College Basketball Wednesday Night Betting: NC State Wolfpack at Tennesee Volunteers

NC State at Tennessee
Time: 7 PM ET, Dec 18, 2013
TV: ESPN U
Spread: TEN -7.5

Odds courtesy of Bovada

NC State is 7-2 and riding a five-game win streak but will find itself 7.5 point underdogs according to college basketball oddsmakers at Bovada, as the Wolfpack square off against a 6-3 tough SEC team in Tennessee.

The Wolfpack have had a soft run in the schedule which, and four of the five games were decided by 10 points or more, but following this game the team will face EKU and then No. 23 ranked Mizzou.

T.J. Warren has been phenomenal thus far for the Wolfpack. The 6’8″ sophomore forward is averaging 23.3 points per game and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 54.9 percent from the floor. He’s become the featured player in the offense and is taking nearly exactly twice as many shots as last season. As Warren goes, so go the Wolfpack: In the two games he has been under 20 points, the team has lost, against both Cincinnati and North Carolina Central.

Tennessee is coming off a 70-61 loss to Wichita State. Prior to that defeat, the Volunteers had won three straight over Xavier, Wake Forest and Tennessee Tech. Jordan McRae is the primary scorer on Tennessee and the 6’6″ senior is averaging 19.6 points per game this season on 46 percent shooting. He’s not been as accurate from behind the arc as last season, but the season is young. Last year, McRae knocked down 35.5 percent from distance and this year he’s at 32.7 percent.

Jarnell Stokes has been good down low for the Volunteers. The 6’8″ 260 pound junior forward is strong on the boards, leading the team with 9.3 rebounds per game. He also scores 14.1 per contest and picks up a block a game, as well. He may be a bit undersized for the next level of play, but he’s thriving at the college level.