Tennessee Volunteers at College of Charleston Cougars
TD Bank Arena – Charleston, South Carolina
Wednesday, December 14, 2011, 9:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN2
Opening Line: Charleston -2 1/2
Current Line: Charleston -3
Opening Total: 144
Current Total: 144 1/2
Opening Money Line: Charleston -155 / Tennessee +135
Current Money Line: Charleston -165 / Tennessee +145
The Tennessee Volunteers are 3-5 this season under first year coach Cuonzo Martin but have played a difficult schedule so far. The Volunteers have lost 5 of the last 6 games after a 2-0 start. The Vols lost in Maui to Duke and Memphis and have losses at Oakland, and at home against Pitt and Austin Peay. All losses are by 10 points or less. Tennessee has wins over UNC-Greensboro, Louisiana-Monroe and Chaminade. The Volunteers try to snap their 3 game losing streak since returning to the mainland as they travel to Charleston to take on the 7-1 Cougars. College of Charleston is coached by Bobby Cremins. The only loss for the Cougars came in a tournament in the Bahamas to Central Florida. Charleston has wins over Clemson and UMass this season. Charleston leads the series 2-1 against Tennessee including a 91-78 win last season in Knoxville.
Tennessee was a 12 point favorite at home against Austin Peay last Saturday on the college basketball betting line. The Volunteers went on a 10-0 run late in the first half to take a 36-26 lead with 2:34 to go. Tennessee was up 37-30 at halftime, and were up by 11 points with 6:27 to go. At that point Tennessee had 42 points in the paint. Austin Peay then switched to a zone defense and Tennessee was unable to dominate in the paint as they had been. The Volunteers were up 68-62 with 4:40 to go, but only scored 2 points the rest of the way. The Governors took the lead with 16 seconds to go, and then hit two free throws after Tennessee failed to score on their possession. Austin Peay pulled off the 74-70 upset to win their second game of the season, and beat the Volunteers for the first time in 8 tries. The Governors shot 59.1% from the field including 5/8 from 3 point range. The Volunteers shot 46.7% from the field but were only 5/19 from 3 point range. AP was 17/22 on free throws, and Tennessee was 9/16 from the line. The Volunteers had 33 rebounds, including 18 offensive, along with 16 assists and 17 turnovers. The Governors had 23 rebounds, 15 assists, and 16 turnovers.
Tennessee is outscoring opponents 79-73. The Volunteers are shooting 47% from the field, including 40.2% from 3 point range. Tennesee makes 72.7% of their free throws. Tennessee average 37.4 rebounds, and has a rebounding margin of +4.1. The Volunteers average 15 assists, 13 turnovers, 6.4 steals, and 5 blocks a game. Tennessee opponents are shooting 45% from the field including 38.8% from 3 point range. The Volunteers force 11 turnovers a game.
Tennessee Guard Trae Golden averages 15.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists to lead the team. Jordan McCrae averages 13.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.3 steals a game to lead the team. Jeronne Maymon averages 13.8 points and 7.9 rebounds a game to lead the team. Cameron Tatum averages 10.3 points, 4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists a game. Golden, McCrae, and Tatum all shoot over 40% from beyond the arc. Kenny Hall leads the team in blocks with 1.1 a game.
The College of Charleston hasn’t played in 11 days as they took a break so the players could study for final exams. The Cougars were 12.5 point favorites two Saturdays ago at home against Chattanooga. The game was close throughout. Chattanooga was up 26-21 at halftime and were up 67-63 with 12 seconds to go. Charleston guard Andrew Lawrence did his best Reggie Miller impression reeling off 7 points in the last 13 seconds of regulation to force overtime at 68 apiece. Both teams struggled in the first overtime scoring 4 points a piece. The Cougars took an 86-82 lead with 9 seconds left in double overtime. The Mocs hit a 3 to pull within 1, and the Cougars made a free throw. Chattanooga missed a potential game winning shot at the buzzer making the final 87-85 Charleston. Charleston was 10/13 at the free throw line in the two overtime periods and Chattanooga was only 2/4 in overtime. Charleston was 23/31 for the game from the line. The Cougars were 26/68 shooting from the field, including 12/43 from 3 point range. The Mocs were 30/69 from the field, including 14/26 from 3 point range. Each team had 41 rebounds.
Charleston is outscoring opponents 76-68 this season. The Cougars are shooting 46.7% from the field, including 34.2% from 3 point range. Charleston makes 66.5% of their free throws. The Cougars average 35.9 rebounds a game, and have a rebounding margin of -2.7. Charleston averages 13 assists, 13.6 turnovers, 7.3 steals, and 3.6 blocks a game. Cougar opponents are shooting 41% from the field, including 31.1% from 3 point range. Charleston forces 15.3 turnovers a game.
Charleston forward Antwaine Wiggins averages 17.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.6 steals a game. Lawrence averages 13.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2 steals a game. He leads the team in assists and steals. Trent Wiederman averages 13.5 points, and 8.8 rebounds a game to lead the team. Anthony Stitt averages 10.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1 steal a game. Adjehi Baru leads the team in blocks with 1 a game.
Charleston is 4-3 against the spread this season and the total is 4-3 as well. Tennessee is 4-3 ATS and the total is 4-3 this season. The Volunteers are 4-1 ATS in Wednesday games, 5-2 as a road underdog of 6.5 points or less, 7-3 as a road underdog, 29-13-1 as an underdog of 6.5 points or less, 2-5 after a straight up loss, 1-4 on the road against teams with winning home records, 1-8 against teams with winning records, and 0-7 after failing to cover. The Cougars are 4-0 ATS against SEC teams, 6-2 after a straight up win, 8-3-1 as a home favorite, 5-2 as a home favorite of 6.5 points or less, 7-3 in Wednesday games, and overall, 11-5 after failing to cover, and 55-25 in non-conference games.
Tennessee has played a very difficult schedule so far, and isn’t as bad as their 3-5 record would indicate. The only inexcusable loss came to Austin Peay. Charleston is just the opposite. The Cougars are 7-1 but have played a relatively soft schedule so far. Tennessee can certainly pull off the mild upset, as they will look to avenge a loss last year at home to Charleston.
