Texas vs. Tennessee: How to watch, odds, predictions from ESPN, KenPom

Texas and Tennessee are set to square off Saturday as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, and both teams will be looking for a big non-conference boost during the middle of league play. Both teams enter Saturday’s showdown ranked in the top 10 nationally.

How to watch Texas vs. Tennessee

Tip-off: 6 p.m. ET

Location: Knoxville, Tenn.

Channel: ESPN

Vegas odds

Tennessee is a 7.0-point favorite over Texas on Saturday, according to VegasInsider.

ESPN BPI prediction

Predicted winner: Tennessee

Predicted point differential: 11.1

Win probability (for Tennessee): 84.6%

Matchup quality: 84.5

ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) is a tool that measures team strength and uses that to predict outcomes of future performances. ESPN’s BPI has the game ranked as the 12th highest-rated game on Thursday’s slate in terms of matchup quality.

KenPom prediction

Predicted final score: Tennessee 72, Texas 64

Win probability (for Tennessee): 78%

More on Texas vs. Tennessee

Despite both teams being ranked in the current top 10 in the polls, most of the projections for this game have Tennessee as a sizable favorite. The Volunteers have played exceptionally well at home this year and enter Saturday’s meeting riding a three-game winning streak. Tennessee has also won eight of its last nine contests.

Texas, meanwhile, has had to deal with the midseason loss of coach Chris Beard following his arrest stemming from a domestic violence charge.

The Longhorns have managed to do quite well even so, and they enter Saturday’s game having won five of the last six, with the lone loss in that stretch to a ranked Iowa State squad. Texas is currently tied atop the Big 12 standings with a 6-2 league mark.

The two teams are slated for a 6 p.m. ET tip on ESPN and will surely have eyes around the country tuning into what should be a fine matchup.