Texas vs Tennessee Prediction 3/14/25 College Basketball Picks

The Texas Longhorns and the Tennessee Volunteers meet Friday in SEC Tournament college basketball action from Bridgestone Arena. Here’s a Texas vs Tennessee prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Texas vs Tennessee pick. We will examine: 

The Texas Longhorns recent form and player performance

The Tennessee Volunteers recent form and player performance 

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Texas Longhorns

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Tennessee Volunteers

Recent betting trends in games played between Texas and Tennessee

A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Texas vs Tennessee game

Texas Longhorns Betting Preview

The Longhorns began the season on a nice clip, but they’ve struggled since the calendar flipped to 2025. Texas opened on an 11-2 run, then fell to Texas A&M, Auburn, Tennessee and Florida in the next five games. A 3-1 stretch with wins over Missouri, Texas A&M and LSU came next, then losses to Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Alabama, South Carolina, Arkansas and Georgia in the next seven. Since then it’s been another 3-1 run with wins over Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M. That gives the Longhorns an overall record of 19-14 through 33 games this year. 

On Thursday versus Texas A&M, the Longhorns had a real battle on their hands. Texas had to fight through two overtime periods but eventually emerged victorious 94-89. All five starters finished in double-digits, including team leader Tre Johnson with 20 points, two rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block. Chendall Weaver led the bench scoring with 10 points and one rebound as well. 

Tennessee Volunteers Betting Preview

Over on the Vols’ side, they had a bit of a rough run going in January but outside of that it’s been a great year overall. Tennessee kicked things off on a 14-0 run, then hit a 3-4 stretch that featured losses to Florida, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Kentucky amid wins over Texas, Georgia and Mississippi State. Since then it’s been losses to Kentucky and Ole Miss amid wins over Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, LSU, Alabama and South Carolina. That gives the Volunteers a 25-6 overall record across 31 games so far this season. 

In the South Carolina matchup last weekend, the Vols kicked off the first half with a 34-34 tie. Tennessee hit the gas in the second on a 41-31 stretch and took the win in the end 75-65. Topping the scorers was Chaz Lanier with 23 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Cade Phillips added 15 points with four rebounds off the bench, and Igor Milicic had 13 points with five rebounds and two steals in the win. 

Why the Tennessee Volunteers will win

• Tennessee has won each of its last six day games.
• Texas has lost 10 of its last 11 games against Top 10 AP-ranked opponents.
• Tennessee has won the first half in eight of its last nine games at Bridgestone Arena against non-AP-ranked opponents.

Why the Texas Longhorns will win

• Texas has won 14 of its last 16 day games played at neutral venues.
• Tennessee has lost four of its last five games at Bridgestone Arena.

Total Points Facts

• Each of Texas’ last 14 games have produced a total of 139+ points.
• Each of Tennessee’s last four day games against Conference opponents have produced a total of 140+ points.

Matchup/League Facts

• Tennessee ranks 7th among Division 1 teams for opponent points per game this season (61.9).
• Tennessee ranks 10th among Division 1 teams for opponent field goals made per game this season (21.5).
• Texas ranks T48th among Division 1 teams for opponent steals per game this season (5.8).

Texas vs Tennessee Prediction 

I’ll likely stay with Tennessee here. The Volunteers could use a faster start than they got last weekend in their win over a struggling South Carolina team, though. Tennessee ended up doing pretty well in that one on 54.5 percent shooting and just eight turnovers. That said, the Vols also went just 9-of-21 (42.9 percent) from the line and got out-rebounded 11-8 on the offensive glass. Still, it was a nice bounce-back after the road loss to Ole Miss. 

These teams last met back on January 11 in a 74-70 road win for the Volunteers. Tennessee shot a solid 44.6 percent from the field in that one with a 41-27 rebounding edge, but also coughed up 15 turnovers for 21 Texas points. The Vols were just okay from the line (14-of-20 for 70 percent) and held Texas to a tepid 41.9 percent shooting from the field on the other side during the victory. In this rematch if Tennessee can keep the mistakes in check and get closer to the 80-percent mark on free throws I think the Vols will power right through this one.