Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball Aims to Defeat No. 24 Alabama

Alabama Men’s basketball heads to Nashville to face Vanderbilt on Tuesday night. The Crimson Tide currently rank No. 24 in this week’s AP poll. The Commodores are unranked, but have won four consecutive home games. The duel between Alabama and Vanderbilt remains tightly matched, with the Tide holding  a slim 73-70 advantage in the all-time series.

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Last Matchup Between Alabama and Vanderbilt

In 2021, Alabama won 82-78 in their season’s only meeting against the Commodores. The back-and-forth game had nine ties and 12 lead changes before the Tide ran away with the victory. Alabama collected one more rebound than Vandy, leading to a 37-36 total. However, Vanderbilt had a higher shooting percentage, shooting 43.9 percent from the field. Alabama shot 42.6 percent during the game.

Jaden Shackelford led Alabama with 27 points, followed by Jahvon Quinerly with 15 points and three assists. On the other hand, Vanderbilt was led by Scotty Pippen Jr.‘s 24 points. Dylan Disu was the second-highest scorer for the Commodores with 17 points and 15 rebounds.

Jaden Shackelford paced Alabama with 27 points in a win over Vanderbilt today @jayunooo @AlabamaMBB pic.twitter.com/HH9HQ5kXrN

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) February 20, 2021

Returners Leading the Way

Currently, juniors Shakelford and Quinerly are valuable assets for Alabama’s success this season. Shakelford is averaging 17.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Additionally, Quinerly has collected an average of 13.9 points and 4.5 assists. With the addition of senior Keon Ellis, the trio accounts for 54 percent of Alabama’s average points per game. They will be valuable assets for Alabama in their matchup against Vanderbilt.

For the Commodores, Scotty Pippen Jr. leads the way as the SEC’s top scorer, averaging 19.5 points per game. The junior guard also leads Vanderbilt with 159 field goals made. Pippen Jr. was also named SEC men’s basketball co-Player of the Week on Monday. The award came after he averaged 26.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game in this season’s matchups between Auburn and Texas A&M. Following him, junior Jordan Wright averages 12.3 points and 6.1 rebound per game. Pippen Jr. and Wright combine for an average of 31.8 points per game, making them the top scoring duo in the SEC.

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Crimson Tide and Commodores Set for a Good Game

As of now, Alabama has outperformed Vandy throughout the regular season. However, the Tide only boasts three victories against the Dores in Nashville since 1990. Vanderbilt is 9-6 at home this season, while the Tide is only 2-6 in away games. With the phenomenal talent on both sides, the court is set for an entertaining matchup Tuesday evening.

With Alabama’s up-and-down season, and Vanderbilt looking to pick up a signature win, this could be a tight matchup. Tip off for the game is scheduled for 8pm in Memorial Gymnasium. The game will be available to watch on the SEC Network.