The Vanderbilt Commodores were a dark horse team even before knocking off the Florida Gators in the quarterfinals; now they’re a real contender. The Commodores stand to gain a lot from another good showing on Saturday. As a bubble team, Vandy is looking for a few big wins to help tip them into the March Madness picture. The next one will have to come against the Arkansas Razorbacks who already have the resume to go dancing in the NCAA Tournament.
Don't miss the hardwood action in the SEC Tournament from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 11, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on CBS.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Saturday schedule.
Odds at BookMaker.eu
Arkansas was a 4.5-point favorite on Friday night to topple Ole Miss, but the Rebels kept the game much closer than that with it going back and forth all night long.
In the end, the Razorbacks advanced, but in the process they failed to cover the spread for just the second time in the team’s last eight games. Meanwhile, the under paid out for the third time in four games.
While Arkansas’s latest run ATS has been good, the Commodores have been on nearly a storybook ride, winning seven of their last eight games, the only loss coming against the Kentucky Wildcats. Even in that game, however, Vandy covered the spread. The Commodores are now 20-11 ATS overall and have covered in eight straight games and 17 of the team’s last 22.
Letdown Spot
With their quarterfinals win, the Commodores have beaten the Gators three times this season. The Razorbacks lost both their games against Florida this year as the Gators’ stout defense quieted the strength of this team: the prolific, point-scoring offense.
Based on Vanderbilt’s success against Florida this year compared to Arkansas’s clear lack thereof, it would appear to be the Commodores’ game, but that’s not the case.
Vandy was a longshot coming into the tournament and may have already over extended itself. Was the win over Florida the high point for this team?
Last Meeting
The Razorbacks and Commodores have had two head-to-head meetings this year. The teams split those games, with the road team victorious in each.
The most recent game went to Vanderbilt who won 72-59. Arkansas really struggled to shoot in that game, going just 38.1-percent from the floor. Dusty Hannahs was 10-for-19 and scored 24 points while the rest of the team combined for just 35.
On the other side, Vanderbilt shot 52.2-percent from the floor and mirrored that percentage from beyond the arc. The Commodores pounded Arkansas with threes with four different players sinking at least two. All five of the team’s starters produced between 11 and 13 points.
Vanderbilt’s offensive success was a bit more muted in the first meeting between these teams. Arkansas won 71-70 and the big difference was a more successful shooting for the Razorbacks.
The low scores were a bit strange for Arkansas. The Razorbacks typically have no trouble scoring with the best of the best. They rank No. 27 in the nation while averaging over 80 PPG. Defensively is where they tend to have the problem. The Commodores are likely to score in the 70s again, leaving it up the Razorbacks’ offense to make the adjustment and carry this team.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
Arkansas has the offense with a number of players capable of going off on any given night and carrying the team on his shoulders, but this game is a virtual home game for Vandy. Of course, the last time these two squared off in a home game for the Commodores, it resulted in a Razorbacks victory.
The Hogs are ranked No. 17 in adjusted offensive efficiency and will score. The Commodores had a nice run, including their big win over Florida, but this the Razorbacks actually matchup well on paper with Vandy. They had struggled this year against both Florida and Kentucky, but with Florida out of the picture, they’re better position to advance to the finals, even against the team that knocked the Gators off.
In the end, look for enough points from the Hogs to keep the Commodores playing catchup. There’s just too much depth on the offense, particularly with a player as potentially dynamic as Daryl Macon off the bench.
Still, the Commodores will keep this close and we could end up with another down to the wire win for the Razorbacks like we enjoyed on Friday night.
College Basketball Odds: Arkansas 77, Vanderbilt 73
BookMaker.eu offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker.eu!
