Kentucky Wildcats vs Vanderbilt Commodores Prediction, 2/17/2021 College Basketball Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Kentucky Wildcats vs Vanderbilt Commodores

Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Location: Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, TN

TV: SECN

Odds/Point Spread: Kentucky (-4.5)

The Vanderbilt Commodores (6-10) host the Kentucky Wildcats (6-13) at Memorial Gymnasium on Wednesday. Kentucky opens this game as 4.5-point favorites. The total opens at 141.

Kentucky enters this contest with a mark of 6-13 this year. The Wildcats are shooting 32.7% on shots from beyond the arc (112 of 342) and 71.2% from the free throw line. They average 69.2 pts per contest (243rd in college basketball) on 41.6% from the field. They are losing possession via turnover 14.7 times per contest and as a team they commit 18.4 personal fouls every game. As a unit, Kentucky is pulling down 38.9 boards per contest and is sitting with 225 assists for the year, which has them ranked 205th in Division 1 in terms of passing the rock. On defense, the Wildcats are able to force 12.1 turnovers every game while drawing 18.4 fouls. They concede 31.6% from 3-point land and they rank 197th in college hoops in points per game allowed (70.6). The Wildcats defense is allowing an opponent shooting percentage of 40.9% (480 of 1,173) and they concede 36.0 boards per game as a unit. They are 180th in college basketball in giving up assists with 228 conceded on the year.

The Kentucky Wildcats played the Auburn Tigers and walked away with a win by a score of 82-80 in their last contest. Kentucky finished the game with a 42.9% field goal percentage (27 of 63) and converted 11 out of their 24 shots from downtown. From the charity stripe, the Wildcats buried 17 of their 25 shots for a percentage of 68.0%. Regarding grabbing rebounds, they compiled a total of 32 with 12 of them being on the offensive end. They also doled out 15 assists for this game as well as getting 8 steals and 10 blocks. In the matter of defense, Kentucky allowed 42.9% from the field on 27 out of 63 shooting. Auburn distributed 12 assists and had 5 steals for the game. Furthurmore, the Tigers had 39 rebounds (17 offensive, 22 defensive) and had 10 blocks. Auburn finished the game shooting 90.0% when shooting free throws by burying 9 of 10 attempts. They also made 11 out of their 30 tries from beyond the arc.

Isaiah Jackson is one player who was a major contributor in this contest. He was able to score 18 points on 5 out of 8 shooting. He saw the court for 31 minutes and grabbed 11 boards. Jackson ended up going 62.5% from the floor but finished the game without an assist. Another guy that was a factor in this contest for the Wildcats was Brandon Boston. He pulled down 2 rebounds and earned 3 assists. He finished shooting 41.7% from the field in the matchup by shooting 5-of-12 (17 points). Overall, Boston played for 30 minutes.

Vanderbilt has a win-loss record of 6-10 on the campaign. On the offensive side of the court, the Commodores are connecting on 43.5% from the floor, which ranks them 220th in D-1. Vanderbilt has 1,171 pts this season (73.2 per contest) and they collect 34.9 boards per game. They are earning an assist 13.5 times per game (160th in Division 1) and they cough up possession 14.0 times per contest. The Commodores are committing 17.4 personal fouls every game and they shoot 72.9% from the free throw line. The Commodores on defense are ranked 245th in Division 1 in points given up per game with 72.8. They have given up 13.4 dimes and 33.4 total rebounds per game, which ranks 210th and 106th in Division 1. The Vanderbilt defense concedes 35.3% on shots from beyond the perimeter (113 of 320) and opponents are connecting on 69.8% of their shots from the charity stripe. They are forcing 13.8 turnovers per game and allow teams to shoot 47.0% from the floor (316th in D-1).

In their last game, the Vanderbilt Commodores went home victorious with a score of 72-51 against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Commodores were able to snag 26 defensive boards and 7 offensive rebounds totaling 33 for the matchup. They also stuffed 2 attempts while recording 13 steals for this game. The Bulldogs were called for 13 fouls for this game which got the Commodores to the free throw line for 12 attempts. They were able to make 9 of them for a percentage of 75.0%. In the matter of shots from downtown, Vanderbilt buried 13 of 30 tries (43.3%). When the final whistle blew, the Commodores finished shooting 25 out of 55 from the floor which gave them a percentage of 45.5%. The Commodores allowed the Bulldogs to convert 22 out of their 52 tries from the floor which gave them a rate of 42.3% in this matchup. They shot 26.3% from 3-point land by going 5 out of 19 and finished the contest at 2 of 4 from the charity stripe (50.0%). In regard to rebounding, Vanderbilt permitted Mississippi State to get 27 overall (3 on the offensive glass).

Maxwell Evans was important for the Commodores in this game. He buried 6 of 11 in the game for a rate of 54.5%, which had him sitting at 20 points. Evans grabbed 4 boards in his 31 minutes played and totaled 2 assists in this contest. An additional guy that ended being a contributor for Vanderbilt was Scotty Pippen. He was able to score 18 points in his 33 minutes on the hardwood via 7 out of 15 shooting in this matchup. Pippen finished going 46.7% from the field in addition to contributing 9 dimes and 3 boards.

Who will win tonight's college basketball game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Kentucky (-4.5)

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