Tennessee basketball: Vols preview, live stream, prediction vs. Vanderbilt Commodores

Tennessee basketball hosts the Commomdores Tuesday night. Here is the Volunteers’ preview, streaming, prediction and TV information.  

Tennessee basketball (13-5, 4-3) heads home to host Vanderbilt (7-12, 2-5) Tuesday night. This will be The Vols’ only home game this week as they travel to Ames, Iowa on Saturday to take on the Iowa State Cyclones in the 5^th annual Big 12/SEC Challenge.

Don’t let Vanderbilt’s record mislead you. They are 2-5 in the last seven games, but those losses include Tennessee, Kentucky, and Florida. They also have “good” losses to teams like Virginia, Seton Hall, and Arizona State in non-conference.

Remember it took a late run from the Vols and a 37-point output from Grant Williams for Tennessee to win earlier this month.

Joe Lunardi of ESPN has Tennessee as his No. 17 ranked team in the NCAA Tournament. That would give the Vols the first 5^th seed in his bracket.

This game against the Commodores would be a solid win with a favorable schedule coming up for Tennessee basketball.

After Vandy, the Vols travel to play Iowa State, which won’t be as simple as we may have believed earlier in the season with the Cyclones upsetting  the No. 8 ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders on Saturday. LSU and Ole Miss visit Rocky Top to wrap up a two-game home stand next week.

Tennessee ranks in the top 15 in RPI, 12th to be exact. Vanderbilt, well they need some work, coming in at 138.

However, the Commodores’ strength of schedule is pretty impressive. So playing at Thompson-Boling Arena won’t be anything new for them.

A win won’t necessarily improve the Vols, but a loss could be detrimental for hopes of a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament. Before we preview both teams and give our prediction, here is the information you need for Tuesday nights game.

Vanderbilt Commodores at No. 22 Tennessee Volunteers

When: Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. E.T.

Where: Thompson-Boling Arena; Knoxville, TN

TV: ESPNU

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Line: Tennessee -12

TENNESSEE PREVIEW

Tennessee basketball comes off a tremendous road win against South Carolina on Saturday. The Vols led most of the game, but the Gamecocks wouldn’t go away. With 4:26 left, Lamonte Turner made a jumper to put the Vols up 61-59. 26 seconds later, Admiral Schofield got a steal and hit a three-point shot in the corner to give the Vols a 64-59 lead. Six made free throws later, and the Vols wrapped up a 70-63 win.

Rick Barnes had a new look rotation during the game, and it paid off in significant ways for Tennessee. The Vols went to freshmen forwards Yves Pons and Derrick Walker early in the first half.

Walker played 25 minutes and scored 10 points with four rebounds. He was 5-5 from the field and played solid defense throughout the game. If Tennessee can rely on Walker to produce that kind of minutes down the stretch, it would be a massive help for the team.

The Jordans’ didn’t show up again. The Vols didn’t get anything from their two starting guards for the second straight game. Both guards combined for two points on 1-6 shooting and six turnovers. The past two games Bone and Bowden are a combined 2-19 from the field with five points. Look for a bounce-back game by the guards against Vanderbilt.

Lamonte Turner made the most of his extra minutes. Turner and Schofield played a team-high 32 minutes. Turner tied his career scoring high with 25 critical points. He was a perfect 3-3 from the 3-point line and 10-10 from the free throw line. Was Turner the beneficiary of his hot hand or Bowden’s foul trouble? Only time will tell, one thing is for sure, if Turner brings his “A” game, it will be hard for Barnes not to give him extended minutes.

VANDERBILT PREVIEW

The Commodores are arriving into the game dropping the last five out of seven games. However, they did get a 77-71 win against LSU on Saturday. Vanderbilt starts a brutal stretch in their schedule with upcoming games against Tennessee, TCU, Kentucky, and Auburn.

Vandy doesn’t have much working for them; they are currently last in the SEC in assist per game with 12.4. They are 13^th in shooting percentage and 2^nd in the league in personal fouls per game.

The one shining spot for The Commodores is senior guard, Jeff Roberson who has taken his game to a different level this year. He is scoring 15.1 points per game, which is five higher than last year. Roberson has a higher shooting percentage from the field and has increased his free throw shooting percentage from last year’s 79% to now 87%.

The Commodores received 19 points from Roberson in the last game against the Vols. Watch for Roberson to have another solid game this time around, but he needs help, which is presently something Vandy doesn’t have.

WATER-COOLER CHAT

Admiral Schofield has 237 points this season. Seven more points than all of last season.

Schofield has scored in double digits in 17 out 18 games. 13 games in a row.

Despite the recent lousy shooting, Jordan Bowden still leads the SEC in 3-point percentage at 51.7%.

The last time the Vols swept the season series against Vanderbilt was the 2012-2013 season.

PREDICTION

There isn’t an easy game in the SEC this season, but the Vols should handle this one quite comfortably. In the past six games, the Vols are just 3-3 vs. the Commodores and 0-2 at home since Rick Barnes has been the coach. I believe that trend comes to an end and the Vols take the win.