Vanderbilt hopes to keep its early season momentum going when it hosts SWAC foe Alcorn State on Friday night.
The Commodores went out west last week and scored a huge win over USC after opening up the season with a 92-79 victory against Winthrop.
Meanwhile, Alcorn State is 1-1 with a win over Blue Mountain and a loss to Tulsa.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this game.
Game Details
- Alcorn State (1-1) at Vanderbilt (2-0)
- Location: Memorial Gym – Nashville, TN
- Game Date: Nov. 16
- Game Time: 8 p.m. EST
- Watch: SEC Network+
Players to Watch
Darius Garland (Vanderbilt)
The 5-star freshmen have lived up to the hype thus far in Nashville, with Garland leading the way scoring-wise in each of the first two games.
He scored 24 on opening night against Winthrop and followed that up with 19 points and five rebounds in the victory over the Trojans.
Having a do-it-all guard like Garland on the floor allows Bryce Drew’s team to attack the defense in a variety of ways, and that will be one the Commodores’ biggest strengths throughout the season.
Simi Shittu (Vanderbilt)
The 6-10 freshman has also found a way to make a huge impact right away, as he’s posted back-to-back double-doubles to start his college career.
Shittu went for 18 points and 10 rebounds in his debut before posting 14 points and 15 boards against USC.
When you have a player with Shittu’s size that can handle the ball well and take players off the dribble, it certainly presents an enormous amount of challenges on the defensive side of the court.
Key Stats
There’s not a ton of notable statistical trends that we can gather from such a small sample size, but Alcorn State’s offensive struggles over the years have led to just one winning season since 2002.
The Braves have finished 296th or lower in adjusted offensive efficiency for many years running now, and that’s not ideal against a Vanderbilt team that’s loaded with offensive talent.
One noticable difference for the Commodores this season is their up-tempo style after ranking 300th or lower in average offensive possession length the past two seasons.
Drew’s squad is now at 15.6 seconds per possession, which certainly makes sense when you consider the elite athleticism at many positions.
Game Outlook
- Spread: Not yet available
- Over/Under: Not yet available
- KenPom Projection: Vanderbilt, 99 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: Vanderbilt, 94.5 percent chance to win
This simply isn’t a game that should be close at all, especially considering how well the Commodores played down the stretch in the win in Los Angeles.
Vanderbilt continues to look like a sleeper team in the SEC, and its ceiling will be determined how much progress is made on defense. Like with all young teams, the Commodores have had some struggles at times, but that’s to be expected.
However, the team also picked up a significant addition on Thursday when it was announced that the NCAA had granted a waiver to allow Syracuse transfer Matthew Moyer to play this season.
The 6-8 sophomore will add even more versatility and athleticism while being one of the better defenders on the floor for the Commodores.
The home fans should have plenty to cheer about in this game, where Drew’s squad should dominate from the opening tip.
Season Prediction Record (straight up): 28-5
Game Prediction: Vanderbilt 84, Alcorn State 56
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