Louisiana vs. Tennessee picks, predictions: Who wins NCAA Tournament first-round game?

No. 13 seed Louisiana and No. 4 seed Tennessee face off on Thursday in an NCAA Tournament first-round game.

The game is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. MST and can be seen on CBS.

Who will win the game?

Check out these picks and predictions for the contest.

Tennessee is a 10.5-point favorite in the game, according to Tipico Sportsbook.

FanDuel: Tennessee 70, Louisiana 64

Devon Platana writes: "With Louisiana playing in a weaker conference, it isn't used to dealing with an elite defense like Tennessee's unit. The Volunteers are a top-three team when it comes to points, field-goal percentage and three-point percentage allowed. They also ranked 18th when it comes to total rebounds, whereas the Ragin's Cajuns sit at No. 77 in that regard. Tennessee will take its frustration out on Louisiana, sending the Ragin' Cajuns home in the process."

Fansided: Go with Tennessee to cover vs. Louisiana

Iain MacMillan writes: "So, can Tennessee cover the big spread? The Vols enter the tournament ranking second in the country in average scoring margin, winning games by an average of 13.8 points, so they know how to cover spreads as a betting favorite. Tennessee has also been shooting relatively well lately, sporting an effective field goal percentage of 55% over their last three games. If the Vols continue to shoot well, they’re a dangerous team and a Final Four contender. I’ll lay the points with Tennessee in this one."

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World Sports Network: Take the under in Tennessee vs. Louisiana game

Caleb Tallman writes: "When it comes to Tennessee vs Louisiana Picks, the best bet for this game is the under, thanks to the way that Tennessee defends. The Volunteers have gone eight straight games without giving up 80 points, and those games were against opponents in the SEC, which was one of the best conferences in college basketball this year. In this NCAA Tournament first-round matchup, Tennessee features a much softer level of competition, which will only positively impact them on the defensive end of the floor."

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Can Louisiana upset Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament?
Can Louisiana upset Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament?

Dimers: Tennessee 73, Louisiana 63

It writes: "Dimers.com's predicted final score for Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Tennessee at Amway Center this Thursday has Tennessee winning 73-63."

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Sports Chat Place: Tennessee will cover against Louisiana

It writes: "I’ll probably stick with Tennessee here. The Volunteers had a rough second half in the Missouri game, but ended up shooting a pretty solid 44.6 percent from the field with a 33-28 rebounding advantage. Trouble is, Tennessee also gave up 52.6 percent shooting and had 14 turnovers. As for Louisiana, they managed a strong effort in the Sun Belt Tournament and have now won five straight games. The Cajuns are capable of scoring well themselves and I like them to hang around for a while here. In the end however I think Tennessee will take control and cover."

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Louisiana vs. Tennessee picks, predictions for March Madness game