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Knoxville Regional betting preview: Can Tennessee keep its hot streak going?
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The Knoxville Regional will get underway on Friday afternoon with No. 1 overall seed Tennessee as the heavy favorite to advance.
The Vols secured the top-seed with its run to the SEC Tournament title over the weekend in Hoover. They’ve been one of the best teams in the country all season, but seem to be peaking at the right time.
Knoxville will host Southern Miss, Indiana and Northern Kentucky this week.
Here’s a look at the schedule and current betting odds for the Knoxville Regional:
Schedule for the Knoxville Regional (all times ET)
Friday, May 31
- Game 1 – 2 Southern Miss vs. 3 Indiana, 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
- Game 2 – 1 Tennessee vs. 4 Northern Kentucky, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)
Saturday, June 1
- Game 3 – Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, Noon (TBD)
- Game 4 – Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 6 p.m. (TBD)
Sunday, June 2
- Game 5 – Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4, Noon (TBD)
- Game 6 – Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 4, 6 p.m. (TBD)
Monday, June 3
- Game 7 (if necessary) – Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6, TBD (TBD)
Betting odds for Knoxville Regional
As the No. 1 overall seed, it should be no surprise that Tennessee is a big favorite this weekend. Here are the latest odds from ESPN BET:
- Tennessee: -260
- Southern Miss: +320
- Indiana: +700
- Northern Kentucky +5000
NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, MA, KS, KY, LA, TN, NC, CO, AZ, IA, IL, IN, MI, OH Must be 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Let’s break down all 4 of these teams in the Knoxville regional:
No. 1 Tennessee
The Vols swept both the SEC regular-season and Tournament titles, accomplishing that feat for the second time in 3 years. Tennessee now enters the NCAA Tournament as the favorite to win the national championship for the first time in program history.
The advanced metrics back up Tennessee’s dominant 50-11 record so far this season. The Vols hold the top spot on Sonny Moore’s power ratings by a considerable margin entering the start of the NCAA regionals.
Tennessee’s profile doesn’t have any obvious weaknesses. The Vols rank 2nd in slugging percentage and 4th in ERA, making them arguably the most complete team in the country.
No. 2 Southern Miss
On paper, Southern Miss is the biggest threat to Tennessee in this regional. The Golden Eagles are the No. 2 seed in this region and went 41-18 during the regular season. They are 26th in RPI entering the postseason, which is perhaps why they landed a No. 2 seed.
But from Tennessee’s perspective, this is a great draw. Southern Miss is ranked just 41st in Sonny Moore’s power ratings and does not have the kind of rotation that should scare Tennessee in a double-elimination format. The Golden Eagles ranked 54th nationally in ERA this season — and that’s not adjusting for the lower quality of competition in the Sun Belt.
No. 3 Indiana
Indiana barely squeaked into the Field of 64. The Hoosiers went 32-24-1 this season and 15-9 in the Big Ten en route to qualifying as one of the last four teams to make it into the NCAA Tournament.
IU is 55th in RPI and 53rd in Sonny Moore’s power ratings. This is another favorable draw for the top-seeded Volunteers. IU’s team ERA this season is 6.02, which ranks 148th nationally. The Hoosiers are a little bit more dangerous offensively, as they rank 73rd nationally with a slugging percentage of .483.
No. 4 Northern Kentucky
Northern Kentucky earned a spot in the field of 64 by winning the Horizon League Tournament. This will be its first-ever appearance in a NCAA regional.
The Norse are a typical No. 4 seed who qualified via winning their conference tournament, ranking 149th in both RPI and Sonny Moore’s power ratings. They are significant underdogs going into their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
Knoxville Regional picks
It’s difficult to go anywhere other than Tennessee here — especially with a price like -260 from ESPN BET. The Vols have been dominant all season and seem to be peaking at the right time. Their performance in Hoover was very impressive, especially from arms who are in the back end of their pitching staff.
If you want to bet against the Vols, the best price for Southern Miss appears to be at Caesars. The Golden Eagles are +425 at that shop. ESPN BET still has the best prices on Indiana and Northern Kentucky — +700 and +5000, respectively.
PICK: Tennessee to win the Knoxville regional (-260 at ESPN BET)
NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, MA, KS, KY, LA, TN, NC, CO, AZ, IA, IL, IN, MI, OH Must be 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
