Game 27: Florida Gators at Vanderbilt Commodores -- GameThread

The Vanderbilt Commodores (10-16, 4-9 SEC) host the Florida Gators (17-9, 8-5) today at Memorial Gym at 3 PM CT. Today's game will be televised on ESPN2 and the WatchESPN app, with Tom Hart and Sean Farnham on the call. Joe Fisher's radio call can be heard on the Vanderbilt IMG Sports Network.

Vanderbilt got a win last time out, an 81-80 triumph over Mississippi State on Riley LaChance's buzzer-beating three. That was a rare highlight in a lost season, but the reasons for optimism about the 2018-19 season will be present in Memorial Gym today: signees Darius Garland and Aaron Nesmith will both be taking in the game along with top target Romeo Langford. Those three would make nice replacements for departing seniors Riley LaChance, Matthew Fisher-Davis, and Jeff Roberson.

While this season hasn't been pretty, we can be hopeful about today's game. KenPom actually gives Vanderbilt a 42% chance to win, predicting a final score of 74-72, and while Florida won the two teams' first meeting this season, Vanderbilt took five in a row from the Gators prior to that.