It’s pick your pleasure between a pair of 8-8 teams with a nearly identical KenPom rating and a recent history owned by Vanderbilt in the regular season but Tennessee in the SEC Tournament. Last year the Commodores won by 14 in Knoxville and 17 on their home floor. Nine days later, Wade Baldwin couldn’t beat the buzzer and the Vols bounced Vandy from the SEC Tournament for the second year in a row.
Baldwin and Damian Jones are gone, as is our old friend Kevin Stallings. In his place is Bryce Drew, and the rest of last year’s supporting cast is back: Matthew Fisher-Davis, Luke Kornet, Jeff Roberson, and Riley LaChance, all the names you know and love.