The Oklahoma Sooners will host the Tennessee Volunteers to begin a terrific day of college hoops. The Sooners, viewed as a team just inside the NCAA Tournament bubble, will look to capitalize on a home game against the fourth-ranked Volunteers, who are vying for a No. 1-seed in the Big Dance.
Check out our Tennessee vs. Oklahoma prediction of this intriguing SEC matchup. Can the tough defense of Tennessee corral a Sooners team scoring nearly 80 points a game? Will Oklahoma, led by star freshman point guard Jeremiah Fears, who is questionable, pull off the upset and spark a court-storming in Norman? Found out below.
Tennessee vs. Oklahoma Betting Preview
All Tennessee vs. Oklahoma odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025.
- Spread
Tennessee -5 - CSN Spread
Oklahoma -4 - Money line
Tennessee -218, Oklahoma +180 - Over/Under
138.5 - Game Time
Saturday, Feb. 8, 12 p.m. ET - Location
Lloyd Noble Center | Norman, OK - How To Watch
ESPN
The Sooners enter with a 16-6 record on the season, including 3-6 in the vaunted SEC. They’ve covered 50% of their games, but only four of nine in conference play. However, they’ve played better as of late, covering the spread in four of their last five outings.
An up-tempo team, 13 of Oklahoma’s 22 games have gone over the listed point total, with six of their nine conference games reaching that mark as well. Of their 12 home games, eight have gone over.
On the other hand, Tennessee brings a 19-4 record into Norman, all four losses coming in SEC play versus six victories. Similar to many top-ranked teams, the Volunteers cover at a relatively high rate; they’re 14-9 ATS. In 20 games as the favorite, they’ve covered 60% of the time.
Tennessee is a defensive-focused team, and that’s reflected in their over/under results. Only 9 of their 23 games have gone over the listed point total. A slightly higher percentage have gone over in conference games, as four of their 10 matchups have reached the over.
Tennessee vs. Oklahoma CSN Power Rankings Line
Surprisingly enough, our rankings metric has Oklahoma favored by -4. That’s likely a combination of their home court advantage as well as the Sooners’ four Quad 1 wins.
Additionally, our power rankings have Tennessee slotted much lower than their No. 4 spot in the AP Poll Top-25; we have them at No. 21. Oklahoma is at No. 46, yet favored in this matchup.
According to our metrics, the value lies in Oklahoma +5.
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Prediction for Tennessee vs. Oklahoma
Tennessee already has seven Quad 1 wins on their resume this season — a win against Oklahoma would be yet another. It won’t come without a fight, as the Sooners are a talented bunch and will have their fanbase behind them.
Freshman point guard Jeremiah Fears makes this Sooners team go. A fearless scorer at 15.9 ppg on 45.6% shooting, Fears also sets the table for others, leading the team with 4.2 apg. His impressive shot-making has fueled each of the Sooners’ three conference wins. But, he’s questionable with injury Saturday. If he can’t go, it’s a huge blow to the Sooners’ chances.
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Leading scorer, 6’7″ senior forward Jalon Moore pours in 17.9 ppg and grabs a team-leading 5.7 rpg. Fears’ backcourt mate, senior Duke Miles adds 10.5 ppg on excellent efficiency.
The Volunteers are led by point guard Zakai Ziegler, who, while scoring 12.7 ppg, dishes out 7.5 assists a night, good for fifth in the country. He’s also a pest on defense, evidenced by him being named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.
North Florida transfer and fifth-year senior Chaz Lanier has fit like a glove with this Tennessee squad, providing a scoring punch they badly need; his 17.5 ppg lead the team. Senior forward Igor Milicic Jr. does a little bit of everything for the Volunteers.
Fears or not, I expect this game to go under the listed point total of 138.5. Zeigler will be a pest on Sooners ball-handlers.
Although the Volunteers’ last game finished with a final score 85-81, that’s an anomaly based on their entire body of work. We’ll go with the numbers and take the under.
Similarly, I like Tennessee to cover the -5. They’ve covered in 60.9% of their games, making this another numbers play — closely backed up by the eye-test.
The Volunteers are simply the better team. They’ll be among the favorites to win the SEC tournament and with a strong finish to the season could claim a coveted No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
While Oklahoma could very well be a tournament team, they haven’t seemed to hit their peak yet. There’s a chance it could come against the Volunteers at home; but I’m betting against that very idea. I’ve got Tennessee leaving Norman with a double-digit victory.
Picks: Tennessee -5, Under 138.5
Prediction: Tennessee 73, Oklahoma 62
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