South Carolina vs. Tennessee odds, score prediction: 2024 college basketball picks for March 5 by proven model

The fourth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers can move one step closer to claiming the outright SEC regular-season championship when they take on the 17th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks on Wednesday. The Volunteers (23-6, 13-3 SEC), who have won six in a row, can claim their first conference championship since the 2017-18 season with a victory. They own a one-game lead in the loss column entering the contest at Columbia, S.C. The Gamecocks (24-5, 12-4 SEC), who are looking to earn their first conference title since winning the SEC East in 2009, have won three in a row. Tennessee is 7-3 away from home, while South Carolina is 14-2 at home.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at Colonial Life Arena. Tennessee leads the all-time series 52-29, including an 18-17 edge in games played in Columbia. The Volunteers are 5.5-point favorites in the latest Tennessee vs. South Carolina odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 139.5. Before making any South Carolina vs. Tennessee picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 18 of the 2023-24 season on a 141-100 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It is also off to a sizzling 26-17 start on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Tennessee vs. South Carolina and revealed its CBB picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for South Carolina vs. Tennessee:

• Tennessee vs. South Carolina spread: Tennessee -5.5
• Tennessee vs. South Carolina over/under: 139.5 points
• Tennessee vs. South Carolina money line: Tennessee -226, South Carolina +185
• TEN: The Volunteers have hit the game total over in 9 of their last 14 away games (+3.50 units)
• SC: The Gamecocks have won 21 of their last 28 games (+19.75 units on ML)
• Tennessee vs. South Carolina picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why Tennessee can cover

Senior guard Dalton Knecht has started all 29 games this season and is averaging 20.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 29.6 minutes. He is in his first season with the program, after spending the past two years at Northern Colorado. In last week’s 92-84 win over Auburn, he poured in 39 points and had three steals. He registered his first double-double of the year in a 72-67 win at Missouri on Feb. 20. In that game, he scored 17 points, while grabbing 10 rebounds.

Junior forward Jonas Aidoo also helps lead the Volunteers. In 29 games, all starts, he is averaging 12.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and one assist per game. He has posted eight double-doubles in 2023-24, including a 29-point and 11-rebound effort in a 74-56 win over Georgia Southern on Dec. 12. He scored 12 points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked two shots in Saturday’s win at Alabama. See which team to pick here. 

Why South Carolina can cover

Junior guard Meechie Johnson has been red hot for the Gamecocks, scoring 20 or more points in each of the past two games. In Saturday’s win over Florida, he scored 25 points, while grabbing four rebounds, dishing out three assists and adding two steals. He had 22 points, five rebounds and three assists in a 70-68 win at Texas A&M on Feb. 28. In 28 games, all starts, Johnson is averaging 14.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, three assists and one steal. He is also draining 80.8% of his free-throw attempts.

Senior forward B.J. Mack, who is in his first season at South Carolina following one year at South Florida and three at Wofford, has started all 29 games for the Gamecocks. In 24.7 minutes, he is averaging 13.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds in the January win over the Volunteers. He has reached double-digit scoring in four of the past six games, including two 18-point performances with one of those being a near double-double, with nine rebounds against LSU on Feb. 17. See which team to pick here. 

How to make South Carolina vs. Tennessee picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 141 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time. You can see the picks at SportsLine.

So who wins Tennessee vs. South Carolina, and which side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets from a model that’s 26-17 on top-rated college basketball picks this season, and find out.