Senior guard Santiago Vescovi leads the Vols in minutes (32.5 per game) and scoring (12.8), and there's uncertainty about his status Tuesday night at Texas A&M, according to people close to the program. Even if he plays, I like the Aggies to improve on their 7-0 SEC home record. The Vols have lost three straight road games and already were dealing with injuries to Josiah-Jordan James and Julian Phillips. Texas A&M, which got snubbed by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee last year, is on a mission to stay off the bubble. Back the Aggies to cover their sixth straight.

Tennessee has lost four of six and can't win the SEC regular-season title -- Texas A&M can. Apparently it's a basketball school now even though FB coach Jimbo Fisher makes more money than Judge Judy. The Aggies have won five straight (5-0 ATS) and are 13-1 at home. Their 12-2 SEC record marks the program's best conference start after 14 games since joining the league. Texas A&M is a SEC-best 19-3 in its last 22 games against SEC opponents (includes SEC tourney). Over his past four games, Wade Taylor IV is averaging 21.0 points while hitting 53.6% of his 3-point tries and shooting 90% from the free-throw line (27-for-30). For UT, Josiah-Jordan James and Julian Phillips have both missed the past few games injured and are in doubt again. There are some internet rumors that leading scorer Santiago Vescovi is in doubt tonight, too, due to an illness and that would be huge and increase this spread -- but nothing official. I like A&M regardless but will jump now in case that's true.

Since Jan. 1, Texas A&M has been one of the top teams not just in the SEC but in the entire country. The Aggies are 12-2 in the span, thanks to significant improvements on the defensive end and elite offensive rebounding. This is simply a different team from the one that was barely above .500 on Christmas Day, and the power rating hasn't caught up. Texas A&M has covered the spread in five straight games and is 11-4 ATS in its last 15. This is an extremely tough spot for Tennessee to try and bounce back, as I see Buzz Williams and Texas A&M picking up a key win for its NCAA Tournament profile.