NCAA Tournament: Tennessee vs FAU, Lines, Prediction, & Start Time

As the East region moves to Madison Square Garden, the intensity follows suit. While there’s no clear favorite to win the region, both Tennessee and FAU have an excellent chance if they can come away with a victory on Thursday night. These two teams share similar styles of play, and it will be intriguing to see which team can capitalize on their strengths and outperform their opponent. 

Despite ending the regular season on a low note, the Volunteers have been nothing but impressive in the tournament, playing like a top ten team and title contender. They faced some early struggles against Louisiana in the first round but finished strong to win 58-55. In what was supposed to be a close contest against fifth-seeded Duke, Tennessee dominated the second half with its lock-down defense and quick transition offense, winning 65-52.

Tennessee boasts one of the best, if not the best, defense in the country, with the nation’s highest defensive rating, third-fewest points allowed (57.8), the best three-point shooting defense (26%), and the third-best field goal defense (37%). Although their offensive statistics are not as strong as their defensive ones, they still hold their ground. The Volunteers, who are currently +1500 to win it all, are 22-0 this season when allowing less than 60 points, a recipe for success that could lead them far into March.

FAU entered the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country, having one of the best overall seasons with 32 wins (second-most in the nation). They continued their dominance in the tournament, winning a close game against red-hot Memphis 66-65 in the first round. Rather than facing the first-seeded Purdue, they played the 16th-seeded Fairleigh Dickenson in the second round, winning 78-70 and advancing to the Sweet 16.

The Owls are an experienced and well-rounded team, with 82.1% of their scoring coming from returning players who understand the system and know what it takes to win games. They rank in the top 20 in both offensive and defensive rating, with solid performances on both sides of the ball through two games. They held high-scoring Memphis to only 65 points and will need another strong showing to slow down Tennessee. They will also need their leading scorer, Johnell Davis, to continue his excellent performance in the tournament to break down the Volunteers’ defense. Davis had a remarkable second-round game, setting records with 29 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals.

While FAU has played well and exceeded expectations thus far, Tennessee is on a different tier. With the way they are defending, rebounding, and scoring, Tennessee should win this game and cover the -5.5 point spread.