The Tennessee Volunteers take on the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, GA. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Georgia is favored by 1.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -130. The total is set at 157.5 points.
Here’s my Tennessee vs. Georgia predictions and college basketball picks for January 28, 2026.
Tennessee vs Georgia Prediction
My Pick: Tennessee ML +110 (Play to -105)
My Tennessee vs Georgia best bet is on the Volunteers to win outright. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Tennessee vs. Georgia Odds
| Tennessee Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -105 | 157.5 -115 / -105 | +110 |
| Georgia Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -115 | 157.5 -115 / -105 | -130 |
- Tennessee vs Georgia spread: Georgia -1.5
- Tennessee vs Georgia over/under: 157.5 points
- Tennessee vs Georgia moneyline: Tennessee +110, Georgia -130
Tennessee vs Georgia College Basketball Betting Preview
Tennessee Basketball
Tennessee comes in having alternated wins and losses since the turn of the 2026 calendar year, which has caused the Vols to fall out of the AP Top 25 rankings for the first time in five years.
The Volunteers have put together a nice body of work this season, but they've been far too inconsistent on both ends of the floor to be taken seriously as a national title contender in 2026.
They were blown out embarrassingly against Florida two weeks ago and lost to Kentucky at home 10 days ago. Sprinkled in were a couple of close wins that could've gone either way.
Their calling card for years has been intense and relentless defense, and while Tennessee ranks 14th in overall defense this season, according to the latest KenPom rankings, it hasn't been outside the top five since 2021.
By all measure, this is still an exquisite defense, just a little less effective in the paint. Also, we haven’t seen as many turnovers forced as we're accustomed to.
Offensively, the Vols crash the glass as well as any team in the country. Tennessee thrives when it comes to second-chance opportunities and getting to the line. Ja’Kobi Gillespie leads the team in scoring, averaging 18.8 points per game, while Nate Ament averages 16.2 points per contest.
There are no other Vols who score in double figures this season, but the bench runs deep, as Rick Barnes plays 12 players at least 10 minutes.
This isn't a strong 3-point shooting team, but Jaylen Carey and J.P. Estrella provide solid play in the paint, where Tennessee often can overwhelm its opponent.
Georgia Basketball
Georgia is putting together quite the resume to present to the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, as the Bulldogs sit at 16-4 and are a projected eight-seed in the Big Dance.
Jeremiah Wilkinson leads the scoring efforts while averaging 17.6 points per game, and Blue Cain is averaging 13.6. Five Bulldogs average at least 9.8 points overall, and the offensive system is free-flowing and fun to watch. Mike White has this group playing fast and scoring a ton of points.
The defense had been impressive in the non-conference, but it's middle of the road overall, per SEC standards.
Georgia has a propensity to give up a ton of second-chance opportunities on the offensive glass – something to watch against Tennessee on Wednesday.
The on-ball pressure can create some turnovers, something Tennessee has struggled with.
This should be a fun game and a real chess match between these two coaches.
Tennessee vs. Georgia Betting Analysis
This line opened Tennessee -1 and has quickly flipped to Georgia being a 1.5-point home favorite with a total posted at 157.5. I'm going to take Tennessee on the moneyline here.
Tennessee is the No. 1 offensive rebounding team in the country, collecting 44% of its missed shots, which will create a ton of second-chance opportunities in this game.
Georgia struggles with surrendering offensive boards and second-chance opportunities, ranking 307th nationally in offensive rebound rate allowed. I don't think Georgia is going to be able to keep Tennessee off the glass or the foul line in this one.
Tennessee is getting to the line at the highest rate of any team in the SEC, and I do have concerns about Somto Cyril and Kanon Catchings staying out of foul trouble.
When the bigs get into foul trouble and play limited minutes as a result, Georgia gets eaten alive on the glass and just has no answer for the athletes it faces in the SEC.
We saw that play out against Florida, Ole Miss and Texas in recent Bulldog losses, and there's a real possibility that we see that play out here.
Tennessee just came off a gritty win on the road at Alabama on Saturday, a season-trajectory-altering victory. I believe Tennessee rides the momentum of that and starts to play better basketball on both ends of the floor.
I like Tennessee to win this game outright, and I don’t mind grabbing the Vols at “plus money."
In fact, our Action PRO projections have this ML at -106. That gives us some quality value at the current number, as of writing, and with the grade sitting at B-, it confirms the bet in my mind.
My Pick: Tennessee ML +110 (Play to -105)
