No. 12 Tennessee vs. North Carolina State: How To Watch, Betting Odds, Complete Preview

Tennessee basketball heads on the road Saturday following a three-game home stand and for the last time before conference play begins when they face North Carolina State in San Antonio on Saturday night.

The Vols have won three straight games including last week’s matchup against Illinois. Tennessee is looking to win its final non conference challenge of the season in the neutral site showdown.

Here’s everything to know about the matchup.

More From RTI: Jonas Aidoo A ‘Development Success Story’ For Tennessee Basketball

How to Watch – No. 12 Tennessee (7-3) vs. North Carolina State (7-2)

• Start Time: 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT
• Location: Frost Bank Center
• TV: ESPN2. PxP: Kevin Fitzgerald. CC: Carolyn Peck
• Online Streaming: Watch ESPN
• Radio (Knoxville): The Vol Network/The Vol Network App

Betting Lines

Draft Kings

Tennessee -8.5 North Carolina State

Over/Under: 146.5

KenPom

Tennessee -9 North Carolina State

Over/Under: 147

What Rick Barnes Said About The Wolfpack

On the scouting report for N.C. State DJ Burns, who started his career at Tennessee

“D.J. can score. We knew that when we recruited him. And a guy that, he’s got a really a soft touch around the basket. He can shoot the ball really out to 15 feet and obviously he’ll work hard to get his space where he wants it. And he’ll get it outside, around the 3-point line if he needs to, he’ll kind of crab dribble back down there to get to his position. I think he really understands where he’s effective on the court and he tries hard to get there.”

On how DJ Burns is similar and different now compared to his time at Tennessee

“I think the biggest thing when we recruited D(.J.), and he has a wonderful family, and D.J. came in at a time when our big deal with him was to get him in great shape. But in terms of his game, I think what he’s doing is what we thought he would be able to do. And he’s, you think about, uh, once he left here, he did a good job at Winthrop and he’s now at NC State playing, I think the most minutes he’s ever played. I think he’s playing around 28 minutes a game, which is great. I think obviously that’s how much Coach Keats wants him on the court. But he’s worked hard to get himself to that position.”

Probable Starters

Tennessee (via UT Game Notes)

Team Statistics (via Sports Reference)

Tennessee:

North Carolina State:

Stat Leaders

Tennessee:

Points: Dalton Knecht — 18 PPG, 48.1 FG%, 38.8 3PT%

Rebounds: Jonas Aidoo — 7.5 RPG, 5.2 DRPG, 2.3 ORPG

Assists: Zakai Zeigler — 4.2 APG, 2.2 TOPG, 23.4 MPG

North Carolina State:

Points: Jayden Taylor — 14.7 PPG, 47.3 FG%, 47.5 3PT%

Rebounds: Mohamed Diarra — 6.9 RPG, 5.3 DRPG, 1.6 ORPG

Assists: DJ Horne — 2.7 APG, 0.3 TOPG, 30.2 MPG

Last Five Games

Tennessee:

• 74-56 win versus Georgia Southern
• 86-79 win versus Illinois
• 87-66 win versus George Mason
• 100-92 loss at North Carolina
• 69-60 loss against Kansas (Maui Invitational)

North Carolina State:

• 81-67 win versus UT-Martin
• 93-61 win versus Maryland-Eastern Shore
• 84-78 (OT) win at Boston College
• 72-52 loss at Ole Miss
• 95-86 loss against BYU (Las Vegas)

Prediction

Tennessee faces North Carolina State in its final non conference test of the season. If the Vols get past North Carolina State, they’ll almost certainly enter SEC play on a six-game winning streak.

The Wolfpack is a bubble team at best and the way they have success offensively makes me skeptical that they’ll be able to score consistently against Tennessee. North Carolina State doesn’t move the ball at a high-level and power forward DJ Burns Jr. is a go-to scoring option.

Jonas Aidoo is a bad matchup for Burns and I expect the junior to continue to his recent strong play against the Wolfpack. Tennessee wins this one in a relatively low scoring affair.

Tennessee 76, North Carolina State 65