It will be a battle between SEC opponents when the South Carolina Gamecocks (8-5, 0-2 SEC) welcome the Vanderbilt Commodores (6-8, 1-1 SEC) to Colonial Life Arena. The game will air on SEC Network at 6:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 6, 2018.
The Over/Under (O/U) for the game has been set at 135.5 points with South Carolina opening as a 3-point favorite.
Vanderbilt Commodores at South Carolina Gamecocks ATS Prediction
The last time the Commodores played, they beat the Alabama Crimson Tide, 76-75. Vanderbilt’s rebounding was their biggest strength. The Commodores had nine offensive rebounds and 33 total rebounds, while the Crimson Tide had four and 31, respectively. With 23 points on 7-for-14 shooting, Saben Lee led Vanderbilt in scoring.
The Gamecocks were beaten by the Missouri Tigers in their last outing, 79-68. Missouri’s 0.612 effective field goal percentage was their biggest advantage over South Carolina, who had a mark of 0.430. The Tigers’ mark was above their season average of 0.569, while the Gamecocks’ was below their season average of 0.485. With 18 points on 4-for-6 shooting, Chris Silva led South Carolina in scoring.
South Carolina appears to have the advantage on the defensive side of the ball. The Gamecocks currently rank 99th in effective field goal percentage allowed (0.480), while Vanderbilt is 267th in effective field goal percentage (0.490). Furthermore, the Commodores rank 21st in free throw attempt (FTA) rate (0.306), while the Gamecocks rank 314th in opponents’ FTA rate (0.300).
After the Commodores won the only game against the Gamecocks last season, 71-62, this will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams. One of Vanderbilt’s biggest strengths was getting to the charity stripe. They had 32 free throw attempts, while South Carolina had 22.
Vanderbilt Commodores vs. South Carolina Gamecocks ATS Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – South Carolina, ATS Winner – South Carolina, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
Vanderbilt ranks 10th in steals allowed per game (4.4) while South Carolina ranks 180th (8.2).
The Commodores rank 50th in three pointers attempted per game (25.9) while the Gamecocks rank 161st (21.5).
Vanderbilt averages 3.8 blocks per game, which ranks 82nd in the nation. South Carolina ranks 156th in blocks allowed per game (4.7).
The Gamecocks rank 47th in rebounds allowed per game (32.2) while the Commodores rank 92nd (33.8).
Vanderbilt allows the 20th-fewest assists per game (10.3) while South Carolina ranks 58th (11.6).
Bettings Trends:
The Commodores’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 11.2, up from 2.1 for the season.
During their last five games, the Gamecocks have scored an average of 67.8 points per game (4.1 below their season average) and allowed an average of 68.0 points per game (1.7 above their season average).
