NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — The Tennessee Volunteers, the seed, enter the SEC tournament quarterfinals as a clear favorite against the seventh-seeded Auburn Tigers on Thursday at Bridgestone Arena.

Tennessee (21-9) earned a double-bye and looks to rebound from a regular-season finale loss to Vanderbilt. The Volunteers, who defeated Auburn 77-69 in Knoxville on Jan. 31, are installed as 5-point favorites with an over/under of 149.

Auburn (17-15) arrives in Nashville after a convincing 79-61 win over Mississippi State in Wednesday’s second round. The Tigers’ season has been marked by inconsistency, but they have shown the ability to challenge top teams, including a one-point win over Kentucky last month.

A key matchup will feature Auburn’s KeShawn Murphy against Tennessee’s Amari Evans. Murphy is coming off a strong performance against Mississippi State, posting 15 points and nine rebounds in 21 minutes. The forward has been a volatile scoring threat, erupting for 25 points against Kentucky but being held to single digits in three of his last eight games.

For Tennessee, guard Amari Evans provides a scoring spark. He poured in 24 points in the loss to Vanderbilt and will be a primary focus for Auburn’s defense. The Volunteers’ interior defense, anchored by Felix Okpara (four blocks vs. Vanderbilt) and featuring JP Estrella (20 points vs. Vandy), will test Auburn’s ability to score in the paint.

Tennessee has the advantage in rest and seeding, but Auburn’s pressure defense and Murphy’s recent form present a challenge. The Tigers must find offensive consistency beyond Murphy, relying on contributors like Kevin Overton, who had 22 points and five assists Wednesday.

The winner will advance to Friday’s semifinals to face the winner of the game between third-seeded Alabama and sixth-seeded South Carolina.