NCAAB Conference Tournament Week Best Bets: Tennessee Ends Texas Run in SEC
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Willie Bee
- March 14, 2025
Top NCAAB Pick: Texas +10 (-115) at Bookmaker (visit our Bookmaker Review)
Buzzer beaters and upsets have already been a big part of conference tourney week, but will that continue Friday when the SEC and the Big Ten each head into their quarterfinals? Note all times posted are approximate, meaning bettors who like to cut it close to tip need to stay alert.
Let’s break down the NCAA Basketball odds, key trends, and expert analysis to help you cash in. And don’t miss out on your chance to win big in the $5,000 March Madness contest, sponsored by bet105.
Texas Longhorns vs. Tennessee Volunteers
Friday, March 14, 2025 – 03:30 PM ET at Bridgestone Arena
Just reaching the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament might be enough for Texas to sneak into the NCAA Tournament, but Rodney Terry and the Longhorns would like to make sure with yet another upset win over the Florida Gators.
The Gators have been anointed as favorites of 9½-10 by top sportsbooks, with 135-135½ showing up for the scoreboard target.
Vols Have Won Last 3 Meetings
Texas beat Vanderbilt in the tournament opener, a mild upset as a small underdog since the Commodores had homecourt advantage on the Nashville hardwood. The Longhorns then topped the rival Aggies 94-89 on Thursday in an exhausting double-overtime thriller.
It has been about two months since Tennessee beat Texas 74-70 in Austin. The Volunteers were still ranked No. 1 at the time but coming off an upset loss at Florida four days earlier, and the Longhorns just managed to cover the defeat as 4½-5 point underdogs.
The two also met in a Round of 32 clash last March in Charlotte where Tennessee posted a 62-58 decision as the No. 2 seed in the Midwest against a Texas team seeded 7th.
There’s a lot for the Longhorns to keep playing for today, but taking the floor for a third consecutive day is going to make it tough, especially after such a physical overtime game on Thursday. Don’t expect Texas to win, but the Longhorns will stay inside the number.
NCAAB Pick: Texas +10 (-115) at Bookmaker
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Maryland Terrapins
Friday, March 14, 2025 – 06:30 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Illinois exploded with 106 points to advance to the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament, but the Fighting Illini will be facing a much tougher Maryland defense on Friday, and BetOnline is expecting a tight contest with the Terrapins favored by less than a bucket.
Illini on 5-1 O/U Run
A 3-game losing skid in February might have been a real wakeup for the Fighting Illini. Since being blown out by Duke a little more than two weeks ago, Illinois has reeled off four consecutive wins, the latest a 106-94 win over Iowa on Thursday.
The Fighting Illini saw each of their starting 5 reach double-digits in the scoring column, and shot nearly 54% while canning 12-of-26 from beyond the arc. The contest topped the 165-point total on NCAAB odds boards with more than 7 minutes remaining on the clock.
Terps Have Won 3 of Last 4 Meetings
A January trip to Champaign proved most enjoyable for Kevin Willard and the Terrapins. Closing as a 6½-point underdog, Maryland bolted to an early lead and cruised to a 91-70 decision behind Julian Reese’s double-double (27 pts, 17 reb).
That victory gave the Terrapins a 16-8 advantage in the relatively young rivalry with the Fighting Illini, and sent ‘over’ bettors back to collect for a third consecutive time. Maryland will increase that series lead to 17-8 on Friday with a win and cover.
NCAAB Pick: Maryland -1 (-115) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Kentucky Wildcats vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
Friday, March 14, 2025 – 09:30 PM ET at Bridgestone Arena
About half an hour after Tennessee and Texas are done, that sea of orange in the stands will shift to a mixture of crimson and blue when Alabama and Kentucky hit the Music City floor. This game will cap SEC action for the day, and the Crimson Tide are favored by 6.
Tide Swept Regular Season Meetings
One of this week’s buzzer beaters belongs to Kentucky with an 85-84 win over Oklahoma on Thursday. The Wildcats were favored by 6½ and appeared to have the victory and the cover in hand with a 77-65 lead with 4:31 remaining on the clock.
The Sooners caught fire, however, to take an 84-83 lead with just under 6 ticks left. A driving layup by Otega Oweh saved Kentucky from embarrassment.
Alabama, seeded third in this event, was ranked No. 4 in both wins over Kentucky during the regular season. The Crimson Tide covered as small underdogs in a 102-97 win in Lexington in mid-January, and also beat the double-digit chalk in Tuscaloosa about five weeks later with a 96-83 decision.
The total for this meeting is right where the previous two were set, and the results split. The pick in the third clash is for the two old rivals to just stay ‘under’ the mark.
NCAAB Pick: Under 180 (-108) at Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
