First Scouting Report: In SEC tourney opener, UK seeks ‘revenge’ on red-hot Vanderbilt
A look ahead to the Kentucky Wildcats’ next men’s basketball game:
The opponent
SEC Tournament No. 3 seed Kentucky (21-10, 12-6 SEC regular season) will face the No. 6 seed Vanderbilt Commodores (19-13, 11-7 SEC regular season) on Friday, March 10, at Bridgestone Arena (capacity approximately 18,500) in Nashville.
The game will tip off around 9:30 p.m. (EST) and be telecast by the SEC Network.
Coach Jerry Stackhouse’s Commodores beat LSU 77-68 Thursday night in Nashville in the SEC tourney second round. It was Vandy’s ninth victory in its past 10 games.
Series history
Kentucky leads the all-time series with Vanderbilt 155-48 and has won 14 of the past 15 meetings.
As UK head man, John Calipari is 24-5 vs. the Commodores.
Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse is 1-8 vs. Kentucky in his Vandy coaching tenure (since 2019-20).
In SEC Tournament games, Calipari is 24-6 and has won the tourney six times (2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018). With Thursday night’s win over LSU, Stackhouse is now 4-3 in the SEC tourney.
Most recent meeting
Vanderbilt’s Jordan Wright hit a jumper in the lane with 2.6 seconds left to give Vandy a 68-66 win that spoiled Kentucky’s Senior Night at Rupp Arena on March 1. The Commodores’ victory snapped a 14-game losing streak for Vanderbilt against Kentucky.
Wright had 23 points and Tyrin Lawrence 21 to pace Vanderbilt. Oscar Tshiebwe led Kentucky with 21 points and 20 rebounds.
Power rankings
The NCAA NET rankings have Kentucky No. 21, Vanderbilt No. 82.
In the Pomeroy ratings, Kentucky is No. 22, Vanderbilt No. 80.
The Sagarin ratings have Kentucky No. 15, Vanderbilt No. 69.
Know your foe
1. Historically, Vanderbilt has played Kentucky tougher in the SEC Tournament than any other foe. UK and Vandy are 5-5 against each other in the SEC tourney.
The most memorable Vanderbilt victory over Kentucky in the SEC Tournament came in the 2012 championship game when the Commodores upset the Anthony Davis-led Kentucky team that would go on to win the NCAA title by a 71-64 count.
2. Powered by Kentucky-nemesis Jordan Wright, Vanderbilt played UK tough in last season’s SEC Tournament quarterfinals before falling 77-71 . Wright hit 10 of 12 shots, five of six three-pointers and both his free throws en route to a performance of 27 points and six rebounds.
UK survived behind 25 points from freshman guard TyTy Washington and a double-double, 12 points and 14 rebounds, from Oscar Tshiebwe.
3. With big man Liam Robbins sidelined for the season after suffering a leg injury in Vandy’s win over UK at Rupp Arena, the Commodores are now heavily-perimeter-oriented. In the SEC tourney win over LSU, guards Tyrin Lawrence (22 points, five rebounds, two assists) and Ezra Manjon (17 points, three rebounds, three assists) and swingman Jordan Wright (15 points, 15 rebounds) carried the load for Vandy.
Friday
Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt
What: SEC Tournament quarterfinals
When: About 9:30 p.m.
Where: Bridgestone Arena in Nashville
TV: SEC Network
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1
Records: Kentucky 21-10 (12-6 SEC), Vanderbilt 19-13 (11-7)
Series: Kentucky leads 155-48
Last meeting: Vanderbilt won 68-66 on March 1, 2023, in Lexington
SEC Tournament
At Bridgestone Arena in Nashville
(All times Eastern)
Wednesday
No. 13 seed Ole Miss 67, No. 12 South Carolina 61
No. 14 LSU 72, No. 11 Georgia 67
Thursday
No. 9 Mississippi State 69, No. 8 Florida 68
No. 5 Tennessee 70, No. 13 Ole Miss 55
No. 10 Arkansas 76, No. 7 Auburn 73
No. 6 Vanderbilt 77, No. 14 LSU 68
Friday
1 p.m.: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 9 Mississippi State (ESPN)
About 3:30 p.m.: No. 4 Missouri vs. No. 5 Tennessee (ESPN)
7 p.m.: No. 2 Texas A&M vs. No. 10 Arkansas (SEC Network)
About 9:30 p.m.: No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 6 Vanderbilt (SEC Network)
Saturday
Semifinal games at 1:00 and about 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Sunday
1 p.m.: Championship game (ESPN)
This story was originally published March 9, 2023 at 11:57 PM.
