunteers are heavily favored to find success to start their season. Market analysis indicates they have a 97.2 percent chance at success.

Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles

Spread: +30 (-110)

Tennessee Volunteers

Spread: -30 (-110)

Totals: Over 134.5 (-110), Under 134.5 (-110)

Photo Credit: © Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports