Kentucky was expected to be in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament, as they received a bye to be there. Vanderbilt, on the other hand, was not expected to be here, as they needed to pull a considerable upset in the second round to get to this point. In our college basketball betting predictions for Friday, we look at Vanderbilt vs Kentucky and determine whether or not Vanderbilt has a chance to pull yet another upset.
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Vanderbilt vs Kentucky Betting Pick
This game will be played at 8:30 PM ET at Amalie Arena on Friday, March 11, 2022.
Why Bet On Kentucky:
✅ Vanderbilt was able to take care of Alabama thanks to the porous defense of the Crimson Tide and the vulnerability they have on the glass. Kentucky has no such weaknesses, as Oscar Tshiebwe is able to clean the glass authoritatively while the Wildcats are more than capable of locking down defensively when they need to.
✅ The Wildcats are coming off of a double bye into the quarterfinal round of the SEC tournament. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, has played two games in the last two days leading up to what will be their third day in a row in action. Expect the back to back to back games for the Commodores to catch up with them here against a team that likes to play fast.
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✅ Kentucky ranks 12th in the nation in scoring, averaging just over 80 points per game. Vanderbilthas put up over 80 points in each of the last two nights, and may not be able to sustain that pace for a third straight game, especially given the increased difficulty they will face against the Wildcats.
Vanderbilt Commodores
Vanderbilt was a sizable underdog against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the second round of the SEC tournament. But the Commodores found a way to get by the Crimson Tide and to reach the quarterfinal round. While Vanderbilt would need to win the entire tournament in order to move onto the NCAA Tournament, they have done quite nicely for themselves in Tampa and will look to continue to do so.
For the Commodores, the key to this game will be finding ways to keep Scottie Pippen Jr. producing as efficiently as possible. The leap up from playing against Georgia and Alabama’s defenses to playing the defense of Kentucky will make it tough on Pippen to produce in this matchup. Vanderbilt may have to get creative to get him looks that will keep them in this game.
Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky has yet to take the floor in the SEC tournament, as they had a double bye to get into the quarterfinal round. In this game, they are heavy favorites against a Vanderbilt team that they only beat by seven points in the regular season. But Kentucky has a decided advantage in the rest department, as they did not have to run up and down with Alabama just one night ago like Vanderbilt did.
For Kentucky, the shooting of Kellan Grady will be incredibly important in this game and in the rest of their tournament games this season. Grady is one of the great shooters in college basketball when he is on. But all shooters go through hot and cold streaks, and Grady cannot afford the latter if Kentucky wants to cover a big number here.