As the college basketball calendar moves closer to conference play across all leagues, all eyes are on one of the more intriguing nonconference showdowns of the season. The undefeated Vanderbilt Commodores travel to take on the Memphis Tigers in a game between two teams from the state of Tennessee. Vanderbilt arrives in Memphis having already posted a 10-0 record and earning a top-15 national ranking, while the Tigers look to defend FedExForum and improve on a 4-5 start. Before tip-off, you will find my Vanderbilt vs Memphis prediction below.
Our Vanderbilt vs Memphis Pick
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Vanderbilt Commodores @ Memphis Tigers
- Date & Time: Wednesday, December 17, 2025, 7:00 PM ET
- Venue: FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
- Broadcast: ESPN2
Key Storylines
Vanderbilt enters this game undefeated at 10-0, their best start since the 2007-08 season. The Commodores are averaging over 95 points per game with strong shooting percentages across the board. Tyler Nickel posted a career-high 30 points in their most recent win against Central Arkansas, and shooters like Duke Miles and Frankie Collins give Vanderbilt a nice selection of scoring threats.
Memphis has struggled to find consistency, with a 4-5 record to start the season. They have done their best work at home, where they are 4-1 this season. The Tigers allow nearly 77 points per contest and have been outscored overall, showing defensive vulnerabilities that Vanderbilt’s high-powered offense can expose. Key contributors like Dug McDaniel and Aaron Bradshaw offer scoring ability, but the Tigers must improve on defense to stay within range against Vandy.
It will be interesting to see how the crowd is split for this matchup. This is a home game for Memphis, but Vanderbilt resides in the same state in Nashville. We could see Vandy’s supporters make their presence felt in FedEx Forum tonight, a venue that is certainly big enough to house fans of both sides.
Head-to-Head & Betting Trends
- Vanderbilt is 8-7 all-time against Memphis. Memphis has won the last four games between these programs.
- Memphis is 4-1 at home this season.
- Vanderbilt is 1-0 on the road so far.
- Vanderbilt is 6-4 against the spread going into this matchup in Memphis.
- Memphis is 7-2 against the spread despite their poor overall record this year.
Vanderbilt vs Memphis Model Projection
Final Thoughts
