The Ole Miss Rebels host the No. 24 Vanderbilt Commodores on Tuesday night in an SEC matchup. The game tips off at 9:00 p.m. ET in Oxford, Mississippi.
The Commodores are listed as 6.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 155.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and pick for this SEC college basketball matchup.
Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt prediction, preview
The Ole Miss Rebels finally snapped their 10-game losing streak over the weekend. The Rebels’ miserable run ended with a road win over Auburn. They were carried by freshman guard Patton Pinkins, who had a career-high 26 points in the win. That was a nice win, but it doesn’t cancel out the miserable run of form that Ole Miss had been on. Surprisingly, three of Ole Miss’s four wins in SEC play have come on the road. Ole Miss is just 7-7 at home this season, the worst home record of any team in the SEC. Ole Miss is the lowest-scoring team in the SEC as well, averaging just 75.4 points per game this season.
Vanderbilt has hit a bit of a rough patch. The Commodores have lost three of their last four games, including a 14-point loss to Kentucky on Saturday. Vanderbilt is now in a three-way tie for seventh place in the SEC. The next couple of games will be massive for Vanderbilt. It could make the difference between getting one or even two byes in the SEC tournament, instead of having to play in the first round. Vanderbilt is one of the best offensive teams in the nation, ranking 15th in offensive rating this season. Sophomore guard Tyler Tanner has been playing great as of late and should lead his team back to winning ways in this game.
Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt pick
My best bet for this game is for Vanderbilt to cover as 6.5-point favorites. The Commodores have been on a tough run, but they should get back on track against one of the worst teams in the SEC. Vanderbilt’s play hasn’t resulted in wins, but the metrics reflect that this is one of the best teams in the country. Vanderbilt still ranks 15th in the nation in net rating and should be a threat in the NCAA Tournament. When Vanderbilt does win, it’s often in a convincing fashion. In SEC play, seven of its nine wins have come by at least eight points. With only two games left in the SEC regular season and so much to play for, this should be a top-notch effort from Vanderbilt that results in a decisive victory.
