Anchor Drop, March 15, 2022: A Scheduling Conflict

Good morning.

Optional Musical Accompaniment

Vanderbilt basketball is back in the NIT, opening the tournament tonight against Belmont, that school right down Wedgewood Blakemore Avenue, at 6 PM CT on ESPN2. Also at 6 PM: the baseball team hosts Michigan on the SEC Network in the team’s final tuneup before SEC play technically starts this weekend with a three-game series against Missouri. Yep, somebody didn’t think this through.

(It was probably whoever scheduled the NIT game. “Oh, no way does any fan base care about a midweek baseball game more than an NIT game.” This may also be an issue over the weekend if Vanderbilt’s basketball team advances to the second round.)

The women’s basketball team will open the WNIT Thursday night at 7 PM CT against Murray State. Speaking of conflicts, Murray’s men’s team is also playing Thursday night so, bangup job all around, everyone.

Women’s golf is currently 13th place in the 16-team Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, which finishes today.

In other news, Frank Martin is out as South Carolina’s coach, meaning we’re now up to five SEC schools making a coaching change (counting Florida, which saw Mike White take the Georgia job.) Rumor is that number will reach six later this week.

SEC Basketball Schedule and Picks

• Belmont at Vanderbilt (6:00 PM CT, ESPN2): Vanderbilt -4.5, Over 144
• Alcorn State at Texas A&M (8:00 PM CT, ESPN2): Alcorn State +20, Under 137.5

NCAA Tournament Schedule

• Texas A&M-Corpus Christi vs. Texas Southern (5:40 PM CT, truTV)
• Indiana vs. Wyoming (8:10 PM CT, truTV)

Scoreboard

NBA: Cavaliers 120, Clippers 111 ... Hawks 122, Trail Blazers 113 ... Nuggets 114, 76ers 110 ... Hornets 134, Thunder 116 ... Timberwolves 149, Spurs 139 ... Warriors 126, Wizards 112 ... Kings 112, Bulls 103 ... Bucks 117, Jazz 111 ... Raptors 114, Lakers 103.

NHL: Coyotes 5, Senators 3.