March Madness - Final Four Preview? - Memphis vs. Tennessee

If you’re a fan of NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball, then Saturday’s game between the top-rated Memphis Tigers and the number-two-rated Tennessee Volunteers is one that you don’t want to miss. The Volunteers are currently 23-2, while Memphis is undefeated with a record of 25-0.

This will be the first 1-2 meeting since February of 2007, when No. 2 Ohio State defeated No. 1 Wisconsin by a score of 49-48. Since 1994, there have been six games played between the top two teams. In five of those games, the number two team won, so it‘ll be real interesting to see what kind of betting line is posted by a quality sportsbook like Bodog.

Tennessee had been ranked fourth, but losses by both Kansas and Duke allowed them to jump into the number two slot. It wasn’t easy, though, as the Vols almost fell on the road last Saturday against a fired-up Georgia squad (74-71).

But the pressure on Tennessee is nothing compared to what Memphis is experiencing. As the top-rated team in the nation, everyone is gunning for them.

On Saturday night, they took on UAB and were down by seven with only two minutes to go. But the Tigers showed why they deserve their ranking, erasing the deficit and taking the lead with 6.5 seconds left (courtesy of a Chris Douglas-Roberts three-point play). And even then, they has to wait for a final successful shot by UAB to be ruled after the buzzer, allowing the Tigers to pull off a 79-78 win.

Of course, both teams still have to get past their Wednesday night opponents. Memphis will be going on the road to take on Tulane, while Tennessee will be playing host to Auburn.

Regardless of who wins, expect both of these teams to be major players in the upcoming March Madness tournament. Tennessee got to the second round in 2006 and made the Sweet Sixteen last year. Memphis, on the other hand, has reached the Elite Eight for the last two years, even gong undefeated in conference play in 2007. Their overall record for the previous two seasons is an impressive 66-8.

For more March Madness….

March Madness - Top 25 Rankings

2007 NCAA Final Four Odds

March Madness - Final Four Preview? - Memphis vs. Tennessee