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The Vanderbilt Commodores might only be 17-11, but with this bubble as weak as it is, there's a legitimate chance to get into the NCAA Tournament yet. Winning on Saturday against the Kentucky Wildcats would probably put the 'Dores on the right side of the cut line, an amazing feat for a team which really struggled through the first 20 or so games of the season before finally living up to expectations.
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SCHEDULING
This is really a tough spot for the Wildcats. Sure, they've won five out of six games, and sure, they're clearly in pretty darn good form, but this isn't a great spot on the docket. The only game on the road which was won in this stretch was at South Carolina. In that game, John Calipari got ejected right in the first couple minutes to help spark the team. After that, Texas A&M snuck up on Kentucky in College Station, and this game isn't any easier.
What makes this game really tough is the fact that Vandy is so desperate. The Commodores were blown out by 19 the first time these two teams met, and they really need a big time victory. A win at Florida on Tuesday helped a ton, but this is the type of win that could make the resume. There really isn't another chance for that top flight win until the SEC Tournament, and live bettors have to realize the importance of this game.
KEY MATCHUP
This game is all about whether it's a bigs game or a smalls game. If this game is all about the guards, live bettors are going to end up wanting to back the Wildcats. If the bigs are the ones that are going to dominate, it's all about Vandy.
In the first game of the year, Kentucky got just enough out of its forwards, particularly Alex Poythress to counteract the play of Luke Kornet and Damian Jones. However, the Commodores proved that they don't have the guards to keep up with Isaiah Briscoe, Jamal Murray and especially Tyler Ulis. Wade Baldwin IV might be the leading scorer for this team, but he isn't anywhere near as talented as the rest of the Kentucky guards.
The big question is which team can take advantage of the other one's deficiencies. Kentucky has already proven that it can play big time ball in the post, but Vandy hasn't proven that its backcourt can take games over. That's something for live bettors to judge, though.
KEY STATS & TRENDS
Vanderbilt has been an over machine of late. The team has played six straight over games thanks to the fact that it has scored at least 74 points in each of those six games and seven in a row. The Commodores quietly average 77.3 points per game against 67.2 points per game allowed, but you wouldn't know that based upon their 17-11 record.
Poythress might end up being a key in this game for live bettors. He scored 16 in the first meeting of the year between the two teams, and he's scored at least 13 in his last three games. In his first NCAAB game back from injury against Alabama, he scored 14 points off the bench in just 17 minutes. It's clear that Poythress is a huge key in this game even though he's ultimately lost his starting job to Marcus Lee.
Lee hasn't put up huge numbers in his time in the starting lineup, but he's been big on the glass and has been great defensively. If these bigs neutralize Vanderbilt's bigs, live bettors should be ready for yet another double-digit Kentucky victory.
Access live betting lines from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker today! The Kentucky Wildcats and Vanderbilt Commodores will square off Saturday, February 27, 2016, at 4:00 p.m. ET at Memorial Gymnasium. The matchup will be televised live on CBS.
