Vanderbilt will look to get back to its winning ways when it hosts Savannah State on Tuesday night.
The Commodores suffered their first loss of the season last Friday as they were upset by Kent State.
As for the Tigers, they’re off to a 3-5 start with their wins coming against Middle Georgia State, Tennessee Tech, and Alcorn State.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this game.
Game Details
- Vanderbilt (4-1) vs. Savannah State (3-5)
- Location: Memorial Gym – Nashville, TN
- Game Date: Nov. 27
- Game Time: 8 p.m. EST
- Watch: SEC Network+
Players to Watch
Saben Lee (Vanderbilt)
With do-it-all point guard Darius Garland sidelined indefinitely due to a torn meniscus, Lee will move into the role as Vanderbilt’s leader on the court.
The 6-2 sophomore is averaging 12.2 points and a team-high 4.2 assists per game this season, but he’ll need to cut down on his 3.6 turnovers per contest to be effective as the Commodores’ true point guard moving forward.
Simi Shittu (Vanderbilt)
Shittu hasn’t disappointed in his first season in Nashville, with the 6-10 freshman posting 16.0 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
Everyone will need to add more contributions with Garland out, and there’s no doubt that Shittu will now become Vanderbilt’s primary option on the offensive side of the court.
Key Stats
As is always the case in a matchup against Savannah State, style of play is going to be everything here.
The Tigers once again lead the nation in tempo and average possession length, as they’re averaging 11.9 seconds per offensive possession.
And it’s also no surprise to see Savannah State as the far and away leader for most 3-point attempts, with Horace Broadnax’s squad putting up a whopping 45.1 shots per game from beyond the arc.
The Commodores rank 64th nationally in allowing opponents to shoot just 29.6 percent from long range, so that’s a positive trend entering this type of game.
Game Outlook
- Spread: Vanderbilt -26
- Over/Under: 179.5
- KenPom Projection: Vanderbilt, 99 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: Vanderbilt, 96.7 percent chance to win
Obviously, how Vanderbilt continues to respond to Garland’s absence is going to tell us a lot about this team’s potential.
Bryce Drew’s squad was rolling along as one of the more impressive teams in the SEC, but now, there’s a serious gap that has to be filled.
This game against Savannah State probably won’t give us too much insight as to how effective the Commodores will be against SEC competition due to the unique style of play.
However, it’s important to start finding a rhythm without Garland on the floor, and this is a good place begin that process.
Savannah State will likely make a ton of outside shots, but it shouldn’t enough to keep up with Shittu and company.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 61-14
Game Prediction: Vanderbilt 95, Savannah State 71
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