MBB Preview: Vanderbilt – SEC Tournament

Who: Arkansas Razorbacks (15-16, 6-12 SEC) vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (9-22, 4-14 SEC)
What: Arkansas opens SEC Tournament play
When: Wednesday – March 13 – 6 p.m. (CT)
Where: Nashville, Tenn. • Bridgestone Arena (19,891)
How (to follow):
– TV/Stream: SEC Network / Watch ESPN (Tom Hart and Daymeon Fishback)
– Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
– Sirius/XM: 160 Sirius / 1901 XM / 971 SXM App
– Live Stats
– Razorback Gameday App

– Arkansas Game Notes
– Vanderbilt Game Notes
– SEC Notes/Stats

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas opens the SEC Tournament on Wednesday night at as the No. 12 seed against No. 13 seed Vanderbilt. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. on SEC Network.

NOTES:
• This will be the 55th meeting between Arkansas and Vanderbilt all-time, the second this year and the seventh in the SEC Tournament.
• Vandy has won three straight in the series, including an 85-82 win 13 days ago in Bud Walton Arena. However, the Razorbacks own a 39-15 advantage in the series.
• Arkansas is 5-1 versus the Commodores in the SEC Tournament, including a 2-1 mark in games played in Nashville.
In the first meeting of the two teams earlier this season, Arkansas trailed by 15 with 5:54 to play, the Razorbacks made seven straight baskets late and trailed by one (83-82) with five seconds to play after a Khalif Battle 3-pointer. After a foul on the ensuing inbounds, Vanderbilt’s Ezra Manjon made two free throws with 3.5 seconds left to put the Commodores up three, 85-82. The Razorbacks got one final look to tie the game, but Tramon Mark’s 3-pointer did not go in to give Vanderbilt the win.
• However, perhaps the play of the game came with 22 seconds left. Vandy was up three and Tyrin Lawrence missed two free throws. Ven-Allen Lubin knifed in, got the offensive rebound on the second miss and converted an old-fashion 3-point play to give the Commodores a six-point cushion.
• Arkansas scored first and was in command early. Then, after a Jeremiah Davenport 3-pointer gave the Razorbacks a 20-10 lead with 12:46 remaining in the first half, Arkansas missed 16 of its last 17 shots of the half and watched a 10-point advantage turn into a four-point deficit at halftime.
• In the second half, with 12:11 left, Vandy went on a 17-6 run — with two Battle 3-pointers — to take its largest lead of 16 with 6:33 to play.
• Manjon finished with 22 points while Lawrence and Lubin contributed 21 and 19 points, respectively, to lead the Commodores.
• For the second straight game, Arkansas was led by Battle with 36 points. He drew 12 fouls and was 14-of-17 at the free throw line while adding six rebounds, three steals and three assists.
• The Razorbacks are 4-3 in the SEC Tournament under Coach Musselman, including 1-0 against Vanderbilt.
• The last time the Hogs and Dores faced off in the SEC Tournament came in Nashville in 2020 when Arkansas won 86-73 prior to the tournament being canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Arkansas has scored 80-plus in five straight games.

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