An intriguing in-state matchup to kick-off the first round of the 2022 NIT Tournament, Vanderbilt hosts Belmont coming off an impressive run in the SEC Tournament this past week.
Holding a 17-16 overall record for the year, Vanderbilt defeated both Georgia and Alabama in the SEC Tournament last week, but did fall in the quarterfinal round to Kentucky 77-71 to end the Commodores run in Tampa. An impressive stretch to conclude SEC play, the Commodores finished the year as the No. 11 seed going into the SEC Tournament, owning a 9-9 record in conference play.
Led by the SEC’s leading scorer in Scotty Pippen Jr (20.2 PPG), Vanderbilt also has many other impact players on the perimeter such as Jordan Wright, Rodney Chatman, and Trey Thomas, as well as forward Myles Stute who was one of the SEC’s top three-point shooters at 43.7%. Liam Robbins and Quentin Millora-Brown lead the Commodores inside, and are a duo that averages a combined 3 BPG.
One of the top teams from the OVC, Belmont enters the 2022 NIT Tournament with a 25-7 overall record, but fell to Morehead State in the OVC semifinal round 53-51. Ending the regular season with a 15-3 record in conference play, the Bruins finished second in the conference behind only Murray State, with two of their three conference losses coming to the Racers.
Averaging 78.5 PPG offensively for the year, Belmont is led by two 15+ point scorers in Ben Sheppard and Nick Muszynski, as well as freshman guard Will Richard who also averages in double-figures. A strong team defensively allowing only 68.2 PPG to opponents, the Bruins also own a few impressive wins on the year in particular, including an NCAA Tournament team in UT-Chattanooga.
Vanderbilt vs Belmont Odds: Line, Spread, Over/Under
The line, spread, and over/under for Vanderbilt vs Belmont can be found here.
Vanderbilt vs Belmont 2022 NIT Tournament Prediction
While the Commodores are likely the favorite entering this first round matchup on their homecourt, Belmont is a team that has the potential to give Vanderbilt trouble at times. I’ll pick Vanderbilt to win this one though, but it could be closer than you’d might expect. Prediction: Vanderbilt 72, Belmont 69
What channel is the Vanderbilt vs Belmont Game On?
As mentioned at the start, Vanderbilt will host Belmont at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, TN in the first round of the 2022 NIT Tournament. The game will be played on Tuesday, March 15, and it will tipoff at 7:00 pm ET on ESPN2.
Vanderbilt vs Belmont Live Stream
A live stream of Vanderbilt vs Belmont can be found here.