Game 1: Valparaiso Crusaders at Vanderbilt Commodores — Open Game Thread

Welcome to the 2020-21 basketball season.

The Vanderbilt Commodores open the season tonight at Memorial Gym, hosting the Valparaiso Crusaders, a school mostly known to Vanderbilt fans as the place Bryce Drew came from. Valparaiso is now in its fifth year under Drew’s successor, Matt Lottich, and went 19-16 last season.

The Crusaders are probably going to be a bit salty — Vegas only has Vanderbilt as a 6-point favorite, and KenPom’s algorithm predicts a 74-70 win. Tonight’s game will be televised on the SEC Network.

Jerry Stackhouse yesterday said that his starting lineup will be Scotty Pippen Jr., Max Evans, DJ Harvey, Dylan Disu, and Quentin Millora-Brown, with the surprise being fifth-year senior Clevon Brown coming off the bench. We’ll see how long that lineup holds — I have to think Clevon Brown is one of the best players on this team.

Have fun, expect to win, and Anchor Down.