The 2025 SEC Tournament kicks off on Wednesday with Vanderbilt Commodores, seeded No. 12, facing off against the No. 13 seed Texas Longhorns in their first-round matchup. The winner will proceed to face No. 5 seed Texas A&M on Thursday.

Vanderbilt enters the tournament with an overall record of 20-11 and 8-10 in SEC play, while Texas has a record of 17-14 with 6-12 in the conference. In their only matchup this season, Vanderbilt triumphed over Texas, 86-78, at home on February 8.

The tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 PM ET at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN, with Vanderbilt favored by 2.5 points and an over/under total of 148.5 points according to SportsLine consensus. Before placing any bets, you should check out the SportsLine model’s predictions.

“The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game, generating game outcomes and providing betting lines based on statistical analyses.”

Key betting lines:

• Texas vs. Vanderbilt spread: Vanderbilt -2.5
• Texas vs. Vanderbilt over/under: 148.5 points
• Texas vs. Vanderbilt money line: Vanderbilt -141, Texas +118
• TEX: The Over has hit in nine of the last ten Longhorns games.
• VAN: Vanderbilt is 12-5 against the spread (ATS) as a favorite this season.

Why Texas Can Cover

The Longhorns have consistently shown strength, making four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. They are led by Tre Johnson, noted as one of the most exciting freshmen across the nation, contributing significant points and playmaking ability.

Why Vanderbilt Can Cover

As a key competitor in the NCAA tournament scene, Vanderbilt must secure a win against Texas to solidify their position in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Under the guidance of coach Mark Byington, they have shown they can compete with ranked teams, claiming recent victories.

How to Make Picks

The model has estimated the matchup, providing insights into the outcomes. To see which side of the spread is likely to hit, and to gain more in-depth analysis, check out SportsLine.