These teams need a big win, and either could use a win in this game to boost their resume. It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Vanderbilt-Texas A&M prediction and pick.
Vanderbilt is 18-9 this season. It has notable wins against Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ole Miss. They also have notable losses to Mississippi State, Missouri, Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Jason Edwards has carried the Commodores this season, and they need him to have a giant game against this elite Aggies defense on the road.
Texas A&M is 20-7 but has lost two straight entering this matchup. Its resume is littered with quality wins, such as those against Creighton, Texas Tech, Purdue, Texas, Oklahoma twice, Ole Miss, and Missouri. They also had a terrible loss against UCF, but losses to Oregon, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi State, and Tennessee were not as bad. Wade Taylor IV needs to take over this game against Vanderbilt.
Here are the Vanderbilt-Texas A&M College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Vanderbilt-Texas A&M Odds
Vanderbilt: +6.5 (-102)
Moneyline: +235
Texas A&M: -6.5 (-120)
Moneyline: -295
Over: 147.5 (-115)
Under: 147.5 (-105)
How to Watch Vanderbilt vs. Texas A&M
Time: 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT
TV: SEC Network
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Vanderbilt Will Cover The Spread/Win
Vanderbilt’s offense has been near the top of the SEC most of the season. They score 79.6 points per game, have a 45.6% field goal percentage, and shoot 32.6% from three-point range. They are in the top 30 in offensive efficiency on KenPom, with a 118.7 rating.
Only two Commodores are averaging over double digits in scoring. Jason Edwards is Vanderbilt’s best scorer and averages 17.3 points per game. Then, AJ Hoggard is the team leader in assists, averaging 4.7 per game. They are averaging 14.1 assists per game as a team this year.
The Vandy offense has the tools to play well, and Jason Edwards is one of the best players in the SEC and has proven he can score on almost anyone. This will still be a rough matchup because the Aggies have one of the best defenses in the SEC.
Texas A&M’s offense has talent, but they have had issues all season. They score 73.6 points per game, have a 42.1% field goal percentage, and a 30.6% three-point shooting percentage. The advanced metrics like this offense are more than the standard stats because they are a top-60 offense. They are ranked 52nd in adjusted offensive and have a 116.4 KenPom rating.
This offense only has two consistent scorers: Zhuric Phelps and Taylor IV. Taylor IV leads the Aggies in scoring with 15 points per game, while Phelps averages 14.4 points. Taylor IV also leads the team in assists at 4.7 per game, but as a team, the Aggies struggle to move the ball fluently and only average 12.3 assists per game.
The Aggies’ roster is littered with talent, but they need consistency on offense. Vanderbilt is not playing well on defense, but thanks to their two elite guards, they can take advantage at home.
Why Texas A&M Will Cover The Spread/Win
Vanderbilt’s defense has had many issues this season and is ranked near the bottom of the SEC. They allow 72.9 points per game, 46.1% from the field, and 37.2% from behind the arc. They are also the 74th-ranked adjusted offense in KenPom, with a 102 rating.
Down low, Devin McGlockton has been the best player in the frontcourt. McGlockton leads the team in rebounding and blocks with 7.9 and 1.1 per game, respectively. They do not have as much depth next to him, but he has been great. The team is also averaging 34.9 rebounds per game.
Finally, their on-ball defense has been a bright spot. Four Vandy players average at least one steal, and Tyler Tanner is the team leader, averaging 1.9 per game. However, this defense has been unimpressive, and they will have issues defending Taylor IV and Zhuric Phelps in College Station.
The Aggies’ defense has been excellent this season and is only behind Tennessee in the SEC. They allow 66 points per game, 39.8% from the field, and 32.4% from behind the arc. In KenPom, their defensive rating is 92.4, which is sixth in adjusted defense.
The frontcourt has been balanced but lacks a single dominant down-low player. Andersson Garcia leads the team in rebounding with 5.7 per game, and Solomon Washington leads the team in blocks with 1.2 per game.
The Aggies have been a tremendous on-ball defensive team. Four Aggies are averaging at least one steal, with Phelps leading the team with 1.9 per game. The Aggies have a defense that can hang with anyone in the SEC. They should play well in this game against the Commodores and do enough to slow down Edwards and this offense.
Final Vanderbilt-Texas A&M Prediction & Pick
The Aggies are the better team and should win this game. Taylor IV and Phelps are the best players in this game and will be the difference-makers at home. Texas A&M wins and covers this game at home.
Final Vanderbilt-Texas A&M Prediction & Pick: Texas A&M -6.5 (-120)
The post Vanderbilt vs. Texas A&M prediction, pick, college basketball odds appeared first on ClutchPoints.
