Anchor Drop, December 23, 2022: What the hell are we watching?

Good morning.

Optional Musical Accompaniment

Vanderbilt basketball beat Alabama A&M yesterday, 70-62. That’s probably the nicest thing I can say about it: that they won the game. The Commodores fell behind 19-11 in the first half before going on a 23-3 run, and yet, this was a one-point game with three minutes left. Against the #330 team in KenPom (and unlike Southern Miss, which was similarly ranked early in the season, Alabama A&M is actually that bad of a team.) Look, here’s what Joey Dwyer from VandySports had to say about it:

Yeah. Pretty much. I’ll have longer form thoughts about the general state of the Vanderbilt basketball program at some point this weekend, if not today. The general consensus, though, is that this isn’t working.

Anyway, Vanderbilt sports are all off until the women’s team opens SEC play against Mississippi State on the 29th.

Sports on TV (non-college football edition)

All times Central. College basketball schedule here.

• 6:30 PM: NBA: Bucks at Nets (NBA TV)
• 9:00 PM: NBA: Grizzlies at Suns (ESPN)

Scoreboard

SEC Basketball: South Carolina 65, Western Kentucky 58 ... Missouri 93, Illinois 71.

SEC Women’s Basketball: Alabama 89, North Florida 25.

NFL: Jaguars 19, Jets 3.

NBA: Pelicans 126, Spurs 117 ... Jazz 120, Wizards 112.

NHL: Maple Leafs 4, Flyers 3 ... Bruins 3, Jets 2 ... Rangers 5, Islanders 3 ... Capitals 3, Senators 2 ... Hurricanes 4, Penguins 3 ... Canucks 6, Kraken 5 ... Kings 4, Flames 3 ... Sharks 5, Wild 2.