Tennessee and Texas A&M are each coming off games where they had to overcome sluggish starts to win. The Volunteers found themselves down by 13 at halftime to Vanderbilt, while the Aggies fell behind early against a pedestrian Arkansas squad.
Because both of these teams struggle at times to score consistently, falling behind early on could be a death sentence. Find out who wins in our Tennessee vs. Texas A&M prediction. Which player — Chaz Lanier or Wade Taylor IV — will perform to par, propelling their team over the finish line?
Tennessee vs. Texas A&M Betting Preview
All Tennessee vs. Texas A&M odds are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are correct as of Friday, Feb. 21, 2025.
- Spread
Tennessee -1.5 - Moneyline
Tennessee -110, Texas A&M -110 - Over/Under
131.5 points - Game Time
Saturday, Feb. 22, 12:00 p.m. ET - Location
Reed Arena | College Station, Texas - How To Watch
ESPN
Each team has lost only one game in the month of February, as the Aggies are 20-6 with 9-4 conference record, while the Volunteers are 21-5 with a 8-5 conference record.
The most important factor in this contest is that Texas A&M is the home team. The Aggies are almost perfect at home this season with a 12-1 record. Meanwhile, the Volunteers are .500 on the road with a 4-4 record in those games.
The regular season title is out of reach for both squads, as Auburn has a two-game lead on the entire conference, but seeding in the SEC tournament could be pivotal in the outcome of this matchup.
Prediction for Tennessee vs. Texas A&M
This contest will not be a barnburner by any stretch of the imagination, as both teams average less than 75 points per game while shooting a subpar percentage from the field.
This will be a defensive battle and will be determined by which team wins and is able to control the glass and limit the opposing team’s second-chance points.
Texas A&M ranks 141st in the nation in field goal percentage (45.5%) while ranking 300th in free throw percentage (68.2%). It is hard to trust a team who cannot score efficiently, and when they get to the free throw line, can’t take advantage of those opportunities.
Tennessee struggles for portions to score, but it is a dominating team in the paint defensively, recording 5.3 blocks per game, ranking 12th in the country. Even if the Volunteers are struggling in the half-court offense, they can create quick points in transition following those disruptions on the other end.
As mentioned earlier, both teams possess one clear scorer, but it’s clear which supporting cast is more likely to contribute to the scoring column. Chaz Lanier averages 17.1 points per game for Tennessee, while shooting 41.1% from the field, while Wade Taylor IV averages 14.9 points, while shooting 36.9% from the field Texas A&M.
The deciphering factor is the supporting cast. The Volunteers boast three other players who average double-digit points (Zakai Zeigler 13 points, Igor Milicic 11 points, and Jordan Gainey 10.6 points).
Meanwhile, the Aggies only have one other reliable scorer in Zhuric Phelps, who averages 14.4 points per contest. It is a two-headed monster with Texas A&M, but will those two be able to overcome Tennessee’s length and size in the paint?
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Tennessee’s overall more consistent offensive production and probability of physically imposing its will on this game are the main reasons for leaning toward the Volunteers prevailing in the end.
The only argument for the Aggies that comes to mind is the fact that they have only lost one game at home this season. However, the eye test and how these teams match up against each other will be the telling story of this contest.
Prediction: Tennessee 70, Texas A&M 63
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