College Basketball Picks: Memphis Tigers vs. Tennessee Volunteers

Cuonzo Martin has compiled a dominating 21-4 record at home since taking over in Knoxville last year, which is important to consider when making your against-the-spread (ATS) Friday night, as the Tennessee Volunteers (8-3) take on the Memphis Tigers (9-3) at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Sports bettors will find that the Volunteers are two-point home favorites in the NCAA basketball betting odds (courtesy of SBR Forum), while the total has settled in at 129.

Martin has led the Volunteers to a perfect 6-0 home mark to start the 2012-13 season, as they've outscored opponents by an average of 13.2 points per game, while holding a plus-5.0 rebounding margin in that situation.

Let's take a closer look at this in-state rivalry from a betting perspective, while offering a prediction along the way. 

Memphis Tigers

The Memphis Tigers will be playing their first true road game of the 2012-13 college basketball season, which could drop them to 0-3 ATS when playing as underdogs this year.

Sports bettors will also find that the Tigers are 2-4 ATS as road underdogs of three points or less since the 2010-11 campaign.

Tennessee Volunteers

The Tennessee Volunteers are a defensive-minded squad, as they've held all 11 of their opponents to under 70 points per game.

Sports bettors will find that the Volunteers are 10-4 ATS at-home favorites of three points or less in their last 14 opportunities.

Prediction

I'm going to recommend that readers back the Tennessee Volunteers as one of their college basketball picks Friday night, as the Memphis Tigers are 2-4 ATS versus teams that allow 64 points or less this season.

College Basketball Pick: Tennessee Volunteers -2

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