Here's a brief look at each opponent on Vanderbilt's out-of-conference basketball schedule for 2019-20.

Games are previewed in the order they'll be played. But first, here's my opinion of how opponents rank from toughest to easiest.

The second column is a team's rank in the 1-to-353 preseason rankings by Ken Pomeroy and CBS Sports.

The third column notes where Athlon and Blue Ribbon picked each team within its league, followed where a team finished in its league's official preseason poll (those aren't in yet for all teams). The "of" notes how many teams are in that league, or the division of the league that a team is in.

Ken Pomeroy's win probability for each game, for VU, is listed within the story. Pomeroy projects Vandy to go 8-5 outside the Southeastern Conference.

Former Mississippi State coach Rick Ray (44-80 at SEMO) has struggled to turn things around in Cape Girardeau. Last year's leading scorer, LeDarrius Brewer (12.5 ppg), transferred to East Tennessee State following a 10-21 season.

The Redhawks, who return 52.7 percent of last year's minutes, have a trio of capable offensive players in junior forward Isaiah Gable (8.1 ppg, 60.1 effective field goal percentage), senior guard Skyler Hogan (10.6, 54) and sophomore point Alex Caldwell (8.7, 54). SEMO should also get a boost from Nebraska guard transfer Nana Akenten (4.3, 35) and senior transfer forward Quatarrius Wilson (10.9, 53), who averaged 10.2 rebounds his last season at McNeese State.

Ray's four teams have never ranked above 266th nationally in Ken Pomeroy's adjusted defensive efficiency. SEMO ranked 285th in offensive turnover percentage last season.

KP win probability: 86 percent

Coach Willis Wilson was undoubtedly irked at the transfer of guard Kareem South (13.8, 48) to Cal, but, the Islanders return four seniors, including guard Jashawn Talton-Thomas (9.2, 52) and junior point guard Myles Smith (10.4, 49), who missed over half of last season with injury.

The Islanders have always defended well for their level in Wilson's tenure, and had three-straight 20-win seasons before going a combined 25-36 the last two years.

KP win probability: 85 percent

Richmond, coached then and now by Chris Mooney, beat Vanderbilt in the first round of the 2011 NCAA tournament. Since then, it hasn't made the Big Dance, and comes off back-to-back records of 13-20 and 12-20.

The Spiders seem poised for a leap up. Junior point guard Jacob Gilyard (16.2, 57) is an Atlantic 10 preseason first-team pick, and Grant Golden (17.2, 52) made the second team. GIlyard ranked seventh in the country in steals (2.8 per game) and led the league in scoring in A10 games. Wagner transfer guard Blake Francis (17.3, 56) joins the Spiders. Junior forward Nathan Cayo (12.9, 60) returns, as does guard Nick Sherod (12.7, 56), who was hurt in the sixth game of last season and didn't return.

If Richmond can improve on last year's No. 287 ranking in adjusted defensive efficiency, it'll be better.

KP win probability: 24 percent

Former South Carolina assistant Matt Figger has done a terrific job in Clarksville. The Governors, picked last in the Ohio Valley Conference's preseason poll in his debut year of 2017-18, finished third, then, followed that up with a fourth-place showing last season with a 22-11 overall finish.

Junior swingman Terry Taylor (20.5, 59), Blue Ribbon's co-OVC Preseason Player of the Year, scored at least 32 points five times last year, and dotted conference leaderboards in an abundance of categories. Figger takes pride in aggressive defense, and thinks junior-college forward transfer Eli Abaev, who missed last season, and a bigger guard corps, led by freshman Jordyn Adams--a former Baylor commit--the Govs should be better on that end; Pomeroy ranked APSU 226th in adjusted defensive efficiency. Peay also added Alabama State transfer Reginald Gee (10.5, 47).

APSU ranked 55th in Pomeroy's offensive efficiency last year. It missed upsetting NCAA tournament teams Belmont and Murray State by four and two points, respectively.

KP win probability: 72 percent

It's been a rough decade for the Bulldogs, who've had one winning season since the end of the 2009-10 season, and went 8-26 last year.

The good news: Murray Garvin (70-133 at State) gets to coach All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference forward Damani Applewhite (16.6, 51), who averaged 7.4 rebounds a game, again. State is also waiting to see if forward Tashombe Riley is eligible this year; he transferred to South Alabama but never played, and averaged 11.4 points and 5.2 rebounds his last season in Orangeburg (2016-17).

South Carolina State ranked either 347th or 348th in Pomeroy's adjusted defensive efficiency each of the last three seasons.

KP win probability: 91 percent

This looks like a rebuilding year for SELA, which lost its two leading scorers and its coach after finishing third in the Southland last season. Coach David Kiefer, 34, a SELA assistant the last four games, makes his head coaching debut.

The Lions return starters Von Julien (6.2, 48) and Brandon Gonzalez (6.1, 51) from last year's 17-16 team. Julien, a Tulane transfer, led the league in minutes.

KP win probability: 89 percent

Former Missouri coach Frank Haith begins his sixth year at Tulsa with one NCAA tournament appearance (but just one losing season) to his credit. The Golden Hurricane, picked near the bottom of the American Athletic this year, lost their leading scorer and didn't have a player among the dozen named first- or second-team all-conference in the league's official preseason voting.

However, Tulsa returns a pair of potent forwards in Martins Igbanu (12.5, 62) and Jeriah Horne (10.1, 53), to which it adds Western Michigan transfer Reggie Jones (10.1, 44 two seasons ago) and 7-foot JUCO center Emmanuel Ugboh.

Tulsa has ranked in the top 17 the last three years in free-throw-to-field-goal ratio, per Pomeroy,, but has also finished 100-135 in defensive efficiency those three seasons.

KP win probability: 49

It was a tough offseason for the Bulls, who, according to Blue Ribbon, lost the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year (C.J. Massinburg), MAC Defensive Player of the Year (Dontay Caruthers), MAC Sixth Man of the Year (Nate Perkins) and MAC Tournament MVP (Jeremy Harris) from last year. That's not even the worst: coach Nate Oats (96-43 at Buffalo, with three NCAA tournament appearances in two wins in them) is now at Alabama.

That leaves 58-year-old former Bulls assistant Jim Whitesell, who was 109-106 at Loyola-Chicago as its head coach from 2004-11, in charge. And it's not all bad news. Davonta Jordan (7.4, 52 ) and Jayvon Graves (9.7, 57), who ranked second and fifth in minutes, return. Buffalo also added transfers David Nickelberry (2.8, 38 at Memphis), Antwain Johnson (10.3, 54 at MTSU), LaQuill Hartnett (Cincinnati) and Josh Mballa (0.8, 44 at Texas Tech).

KP win probability: 47

The Flames, in their fourth year under coach Ritchie McKay, are one of the country's rising mid-major programs. Last year, Liberty tied for the Atlantic Sun's regular-season title before it won the conference tournament and upset Mississippi State in the NCAA tournament.

Liberty lost leading minutes-getter Lovell Cabbill, as well Keenan Gumbs (No. 7 in minutes) and Zach Farquhar (11). Other than that, everyone who played a minute is back.

Unsurprisingly, the Flames are everyone's pick to repeat as league champs. Both Athlon and Blue Ribbon picked swingman Caleb Homesley (12.4 ppg, 53)--who dropped 30 on MSU--as its A-Sun Preseason Player of the Year, as did the league in its preseason poll. Forward Scottie James (12.6, 68) is a consensus All-Atlantic Sun first-team pick. Starting point guard Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz (7.2, 59) and starting guard Elijah Cuffee (7.6, 59) also return.

Liberty was good on both ends last year (87th in adjusted defensive efficiency, and 54th on offense), ranking 12th nationally in field goal percentage, 10th in free throw percentage and 60th in 3-point percentage. It played at the fifth-slowest tempo in the country last season.

Athlon projects Liberty as a 14-seed in the 2020 NCAA tournament.

KP win probability: 45

The Final Four darling from two seasons ago went 20-14 last year, settling for an NIT berth and a tie for the league's regular-season title. But coach Porter Moser (and yes, Sister Jean, who just turned 100) are still around for the Ramblers, who start their seventh season in the Missouri Valley Conference.

As are some of the old heroes from that 2017-18 squad: Center Cameron Krutwig (14.8, 63), Marques Townes (15.3, 51) and Lucas Williamson (8.8, 61) are returning starters who all played significant roles two years ago. Krutwig was Blue Ribbon's pick as MVC Preseason Player of the Year. Forward Aher Uguak (5.8, 52) ranked fourth on the team in minutes last season.

The Ramblers led the country in defensive rebounding, allowing just 21.7 percent of offensive boards according to Pomeroy, but were sixth-worst in America at grabbing them on the other end. In eight years under Moser, Loyola-Chicago has never ranked higher than 284th in adjusted tempo.

KP win probability: 37

The Seahawks went 10-23 last year, and that was with Devontae Cacok, who averaged 15.2 points, 12.3 rebounds and shot 59 percent from the field. Not surprisingly, little is expected of coach C.B. McGrath's squad this season.

But, the cupboard isn't bare. Florida guard transfer Mike Okauru played 610 minutes in Gainesville and is eligible after his sit-out season. Kae Toews (8.8, 44) finished second in the country at 7.7 assists per game--as a freshman. Sophomore guard Ty Gadsden (11.5, 54) also returns, though he'll miss the first month or so due to injury.

Wilmington is 21-44 since coach Kevin Keatts left for North Carolina State two seasons ago, and has finished 303rd or worse in adjusted defensive efficiency the last two years.

KP win probability: 83 percent

Coach Bob McKillop has led Davidson to a 578-350 record since taking over in 1989. That's included nine trips to the NCAA Tournament. However, Davidson has registered a win in just one of those, that being the year Steph Curry led the Wildcats into the Elite Eight. Davidson went 24-10 and made the NIT last year, and looks for bigger things now.

For the most part, Davidson played six men in conference games last year, and all return. Guard Jon Axel Gundmundsson (16.9, 54), last year's Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, is expected to earn that honor again. Kellan Grady (17.3, 52) ranked third in the league in scoring, and is also a preseason first-team all-league pick. Luka Bradjovic (11.1, 58) and Luke Frampton (10.3, 56) are also keys.

Blue Ribbon ranks Davidson 17th nationally. Athlon projects Davidson as an 8-seed in the 2020 NCAA tournament.

KP win probability: 32 percent

Former Commodore assistant Tim Jankovic enters his second season at SMU, hoping this season is less wrecked by injuries and NCAA sanctions than last: That one ended with a 15-17 record and a 6-12 league mark.

No Mustangs made the AAC's first- or second-preseason all-league team. Junior Ethan Chargois (12.4, 51) is the top returning scorer, followed by Isaiha Mike (11.7, 54). Feron Hunt (7.6, 60), who led SMU with 6.4 rebounds per game, is also back.

SMU ranked 38 in adjusted offensive efficiency last year, but just 221st on defense.

KP win probability: 43 percent