Auburn Will Keep Pushing To Make NCAA Tournament

Auburn vs. Tennessee, 3:00 ET

We cracked the win column yesterday, which was a nice change from the debacle of Tuesday. As we inch closer and closer to the weekend, we will see better competition and better games. I'm personally excited about finally seeing a full slate of games, and I'm even more excited about getting the bigger names back on the hardwood. We don't have many top-ranked matchups today - there is one between Iowa State and Texas Tech, but we still get the intrigue of these conference tournaments. I'm most interested in this one between Auburn and Tennessee because I think we have a good chance to capture some money.

Auburn is going to be the most heavily debated team regarding if it goes into the NCAA Tournament or not. They are just 17-15 for the season, which isn't unheard of for getting into the tourney, but they are just 7-11 in the SEC. Sure, they've had to undergo some changes and adjustments this year, but it does make you wonder why people want this team in the field of 64 so badly. It isn't like they've been dominated by every ranked team they've played. For the season, the Tigers have had 11 games, so roughly a third of their games have been against ranked opponents. In those matchups, the team is 3-8. That doesn't exactly give me confidence that they are an elite team this year. They did beat Florida on the road, and they beat St. John's on a neutral court, so those were impressive and significant victories. Yesterday, they started their SEC Tournament launch by taking down Mississippi State with ease 79-61. Before you just dismiss the team, they played because last time the two teams met, Auburn lost by six on the road. 

Tennessee has been a bit volatile this season as well. They come into the game as the 25th-ranked team in the country and will make the NCAA Tournament regardless of what happens in this game or the Conference Tournament. For the season, the Volunteers ended 21-10. I was wrong about them in their last game as they took on Vanderbilt and lost at home. They also have lost three of their past four games which is rather concerning. A road loss to Missouri isn't terrible, but probably not a game they should've lost. Then they lost to Alabama at home, and the Vanderbilt game. To be fair, they lost all three games by a combined 10 points. That's not like they are getting blown out, and their last five losses overall have been by four or fewer points. 

In the one matchup between the two schools this season, Auburn lost 77-69 on the road to Tennessee. This game has a bit more significance. If Auburn can win, they make a better case for themselves getting into the Tournament. They are probably going to get bounced in the first round anyway, so I'm not sure how important this really is, but everyone wants to play in the Big Dance. I think the best action is to take the points with Auburn here. Given the way that Tennessee has played lately, they don't give you much confidence. Couple that with Auburn playing yesterday and being familiar with the arena, I think they cover the first half and the full game. If you only want to bet one, take the first half. 

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