Vanderbilt basketball at Auburn: Score prediction, scouting report in rematch
Vanderbilt basketball played one of its best games of the SEC season, but it was far from a consolation as it ended in a 75-62 loss to Tennessee on Saturday.
The Commodores (5-14, 0-6 SEC) play Wednesday (8 p.m. CT, ESPN2) at Auburn (16-4, 5-2), a team they already lost to on Jan. 17. Though the Tigers are lacking in marquee wins, they rate very highly by the metrics at No. 7 in KenPom and No. 9 in the NET.
Vanderbilt is finally mostly healthy once again. The Commodores had an injury scare against the Vols with Ven-Allen Lubin leaving late, but coach Jerry Stackhouse said after that game that the 6-foot-8 forward was dealing with cramps and it was unlikely to be a long-term issue.
Against Auburn, Vanderbilt will have to deal once again with one of the top frontcourt duos in the SEC with Johni Broome and Jaylin Williams. The pair combined for 36 points and 20 rebounds in the earlier contest.
The rematch
This is the first rematch of the season for Vanderbilt, with Auburn winning the first game, 80-65, at Memorial Gymnasium. The Commodores face four additional home-and-homes this season against Tennessee, Kentucky, LSU and Florida.
The Tigers have yet to rematch with an SEC opponent at this point in the season.
Auburn vs. competition levels
Auburn is the only team in the top 30 of the NET that does not have a Quadrant 1 win. This is due both to a lack of Q1 opportunities so far and a disparity against various competition levels. The Tigers are a perfect 10-0 against Q3 and Q4 opponents and have one lone Q2 loss in seven tries, coming on the road to Appalachian State.
The Tigers are also undefeated at home this season, with all three of their Q1 opportunities so far coming in road or neutral-site games. Those games resulted in losses to Baylor, Mississippi State and Alabama.
Vanderbilt, meanwhile, is winless in seven Q1 games and three Q2 games, with a 1-3 record in Q3 and a 4-1 record in Q4.
Will Vanderbilt use the same starting five?
Against Tennessee and Mississippi State, the Commodores used the same starting lineup: Ezra Manjon, Tyrin Lawrence, Evan Taylor, Jason Rivera-Torres and Lubin. Those five players are also Vanderbilt's five leading scorers.
Though starting that group helped the Commodores stay in the game for longer against the Vols, it also means that Vanderbilt gets almost no bench production. Taylor averages 7.8 points per game. After him, the next-highest scorer who is currently healthy is Tasos Kamateros at 5.2 points per game.
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Score prediction
Auburn 82, Vanderbilt 60: Auburn has not lost at home this season and already got the road win over the Commodores.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt basketball at Auburn: Score prediction, scouting report
