It’s another big Tuesday in SEC basketball, with four games on the schedule.
Let’s dive into thoughts on each one.
Mississippi State (13-7, 4-4) at Ole Miss (12-9, 3-5) – 7 PM ET, SEC Network
We’d be talking about the Rebels in an entirely different light had they managed to close out games against Texas A&M and Baylor.
Instead, Ole Miss is still searching for answers to its struggles late in games.
The good news is that Mississippi State hasn’t exactly been on fire, either. The Bulldogs nearly pulled off an upset of Kentucky a few weeks ago, but haven’t been the same since in underwhelming performances at Tennessee and Alabama.
There’s also the issue of senior IJ Ready suffering an injury in Tuscaloosa, although the timetable for his return is unknown (reports are that he won’t play in this game).
Andy Kennedy’s team desperately needs a win and should get it.
Prediction: Ole Miss 84, Mississippi State 76
Tennessee (12-9, 4-4) at Auburn (14-7, 3-5) – 9 PM ET, SEC Network
I have Tennessee at No. 6 in this week’s SEC power rankings. I admitted that I thought it may be too low given how the Vols played in wins over Kentucky and Kansas State last week.
However, this week is a great opportunity for Tennessee to prove me wrong and make a case for being the fourth best team in the league.
It all starts with this road game at Auburn. The Tigers scored a surprising road win at TCU in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, and that gives Bruce Pearl and his team something to build on.
The Vols are a better rebounding team, and they are undoubtedly one of the toughest teams in the conference due to their brutal schedule. And if you asked me today, Rick Barnes would certainly be in the discussion for SEC Coach of the Year (remember, this team was picked 13th in the preseason).
You might as well flip a coin in picking a winner in this game. Vegas agrees with me.
My gut feeling is Auburn wins based on the surprising victory against the Horned Frogs and how this team played in its last big home game against Alabama.
Prediction: Auburn 75, Tennessee 73
Georgia (13-8, 4-4) at No. 4 Kentucky (17-4, 7-1) – 9 PM ET, ESPN
Georgia’s upcoming schedule is brutal. Here are the next six games after Kentucky:
- at South Carolina
- vs. Florida
- at Tennessee
- vs. Mississippi State
- vs. Kentucky
- at Alabama
The Bulldogs would probably be favored in one of those right now (Mississippi State). And considering that this is a team that’s fighting to get back into the NCAA tournament discussion, that’s not an ideal schedule.
Even worse? Kentucky just lost two games in a row and is undoubtedly an angry basketball team.
JJ Frazier and Yante Maten should have a big game like always, but I don’t think the Bulldogs will get enough help around them to make this close.
Prediction: Kentucky 88, Georgia 70
Vanderbilt (10-11, 3-5) at Texas A&M (11-9, 3-5) – 9 PM ET, ESPNU
Let’s take a look at my predictions for Vandy’s past three games, followed by the actual result:
- vs. Iowa State: Loss (Vandy won)
- vs. Arkansas: Win (Vandy lost)
- vs. Florida Loss (Vandy won)
Yes, the Commodores have been a hard team to figure out this season. Luckily for Bryce Drew, he’s seen several players make significant strides in recent weeks. Luke Kornet, Jeff Roberson, and Nolan Cressler have all added big contributions in recent games, and they’ll need to do so again for Vandy to win in College Station.
Texas A&M is coming off a loss at West Virginia, and the status of DJ Hogg is still unknown due to a foot injury. But even without their second-leading scorer, the Aggies have played solid. Admon Gilder has stepped up in the backcourt, while big man Tyler Davis and freshman star Robert Williams have been excellent.
The key to beating A&M is forcing turnovers. The problem for the Commodores is that they’re 337th in the country in turnovers forced (10.4 TPG).
Sorry, Aggies, but I’m picking you to win this game. That means Kornet and company likely walk away with another victory.
Prediction: Texas A&M 70, Vanderbilt 64
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Blake Lovell has worked in sports media for over 10 years. He currently covers SEC football and basketball for various publications.