IBTIT: Tennessee Vols vs. Miami Hurricanes Basketball Preview 2024

It's Basketball Time in NYC

Recently

Tennessee (#1 AP, #1 Coaches’, 8-0, 0-0 SEC) is off to a tremendous start in the 2024-25 season. While the competition hasn’t been particularly great, the Vols have beaten all comers with relative ease. A 15-point win over Kenpom #23 Baylor has been the closest contest so far, with a trip to #17 Illinois on the docket this weekend, and SEC play looming in the new year.

Meanwhile Miami (NR, 3-6, 0-1 ACC) saw their season hit the skids quickly. After starting the season 3-0 (against teams all ranked in the 300s) the Hurricanes have lost six in a row. Granted, the competition has been stiff, with five of the six losses coming against NCAA tournament contenders, and most of them being games decided by single-digits. There is, however, a loss against Charleston Southern in there as well, which is a little harder to explain away.

Previously on Vols vs. ‘Canes

Tennessee has a 3-1 lead in the all-time series against Miami, but the two teams haven’t met since 1996, a 78-65 Vols win in Knoxville. The more relevant history here is probably UT’s history with Madison Square Garden, where Tuesday’s game will be played as part of the Jimmy V Classic. Tennessee has had some rough outings in MSG, including a loss to Indiana in the 1985 NIT, a 55-62 loss to FAU in the NCAA tournament 3rd round in 2023, and a 52-57 overtime loss to Texas Tech in the 2021 Jimmy V Classic, a game remembered for horrendous shooting by both teams—a combined 10 of 62 from three, for example, and not much better from two.

Matchup Stats

Prediction

Vegas has the Vols at -16.5, Kenpom has it at -15. Barring another night of MSG putting a lid on the basket, Tennessee should cover that easily. However, knowing UT’s history in that building, don’t be suprised if it’s closer than it should be. Still, I’m going Tennessee 79, Miami 62.