2022 SEC Tournament Game Preview: Kentucky vs Vanderbilt
When: Friday, March 11 at 8:00 pm ET on SEC Network
Location: Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL
A projected two-seed in the NCAA Tournament entering the week, Kentucky begins play in the 2022 SEC Tournament on Friday night when the Wildcats take on Vanderbilt.
Having won four of their last five games, Kentucky comes to the 2022 SEC Tournament fresh off a 71-63 win over Florida in Gainesville, a dominant performance in which the Wildcats never trailed. Shooting a combined 50% from the field, undoubtedly a big reason for the Wildcats’ success in that game was the performance of 2021-22 SEC Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe who added 27 points and 14 rebounds.
One of the top overall teams in the country, Kentucky owns a 25-6 overall record for the season, as well as having gone 14-4 in SEC play during the regular season, earning the conference’s No. 3 seed this week in Tampa. Also a strong defensive team as well, Kentucky is one of the top offensive teams not just in the SEC, but the country overall, and enter Friday averaging an impressive 80.1 PPG for the year on 48.9% shooting from two and 35.6% from three.
Obviously the Wildcats are led by the previously mentioned Tshiebwe, while Keion Brooks Jr and Jacob Toppin will also see a significant amount of minutes in the frontcourt. Kentucky’s guards are among the top groups in the country at the position, a group that includes TyTy Washington Jr, Kellan Grady, Sahvir Wheeler, and Davion Mintz, each of which average 8+ PPG.
Vanderbilt has reached the quarterfinal round of the 2022 SEC Tournament with a first round win over Georgia, as well as an 82-76 win over Alabama on Thursday night. A game in which the Commodores trailed for a majority, Vanderbilt was able to take the lead late due to a 26-point performance from Scotty Pippen Jr, as well as going a combined 31-for-45 from the free throw line.
The No. 11 seed in the SEC Tournament, the 17-15 Commodores have reached the quarterfinal round where they will play Kentucky, an opponent they have lost to twice this season. Vanderbilt comes into this game averaging 70 PPG for the year while allowing 66.9 PPG, while also having won three games in a row.
In addition to Pippen, the Commodores are led by guards/wings Jordan Wright, Myles Stute, and Rodney Chatman, as well as Liam Robbins in the frontcourt. Trey Thomas will be the Commodores primary reserve option in the backcourt, while Quentin Millora-Brown will do the same in the frontcourt.
Vanderbilt pulled the upset on Thursday night, but could they do it again? While it is possible, it’s almost impossible to not pick Kentucky to win this game on Friday.
Prediction: Kentucky 79, Vanderbilt 68