Player to see in Kentucky against Vanderbilt

A crucial week for the Kentucky Wildcats begins on Wednesday evening.

According to Joe Lunardi von ESPN, Kentucky is still a seed no. 3 in the NCAA tournament, but there is still work to consolidate her projected seeds No. 3 in the NCAA tournament.

This work begins on Wednesday evening when the Wildcats moderator Vanderbilt, a team that defeated Kentucky 74-69 at the end of January. The Commodores are a much better team this season, but that was a game that Kentucky was supposed to win three and a half weeks ago. Wednesday evening Kentucky can at least save a separation against Vanderbilt this season.

What Kentucky cannot do is to stop by this game until the street game on Saturday in Alabama. Wednesday evening is the only game that counts at the moment, and the wildcats cannot afford to fall under 500 in the second if they finally want to move in the first round in the second tournament.

Before we look at the players we can see on the Commodores, we look back on the first matchup between the wildcats and commodores this season.

January 25 @ Vanderbilt: Commodores 74, Wildcats 69

This was a game that Kentucky could and should have won. After Kentucky had a week before this game, he fell behind 41: 27. But the wildcats stormed back in the second half to play a lead of 58-51 with 8:39. The wildcats finally went a lead of 69-68 with 2:56, so as not to play for the rest of the game. In the last 2:56 a.m. of the game, the wildcats went off the ground with three sales with three sales.

The wildcats really injured sales in this game, 10 in the first half and a total of 17 in the game. Kentucky played well enough to transform a 14-point deficit in the middle of the second half into a seven point lead, but they didn’t play well enough to complete the game. On the other hand, the Commodores 21 templates had just five sales.

Otega Oweh had a double double with 21 points and 12 rebounds in this game, while Ansley Almonor had 12 points on four three-to-time man. Jason Edwards led the Commodores with 18 points, while Tyler Nickel made three three -point, including one who turned out to be 1:50.

To see players

1. Jason Edwards, 6-foot-1, 175 lbs., Jr., Atlanta, Ga., Nordtexas Transfer

Statistics: 17.6 points, 2 grape/GM., 45.7 FG%, 38.5 3-PT FG%, 83.5 ft%, 24.4 mpg

January 25 against Kentucky: 18 points, 6-11 FG (2-4 3 -pt), 4-6 ft, 4 branches, 27 minutes

On Tuesday, Edwards is fourth in the SEC this season, the seventh percentage of the field gate and ninth place in the three-point field target percentage. He has had three 20-point games since the Commodores defeated Kentucky at the end of January, including 24 points with six three-point cones in Tennessee last Saturday.

2. #11 AJ Hoggard, 6-foot 4, 220 lbs., Gr., Coatesville, Pa., State Michigan Transfer

Statistics: 10.5 points, 2.7 grape, 111 branches-51 to, 37.1 FG%, 31.6 3-Pt FG%, 70.8 ft%, 25.9 mpg

January 25 against Kentucky: 5 points, 2-8 FG (1-3 3-Pt FG), 6 branches, 3 ReLB, 2 to 25 minutes

Hoggard has five+ assists in four of Vanderbilt’s last five games, and this season he took third place in the second with 111 templates. He will try to distribute the ball on Wednesday evening so that the wildcats against Hoggard do not have to get into a rhythm.

3. #99 Devin McGlockton, 6-foot-7, 230 lbs., Jr., Cumming, Ga., Boston College Transfer

Statistics: 10.8 points, 7.8 grape, 30 BLK, 60.2 FG%, 38.5 3-Pt FG%, 68.9 ft%, 24.3 mpg

January 25 against Kentucky: 14 points, 6-10 FG (2-5 3-pt), 6 ReLar, 2 branches, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 27 minutes

Vanderbilt’s leading rebounder, Kentucky, did not let McGlockton dominate the game last time when these two teams met. McGlockton has eight+ rebounds in three of the last four games from Vanderbilt, including 13 against No. 1 Auburn on Tuesday evening. He occupies sixth place in the SEC when he advances on Tuesday.

4. #5 Tyler Nickel, 6-foot 7, 220 lbs., Jr., Harrisonburg, Va., Virginia Tech Transfer

Statistics: 10 points/GM., 2.4 ReLB, 41.5 FG%, 38.8 3-Pt-FG%, 82.5 ft%, 23.5 mpg

January 25 against Kentucky: 11 points, 4-7 FG (3-6 3-PT FG), 4 Rebs, 1 branch, 1 to, 1 STL, 27:30

There were three three three points that were a big difference in a game with 17 lead changes when these two teams last played. In two of the last three games from Vanderbilt, he has at least three three-point pointers, including four against Texas on February 8. This is the only game that Nickel has achieved in two numbers since playing against Kentucky. Nevertheless, Nickel occupies eighth place in a three-point field target percentage in the Sec. Kentucky has to make it out on Wednesday evening.

5. #2 MJ Collins Jr., 6-Fuss-4, 190 lbs., Jr., Clover, SC, Virginia Tech Transfer

Statistics: 7.7 points, 2.5 grape, 42.3 fg%, 28.6 3-Pt FG%, 73.7 ft%, 21.6 MPG

January 25 against Kentucky: 5 points, 2-8 FG (1-5 3-PT FG), 1 STL, 21 minutes

Collins is not known for his goals, but he will still play a good number of minutes on Wednesday evening. He played for more than 20 minutes in four of the last five games from Vanderbilt and had 11 points in Florida on February 4 on a night in which he was 5-7. In addition, Collins has two games with at least six rebounds since Vanderbilt defeated Kentucky on January 25th.

6. #22. Jaylen Carey, 6-foot 8, 265 lbs., Sun., Davie, Fla., James Madison Transfer

Statistics: 8.4 points, 6 ReLB/GM., 49.7 FG%, 25.8 3-Pt FG%, 58.2 ft%, 20.3 mpg

January 25 against Kentucky: 10 points, 4-7 FG (2-4 3-Pt FG), 6 ReLB, 1 to 1 STL, 17 minutes

Carey was decisive for Vanderbilt by the bank when they defeated Kentucky in Nashville. Since then he has scored his hits and increased his goal through almost a complete point per game compared to the last five games from Vanderbilt. This route comprises two games with 18 points and others with 15 points. One of these games with 18 points was against Texas, where Carey had a double double with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Carey also pulled down 10 rebounds against No. 1 Auburn last week.

7. #3. Tyler Tanner, 6-foot, 170 lbs., Fr., Brentwood, Tenn.

Statistics: 5.6 points, 2.2 grape, 50 STL, 44.7 FG%, 26%3-PT FG, 73.9 ft%, 20.5 mpg

January 25 against Kentucky: 7 points, 3-6 FG (1-2 3-PT FG), 2 ReRbs, 4 branch, 2 STL, 22 minutes

Tanner leads the Commodores in steals, so Kentucky has to take care of the ball when he is on the pitch. Tanner played more than 20 minutes in each of the five games that Vanderbilt played since Kentucky was defeated. He will get playing time to influence the defensive end.

8. #30 Chris Manon, 6-foot-5, 215 lbs., Gr., New Milford, NJ, Cornell Transfer

Statistics: 5 points/GM., 3 Rebs/GM.

January 25 against Kentucky: 4 points, 2-8 FG, 3 rabbits, 3 branches, 2 BLK, 21 minutes

Manon will influence the game in a variety of ways, and he has three games with several steals because the Commodores defeated Kentucky at the end of January.

9. #4 Grant Huffman, 6-foot-4, 190 lbs., Gr., Aurora, Ohio, Davidson Transfer

Statistics: 3.8 points, 2 ReRbs/g, 46.6 FG%, 5-20 3-PT FG, 17-24 FT, 18.5 MPG

January 25 against Kentucky: 3 ReLar, 1 branch, 1 STL, 13 minutes

Huffman played twice two minutes since Vanderbilt defeated Kentucky at the end of January.

Head coach: Mark Byington (1st season)

After an incredible run at James Madison with a 32:4 record and a NCAA tournament victory in 2023-2024, Byington now leads the Commodores in his first season. Byington led James Madison to 82 victories in his four seasons as head coach, and his team spent eight weeks in the top 25 of the AP last year.

Byington was the head coach in Georgia Southern for seven seasons before James Madison and led the Eagles with 20 wins at four seasons. He also has coaching experiences at the College of Charleston, Virginia and Virginia Tech.

As a three-year-old starter at UNC Wilmington, Byington scored more than 1,000 points and was a selection of the all-Caa defensive as a senior.

Key to the game

1. Keep your foot on the gas: Kentucky had up to seven points ahead of Texas twice. Both cases stood at the beginning of both halves. However, the wildcats could not build on these leads, and that returned to follow them in the last 3:36 of the game. On Wednesday evening, just like against South Carolina and Tennessee, the wildcats have to get a tour and do not let go. That means keeping the foot on the gas and switching off the Commodores.

2. Make competitions in the winning time: If this game is late, like Saturday, the wildcats have to play games that help you win the game. Sales are exactly the opposite of competitions. We saw how the wildcats make winning against Duke, Gonzaga, Tennessee, Florida and Louisville so that they know how to win when they are late in tight games. From Wednesday it is about closing the games again.

3 .. Reconciliation: The Commodores are not a great team while Kentucky is. This is a game in which Amari Williams Devin McGlockton has to force his will on the glass. Williams has developed into an excellent inner player and rebounder, and this is a game in which he can celebrate. But other wildcats like Brandon Garrison and Ansley Almonor have to climb on the glass on Wednesday evening.

Score prediction: Wildcats 80, Commodores 69

When Kentucky was confronted with adversity, they reacted almost every time. This is a game, the wildcats should win at home. I think you have what it takes to close Vanderbilt this time.