LSU vs. Tennessee Pick Center

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SPREAD

TOTAL

LSU

+384

+9
(-105)

O 142.5
(-110)

Tennessee

-500

-9
(-115)

U 142.5
(-110)

NCAAB

FINAL (1/31/2018)

Time: 6:30 PM EST No. 18 Tennessee appears to be finding its stride and LSU is in turmoil. The two SEC programs, which are headed in opposite directions, collide Wednesday in Knoxville, Tenn. LSU coach Will Wade announced Monday that forwards Galen Alexander and Mayan Kiir had been dismissed from the team, and forward Wayde Sims and guard Brandon Rachal would be suspended for Wednesday's game against Tennessee." They made a mistake," Wade told reporters. "They made a mistake that young people make. I think they both regret it." I don't want to put words in their mouths, but they're good kids. They're good people. They just made a mistake just like everybody else, probably everybody in this room in college made a mistake." Wade did not elaborate on the mistakes that were made. The suspensions leave the Tigers with only seven scholarship players Wednesday against the streaking Volunteers. Tennessee (15-5, 5-3 SEC) has won three in a row and six of seven overall. The Vols are coming off an impressive 68-45 rout of Iowa State in the Big 12-SEC Challenge. Lamonte Turner and James Daniel III combined for 36 points off the bench, and Tennessee's defense stymied the Cyclones' offense." We played like we try to play in terms of our defense," Tennessee coach Rick Barnes told reporters after the game. The Vols are built around their inside tandem of Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield, but Turner has been making significant contributions for Tennessee off the bench. Williams leads the Volunteers in scoring (16.2) and rebounding (6.4). Schofield (12.7, 5.9) is second in both categories. Turner has scored 20 or more in two of his last three games and is earning more minutes through his effort on the defensive end of the floor." I think Lamonte has played well because he has put more thought into his defense," Barnes said at Monday's press conference. "When he starts thinking totally offense, his minutes will go back to what they were. He has really worked really well on the defensive end in the last 10 days." He has really tried to re-create himself. We know he can score and that he's competitive, but there has been games where he hasn't been as sharp as he needed to be defensively. The last couple weeks he has. If he will continue to do that, he will keep getting better and better as a player." With the suspensions, LSU will rely even more heavily on freshman guard Tremont Waters. He's averaging a team-high 15.2 points and 5.8 assists." Tremont Waters' numbers as a freshman are as impressive as anyone in the league," Barnes said. "He gives his team a great deal of confidence and plays a lot of minutes. I think they've got a pretty good punch there. They're capable and we know that." There are not just two guys we have to get ready for. There's a team of guys. Looking at those two guys, their numbers are as impressive as any two in the league." LSU has won the last two meetings with Tennessee, which can match last season's win total with a victory.