Game 14: Alabama Crimson Tide at Vanderbilt Commodores -- Game Thread

Your Vanderbilt Commodores return to action tonight at 6:00 PM CT to face the Alabama Crimson Tide at Memorial Gym. The game will be televised on the SEC Network and can be streamed on WatchESPN. Joe Fisher's call can be heard on the Vanderbilt IMG Sports Network.

Vanderbilt is 5-8 overall, 0-1 in the SEC, and ranked #74 in KenPom. The Crimson Tide are 9-4, 1-0 in the SEC, and ranked #44 in KenPom. KenPom predicts a final score of 72-71, Alabama, with the Commodores having a 49% chance of winning.

Alabama opened as a 1-point favorite, but for some reason gamblers are confident in the Commodores as the line as I write this is Vanderbilt as either a 2.5- or 3-point favorite depending on which offshore sportsbook you ask. I don't get it, either.

Alabama has the SEC's leading scorer in Collin Sexton, who's averaging 20.1 ppg, and center Donta Hall is averaging 11.5 ppg while shooting an SEC-leading 74.1 percent from the floor (mostly on dunks, but whatever.) Overall, though, Alabama doesn't have a great offense, ranking 69th (nice) in offensive efficiency per KenPom. The Tide do rank 28th in defensive efficiency, though. They briefly got into the top 25 in late November but have since fallen out thanks to losses to UCF at home and Texas in Birmingham.

So, let's get a win. Anchor Down.