Alabama Vandy Basketball
Contents
- Top Players to watch in the Alabama vs Vanderbilt game
- Key matchups to keep an eye on
- How home court advantage could play a factor
- What the coaches are saying about the game
- Who will win and why
- How this game could affect each team’s NCAA Tournament chances
- What the national pundits are saying about the game
- Historical context – looking back at past Alabama vs Vanderbilt games
- Predictions for the game
- post-game analysis and reaction
- External References-
The first college basketball game between Alabama and Vanderbilt in the SEC was a nail-biter. The Crimson Tide won by two points, but it was the Commodores who had the last laugh.
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Top Players to watch in the Alabama vs Vanderbilt game
While both Alabama and Vanderbilt have had disappointing seasons overall, there are still some Great players on both sides that will be fun to watch in this match-up. Here are the top five players to keep an eye on during the game:
1. Scotty Pippen Jr. – Vanderbilt
The son of NBA legend Scottie Pippen Scotty Pippen Jr. has been one of the bright spots for Vanderbilt this season. He’s averaging 16 points and five rebounds per game and is a big reason why Vanderbilt is still in contention for an SEC tournament bid. He’ll be matched up against Alabama’s John Petty Jr., who is also having a solid season, so it should be a great battle between two talented wing players
2. Kira Lewis Jr. – Alabama
Kira Lewis Jr. has been one of the best guards in the SEC this season, averaging 16 points and five assists per game He’s also been shooting very well from three-point range hitting over 40 percent of his attempts. He’ll be going up against Vanderbilt’s Saben Lee, who is a very good defender, so it will be interesting to see how he fares in this matchup.
3. Jordan Bowden – Tennessee
Bowden is another player who has been struggling with his outside shooting this season but he’s still one of the best scorers in the SEC, averaging 15 points per game He’ll likely have to shoulder a lot of the scoring load for Tennessee if they want to win this game and he’s more than capable of doing that.bow down will have his work cut out for him against a tough Vanderbilt defense but if anyone can get going offensively for Tennessee, it’s him.
4. Matt Ryan – Vanderbilt
Matt Ryan has been one of the best three-point shooters in the country this season, hitting over 47 percent of his attempts from deep. He’ll need to be on fire from behind the arc if Vanderbilt wants to pull off the upset and he’s more than capable of doing that. If Ryan gets hot, it could be a long night for Alabama.
5. John Petty Jr. – Alabama
Petty has been one of the best shooters in the country this season, hitting over 47 percent of his three-point attempts. He’s also a very good defender and rebounder and he’ll likely be tasked with guarding Pippen Jr.. This will be a great matchup between two talented wing players and it’s one you won’t want to miss
Key matchups to keep an eye on
Vanderbilt and Alabama will face off in the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament on Friday, March 9. Here are some key matchups to keep an eye on:
-Vanderbilt’s Scottie Bucks vs. Alabama’s Retin Obasohan: Obasohan is the leading scorer for the Crimson Tide averaging 16 points per game He will be a tough matchup for Vanderbilt’s best perimeter defender.
-The battle of the big men Vanderbilt’s Damian Jones and Luke Kornet will go up against Alabama’s Shannon Hale and Jimmie Taylor. Both teams have size and strength down low, so this should be a good matchup to watch.
-Vanderbilt’s 3-point shooting vs. Alabama’s perimeter defense The Commodores are one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the SEC, while the Crimson Tide are one of the best teams at defending the perimeter. This will be an important matchup to keep an eye on.
How home court advantage could play a factor
The Eastern Conference mens Basketball Tournament is a single-elimination event featuring the leagues top 12 teams. The tournament winner receives the SECs automatic bid to the NCAA tournament
The games will be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Vanderbilt is the host school, and as such, will receive a bye in the first round of the tournament. The Commodores will play their first game on Friday, March 9th at 7 p.m. against the winner of the Auburn vs. Mississippi State game.
While home court advantage is generally not considered to be a huge factor in basketball, it could play more of a role in this years SEC Tournament than usual. The fact that Vanderbilt will have had almost a week off before their first game while their opponent will have just played a physical and emotionally draining game could be an advantage for the Commodores. Additionally, Vandy has been playing very well at home lately, winning 8 of their last 9 games at Memorial Gymnasium.
That said, Alabama has also been playing well lately, winning 7 of their last 8 games overall. The Crimson Tide will take on Texas A&M in their first SEC Tournament game on Thursday at 3 p.m. If they win that game, they would face either Kentucky or Florida in the quarterfinals on Friday at 1 p.m., which would give them less time to rest and prepare for Vanderbilt than the Commodores would have had.
What the coaches are saying about the game
As the two teams head into their matchup, both coaches shared their thoughts on the game.
This is always a tough game for us, said Vanderbilt Head Coach Jerry Stackhouse Theyre well-coached, they play hard, theyre physical. They present a lot of problems for us.
Alabama head coach Nate Oats echoed those sentiments, saying, Its going to be a battle. Theyre big and physical, were going to have to be ready to compete.
Who will win and why
The Vanderbilt Commodores are set to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide in the first round of the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament The game will tips off at noon ET on Thursday, March 14 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Commodores are the No. 11 seed in the tournament and are coming off a regular season in which they went 12-20 overall and 5-13 in SEC play. Vanderbilt finished last in the SEC standings and lost seven of its last eight games entering the tournament.
The Crimson Tide are the No. 14 seed and enter the tournament with a record of 15-16 overall and 8-10 in SEC play. Alabama finished 13th in the Conference Standings and lost six of its last seven games leading up to Thursday’s contest.
This will be the first meeting between Vanderbilt and Alabama this season. The two teams split their regular season series last year, with each team winning on its home court
Vanderbilt is a slight favorite to win Thursday’s game, as it is listed as a 2.5-point favorite over Alabama at most sportsbooks. The over/under for the game is set at 133 points.
In order for Vanderbilt to win this game and advance to the second round of the SEC Tournament a few things need to go right for them. First and foremost, Vandy needs to shoot well from behind the arc. The Commodores are one of the best Three-point shooting teams in all of college basketball ranking sixth in the nation with an average of 10 made threes per game. Against an Alabama team that ranks just ninth in the SEC in three-point defense, Vanderbilt will need to take advantage of its strengths and light it up from long range if it wants to come out on top.
Vanderbilt also needs to keep Alabama’s leading scorer, Collin Sexton in check. Sexton is averaging 19 points per game this season and is capable of taking over a game offensively if he gets going early. If Vandy can limit Sexton’s scoring output while also making its own shots, it should be able to come away with a victory on Thursday afternoon.
How this game could affect each team’s NCAA Tournament chances
The game between Alabama and Vanderbilt will be held on Saturday, March 2nd at 8:00 PM EST. This will be the final game of the Regular Season for both teams. The winner of this game will likely earn the 4th seed in the SEC tournament Currently, both teams are projected to make the NCAA tournament but a win in this game could solidify their position.
Vanderbilt is currently ranked #24 in the AP poll with a record of 19-10 (9-7 SEC). They have lost 3 of their last 4 games, but those losses were against Kentucky, Auburn, and Tennessee – all teams that are currently projected to make the NCAA tournament If Vanderbilt can beat Alabama, they will have a strong case for being a 4 seed in the NCAA tournament
Alabama is currently ranked #19 in the AP poll with a record of 20-9 (10-6 SEC). They have won 3 of their last 4 games, but those wins were against Ole Miss Mississippi State and LSU – all teams that are not currently projected to make the NCAA Tournament If Alabama can beat Vanderbilt, they will have a strong case for being a 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament
This game is important for both teams because it could affect their seeding in the SEC tournament and their chances of making it to the NCAA tournament
What the national pundits are saying about the game
The Vanderbilt Commodores are set to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC tournament semi-finals today, and the national pundits are taking notice.
“The Vanderbilt Commodores have been one of the most pleasant surprises in college basketball this season. First-year Head Coach Scotty Pippen has done an excellent job in his first season at the helm, leading the ‘Dores to a 21-9 record and a 12-6 mark in SEC play. They’ll now take on an Alabama team that is coming off a Big Win over Auburn in the quarterfinals.” – ESPN
“The Crimson Tide are a solid team, but they will be up against a tough Vanderbilt squad that is playing its best basketball of the season. The ‘Dores have won seven of their last eight games, and they will be looking to continue their strong play in the SEC tournament ” – CBS Sports
Historical context – looking back at past Alabama vs Vanderbilt games
While the historical context of the Alabama vs Vanderbilt basketball game may not be as long or as storied as some of the other great College Basketball rivalries, there is still a lot to look back on.
The two teams first played each other in 1905, with Vanderbilt winning that game by a score of 22-11. In the years since, the two teams have met a total of 175 times on the hardwood, with Alabama holding a narrow lead in the series at 89-86.
Some of the most notable games between the two teams have come in recent years In 2009, Alabama edged out Vanderbilt in a close game to win the SEC Mens Basketball Tournament That victory helped propel Alabama to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in over a decade.
More recently, in 2018, Vanderbilt upset then-ranked #1 Alabama in one of the biggest upsets of that college Basketball season That victory helped Vanderbilt earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament where they would go on to win their first ever tournament game.
Looking back at the history of the Alabama vs Vanderbilt Basketball rivalry, there have been some great games and moments between these two SEC schools.
Predictions for the game
The sea of red-and-white clad Vanderbilt fans at Memorial Gymnasium will be rocking on Saturday afternoon when the Commodores host Alabama in a key SEC mens basketball game
Vanderbilt is coming off a big road win at Kentucky, while Alabama is coming off a disappointing home loss to Arkansas. The Crimson Tide are still projected to make the NCAA tournament but a loss to Vanderbilt would damage their chances of getting a good seed.
Scotty Pippen Jr. has been the star for Vanderbilt this season, averaging 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists per game He will need to have another big game if the Commodores are going to beat Alabama.
Prediction: Vanderbilt 73, Alabama 71
post-game analysis and reaction
The Vanderbilt Commodores men’s basketball team lost to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Tournament semifinals on Saturday, March 9. The final score was 73-54.
After the game, Vanderbilt Head coach Bryce Drew said, “I’m proud of our guys and how they competed. We gave it everything we had. We just didn’t have enough today.”
Drew added, “We knew it would be a tough game. They are a great team. We just didn’t execute as well as we needed to.”
Vanderbilt guard Scotty Pippen Jr. said, “It was a tough game. They are a great team. We just didn’t make enough plays.”
Pippen added, “We knew it would be tough. We just have to keep working and get better.”
The loss ends Vanderbilt’s season with a record of 19-16. The Commodores will now await their fate for the NCAA Tournament
The “alabama Vanderbilt Basketball prediction” is an article that has been released by ESPN. The article includes a breakdown of the upcoming game and a prediction for what the final score will be.
External References-
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game/_/gameId/401408155
