Tennessee vs Kansas Basketball Prediction & Picks: Joy for the Jayhawks or victory for the Vols in Battle 4 Atlantis title tilt?

Two familiar foes will meet tonight in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game, as Rick Barnes and #22 Tennessee will face off with Bill Self and #3 Kansas at Imperial Arena in Nassau.

The two had plenty of head-to-head battles when Barnes was the head coach at Texas, so they are no strangers to tense matchups.

And this game shapes up to be another such encounter, with both teams going into the final after close wins in the semifinals.

Kansas looked like they had a win over Wisconsin in the bag, but the Badgers rallied from eight down inside the final four minutes to go up by three in the waning moments of regulation.

But Kevin McCullar Jr hit a three to force overtime, and after finding themselves behind again in the final seconds of the extra period, the champs were bailed out by a putback by Bobby Pettiford Jr.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!! pic.twitter.com/rK8V7c1NPa

— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) November 24, 2022

Tennessee didn’t have the same level of drama in their 73-66 win over USC, but they did require a late game-tying basket in regulation and an extra period to get past the Trojans.

How will tonight’s championship clash play out? Read on for my Tennessee vs Kansas prediction, along with the best I recommend for this matchup of ranked teams.

Tennessee Volunteers vs Kansas Jayhawks Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: #22 Tennessee Volunteers (4-1) vs #3 Kansas Jayhawks (6-0)
• Venue & Location: Imperial Arena (Nassau, Bahamas)
• Date: Friday, November 25, 2022
• Game Time: 7:30 pm ET
• How to Watch Tennessee vs Kansas: ESPN

Tennessee vs Kansas Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Friday, November 25, 2022, at 3:50 pm ET. This article may also include odds from our other recommended online sportsbooks.

Spread

• Tennessee -1.5 (-110)
• Kansas +1.5 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 132.5 (-105)
• Under 132.5 (-115)

Moneyline

• Tennessee -126
• Kansas +105

Can Defense Get It Done for the Vols?

After allowing just 45 points in a 26-point win over Butler in their opener in Nassau, the Vols produced a solid defensive effort in their win over the Trojans.

Another such effort will be needed tonight against the Jayhawks, who shot poorly against the Badgers but came up with big baskets when they needed them.

Both teams made 24 of 62 shots from the field (38.7 percent), but threes–Kansas made nine (in 29 attempts), while Wisconsin made six (in 19 attempts) –made a difference, and so did McCullar’s best game with his new team.

McCullar had 18 points, nine rebounds, and three assists and made three of his nine three-point attempts. That helped supplement another big game for Jalen Wilson, who had 29 points and 14 rebounds, and offset Gradey Dick’s performance, as the freshman fell short of double figures for the first time in college.

Wisconsin very nearly survived another standout performance by Wilson, who is now averaging 24.3 points per game, 11.3 points rebounds per game, and 3.3 assists per game.

Will it be another tough night offensively for the Jayhawks? Not only do the Vols need to keep Wilson and/or Dick in check, but they also need to avoid letting someone else beat them, which the Badgers failed to do.

Tennessee vs Kansas Prediction and Picks

Tennessee vs Kansas Prediction: Kansas to win

Tennessee vs Kansas Picks: Kansas ML (Best Value: +105 at BetOnline, BetUS & BetMGM) & Tennessee/Kansas under (Best Value: under 132.5 @ -110 at Bovada Sportsbook)

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