The Kentucky Wildcats take on the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville, TN. Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Kentucky is favored by 2 points on the spread with a moneyline of -130. The total is set at 166.5 points.
Here are my Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt predictions and college basketball picks for January 25, 2025.
Kentucky vs Vanderbilt Odds
| Kentucky Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -110 | 166.5 -110 / -110 | -142 |
| Vanderbilt Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -110 | 166.5 -110 / -110 | +120 |
- Kentucky vs Vanderbilt spread: Kentucky -2.5
- Kentucky vs Vanderbilt over/under: 166.5 points
- Kentucky vs Vanderbilt moneyline: Kentucky -142, Vanderbilt +120
- Kentucky vs Vanderbilt best bet: Over 164.5 (Play to 166.5)
My Kentucky vs Vanderbilt best bet is on the over, with the best odds currently available at FanDuel. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Kentucky vs Vanderbilt College Basketball Preview
The SEC has gifted the college basketball world with a pro-level product on a nearly nightly basis. On Saturday, we should see another firework-packed contest between Kentucky and Vanderbilt, two up-tempo squads whose offenses far outpace their defenses.
Both teams enter this game off a loss to Alabama – and both gave up over 100 points to the Tide. A win means staying within arm’s reach of the top of the conference standings and a Quad 1 badge to help pad their tournament resume.
Kentucky’s offense is a beautiful thing to behold. The Cats boast the nation’s third-best offensive efficiency and lead the SEC in that metric through five games. Mark Pope’s attack is a high-powered, up-tempo machine.
Kentucky ranks in the 97th percentile nationally in points per possession in transition (1.232 PPP) and can beat opponents in multiple ways in the half-court. Pope loves playing inside-out through the post, his team can beat you in ball screens and his offense features constant motion.
With a point guard in Lamont Butler enjoying by far the best season of his career and arguably the nation’s best shooter in Koby Brea, Pope has both an elite playmaker and gravitational force for defenses to worry about while also trying to stop Kentucky’s sizable forwards and athletic wings.
Like any highly-efficient offense, Kentucky’s shot chart is an analytic nerd’s dream, consisting of nearly all paint 2s and 3s.
Vandy is in trouble on this end of the floor, as the Dores have allowed the second-most paint 2s in the country, per CBB Analytics. Mark Byington’s squad’s strength on defense is wreaking havoc – he’ll throw out full-court pressure, and his Commodores rank 16th nationally in defensive turnover rate.
However, Kentucky rarely turns it over (seventh in offensive turnover rate).
Vandy has been lit up in conference play from deep, allowing teams to shoot 39.3% from distance. Kentucky isn't the team you want to face when hoping to reverse shooting luck fortune.
To boot, Vandy really lacks size, ranking just 302nd in height nationally. Kentucky will have a major edge in the frontcourt with Amari Williams and Brandon Garrison roaming the middle. The Dores might be better equipped than most to defend the mobile Andrew Carr, but Pope’s 6-foot-10 traditional bigs should cause them issues.
While Vandy has been good at limiting transition this season, Byington wants to run on the other end as well, and running with Kentucky isn’t smart. The Dores ran with Bama in an 82-possession contest and lost by 16.
Vandy has struggled offensively in league play after a light non-conference schedule did it no favors to prepare for the best conference in America. But with Kentucky’s defensive woes, points should come easily.
Like Kentucky, Vandy looks to attack in transition, though it’s not nearly as effective as the Wildcats, checking in at just the 56th percentile in PPP.
The Dores half-court offense revolves around the pick-and-roll, and they excel in this action. Devin McGlockton's toughness, strength and versatility make him one of the premier roll partners in the country, while AJ Hoggard and Jason Edwards are excellent prodding off screens.
Hoggard has the size to bully defenders into the lane; Edwards is lightning-quick, can pull from anywhere and is highly skilled.
Kentucky’s defense has been absolutely torched against pick-and-roll this season. The Cats have faced the action at one of the highest rates in the country and rank just 351st in PPP allowed. Their drop coverage has been repeatedly exposed by talented ball handlers, shooters and roll men.
Edwards will burn them if Kentucky’s guards can’t fight through screens, and Pope continues to pack the lane with his bigs.
Overall, Kentucky’s defense has been the worst in the SEC – the Cats have been eaten alive inside the arc, surrendering 2s at a league-worst 60% clip. While the Cats don’t allow much at the rim, teams score automatically when they get there.
Vandy is balanced offensively and will take what the defense gives them. The Dores have plenty of paths to points.
The over is the play in this game. Both teams want to run, and neither are scared to play a high-possession contest. Neither defense can stop the other, meaning efficiency should be high.
High pace plus high efficiency equals points galore.
Pick: Over 164.5 (Play to 166.5)
