Kentucky Wildcats vs Vanderbilt Commodores NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/25/25
Looking to win big? The Wildcats and Commodores face off at 2:30 ET on ESPN. The Commodores are hosting the game at Memorial Gymnasium (TN) in Nashville, TN. Kentucky is favored by -3.5 in this Southeastern conference matchup the against Vanderbilt. The over/under for the game is set at 162.5 points.
KENTUCKY WILDCATS VS VANDERBILT COMMODORES BETTING PICK
The Pick: Vanderbilt Commodores +3.5
This game will be played at Memorial Gymnasium (TN) at 2:30 ET on Saturday, January 25th.
WHY BET THE VANDERBILT COMMODORES:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Commodores.
- Not only will Vanderbilt pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +3.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 162.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.
Pressure Builds for Kentucky as Away Favorites
Kentucky Wildcats Recent Game/Games
The Wildcats fell to 14-4 on the season after a 102-97 home loss to Alabama on Saturday. Kentucky, who were -2.5 favorites, didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 199 exceeded the O/U line of 178.5.
Kentucky trailed 47-45 at halftime and allowed 55 points in the 2nd half while scoring 52 points of their own.
Kentucky’s offense put up 97 points in their last game, shooting 47.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.8%. They connected on 40.7% of their threes, hitting 11 of 27 attempts, and were strong from the free-throw line, making 16 of 20 for 80%.
Grant Nelson led the way with 25 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 53.8% overall. Mark Sears added 24 points and 9 assists, despite shooting just 35.3% from the field. Otega Oweh contributed 21 points on 57.1% shooting, while Lamont Butler chipped in 17 points and 8 assists.
Even with Kentucky’s defense allowing 102 points, they couldn’t slow down their opponent, who shot 47% from the field, hitting 35 of 73 attempts. Inside the arc, the Wildcats gave up 52% shooting, with their opponent connecting on 24 of 46 two-point shots.
From three-point range, Kentucky’s defense allowed 11 threes on 27 attempts, a 40% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 16 for 80%. The Wildcats gave up 13 offensive rebounds in the game.
Is an Upset Waiting to Happen at Home?
Vanderbilt Commodores Recent Game/Games
Vanderbilt dropped to 15-4 on the season after a 103-87 road loss to Alabama on Tuesday. Entering the game as +12 underdogs, the Commodores not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.
After trailing 48-31 at halftime, Vanderbilt scored 56 points in the 2nd half but allowed 55. The game’s total points of 190 exceeded the O/U line of 168.5.
Vanderbilt’s offense put up 87 points in their last game, despite shooting just 38.8% from the field. They connected on 42.3% of their threes, hitting 11 of 26 attempts, and made 77.8% of their free throws, going 14 for 18. Their effective field goal percentage was 45%, and they grabbed 17 offensive rebounds, with 14 assists as a team.
Mouhamed Dioubate and Aden Holloway both scored 22 points, with Dioubate shooting 8 of 9 and Holloway hitting 4 of 6 from three-point range. Mark Sears and Jason Edwards each added 21 points, with Edwards attempting 20 shots, and Tyler Nickel contributed 19 points, making 5 threes at a 55.6% clip.
Vanderbilt’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 103 points on 56% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 66% of their two-point attempts, with 28 makes on 42 tries.
From beyond the arc, Vanderbilt’s opponent shot 36%, connecting on 8 of 22 three-point attempts. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 34 times, where they made 23, shooting 67%.