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Published Feb 16, 2021
Previewing Kentucky at Vanderbilt
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Tyler Mansfield  •  TheDoreReport
Basketball Reporter
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@RivalsMansfield

After picking up a 72-51 win at Mississippi State for its second Southeastern Conference victory of the season, Vanderbilt will try for a third league win Wednesday evening as it hosts Kentucky – a team that's also had its fair share of struggles this season – at Memorial Gymnasium in the two sides' second matchup of the campaign.

Kentucky (6-13 overall, 5-7 SEC) at Vanderbilt (6-10, 2-8)

When: Wednesday, February 17 | 6 p.m.

Where: Memorial Gymnasium | Nashville, Tenn.

TV: SEC Network

KenPom prediction: Kentucky by 3

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Lineups and key reserves
VanderbiltPos.Kentucky

Scotty Pippen Jr., So., 6-3

31.7 mpg, 20.3 ppg, 5.4 apg

52% eFG, 80% FT

PG

Devin Askew, Fr., 6-3

29.9 mpg, 7.4 ppg, 3.2 apg

41% eFG, 78% FT

Max Evans, Sr., 6-2

22.5 mpg, 7.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg

56% eFG, 56% FT

SG

Davion Mintz, Sr., 6-3

29.6 mpg, 9.9 ppg, 2.5 apg

46% eFG, 64% FT

Jordan Wright, So., 6-6

21.6 mpg, 8.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg

56% eFG, 77% FT

SF

Brandon Boston Jr., Fr., 6-7

30.4 mpg, 12.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg

42% eFG, 79% FT

Dylan Disu, So., 6-9

31.1 mpg, 13.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg

57% eFG, 72% FT

PF

Isaiah Jackson, Fr., 6-10

20.7 mpg, 7.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg

50% eFG, 68% FT

Clevon Brown, Sr., 6-8

18.6 mpg, 3.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg

45% eFG, 67% FT

C

Olivier Sarr, Sr., 7-0

24.3 mpg, 10.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg

51% eFG, 74% FT

D.J. Harvey, Sr., 6-6

19.4 mpg, 6.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg

47% eFG, 4-4 FT

6

Keion Brooks Jr., So., 6-7

24.5 mpg, 11.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg

48% eFG, 79% FT

Myles Stute, Fr., 6-7

17.0 mpg, 5.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg

50% eFG, 83% FT

7

Dontaie Allen, Fr., 6-6

16.2 mpg, 5.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg

54% eFG, 67% FT

Trey Thomas, Fr., 5-11

17.8 mpg, 5.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg

48% eFG, 80% FT

8

Jacob Toppin, So., 6-9

15.8 mpg, 4.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg

48% eFG, 73% FT

MORE COVERAGE: The hoops 3-2-1, post-Mississippi State

The first meeting of the season between Vanderbilt and Kentucky back on January 5 was a pretty exciting one. In what was the Commodores' second SEC game, they took a 40-33 lead into the locker room at halftime but were outscored by 10 in the second half to suffer a heartbreaking 77-74 loss at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.

Vanderbilt shot 42.2% from the field and knocked down 10 3-pointers and had four different players finish in double figures, as Dylan Disu, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jordan Wright each scored 18 points and Myles Stute had 16. Kentucky shot 41.8%, made 26 of 32 free throws and was led by Olivier Sarr's 24 points and seven rebounds.

The Wildcats – who come into meeting No. 2 as three-point favorites according to KenPom – are coming off a 82-80 win over Auburn but have dropped four of their last five. In its game vs. the Tigers, UK trailed by six at the break but put together a 52-point second frame to come away with the tight victory. Isaiah Jackson finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead the way, while Brandon Boston put up 17 points and Keion Brooks had 12.

Kentucky shot 42.9% as a team and made 11 3s while committing 13 turnovers. On the season, the 'Cats are scoring 69.2 points per game and shooting 41.6%, while allowing their opponents to score 70.6 points and shoot 40.9% each outing. UK commits 14.7 turnovers a night compared to its opponents 12.1 average.

Vanderbilt has lost nine straight to Kentucky, with its last win in the series coming on February 27, 2016 – a 74-62 win in Nashville. Matthew Fisher-Davis scored 20 points to lead the way for the Commodores.

– Tyler Mansfield covers Vanderbilt basketball for VandySports.com. You can follow him on Twitter @RivalsMansfield. –