| Range | W | L | P | +/- (Units) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yesterday | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Last 30 Days | 3 | 0 | 0.00 | +6.00 |
| Season to Date | 3 | 0 | 0.00 | +6.00 |
Vanderbilt -14 -110 over St. Johns
Maui Invitational starting at 2:30 PM EST. The Commodores are a true force this season. With six players back who started at least 11 games last season, Vanderbilt is one of a handful of teams that may be able to challenge Kentucky atop the SEC standings. The return of seven-foot center Damian Jones, who many considered to be a first round draft pick had he entered the 2015 NBA Draft, certainly helps boost the expectations. The backcourt already has plenty of shooters with Wade Baldwin who downed 43 long balls at a 43.9 percent clip last season. Baldwin turned the ball over fewer than two times per game. Baldwin is a smart and effective point guard and he was just a freshman last year. Riley LaChance, another sophomore, hit 66 three-pointers and will step back into the starting spot beside Baldwin. LaChance can obviously shoot the ball, but he can finish inside the arc too. Matthew Fisher-Davis was the most prolific shooter on the team last season, connecting on 71 of his 177 three-point shots. The impressive Vanderbilt shooting does not end in the backcourt though. Luke Kornet hit 40.0 percent of his 125 three-point attempts last season. That is good, but nothing special until you realize that he is a 7-1 forward. Kornet can stretch the defense amazingly well. Sixth year senior Josh Henderson, another seven-footer, will provide depth in the frontcourt.
The Red Storm are getting far too much credit here because of their 3-0 start. They defeated three marshmallows and were even down by 16 points in the second half against Rutgers in their last start. The Johnnies pulled a rabbit out of their hat against the Scarlet Knights and won by one point. All three of their wins this year were at home. Now this garbage team leaves the comforts of Carnesecca Arena to face a juggernaut. Chris Mullin's transition into coaching is about to get a reality check. Mullin inherited a group whose top returning scorer averaged 1½ points per game last year. Seven players from last year’s squad transferred the hell out of St. Johns. The Johnnies have been outplayed for long stretches twice already this year by both Wagner and Rutgers. They also beat UMBC, which is equivalent to defeating Bob Barker in a 100-yard dash. Because the Johnnies have some pedigree and three wins this season, the market sees them as a team that may be able to stay within this range. We cannot overstate the mismatch here. The Johnnies are in way over their head and this has all the making of a 30 to 40 point blowout. We get in so cheap here and it’s not a wager we are going to miss. Pick: Vandy -14 -110 (2.2 units to win 2).
