Vanderbilt’s chances at its first SEC regular-season title since 1993 are fading away, but it still has an opportunity to make the upcoming conference tournament a little easier.
A visit from one of the league’s worst teams would seem to help the 16th-ranked Commodores, but Georgia has proved too tough to handle in the past two matchups.
Vanderbilt will try to avenge those defeats Thursday night by keeping the Bulldogs winless on the road this season.
The Commodores (20-6, 9-3) had their 18-game home win streak snapped Saturday in a 58-56 loss second-ranked and SEC-leading Kentucky.
John Jenkins’ 3-pointer got Vanderbilt within a point with 14 seconds left, but the Wildcats blocked his go-ahead attempt with three to go. A.J. Ogilvy also missed a runner in the lane as time expired.
The loss put the Commodores two games behind Kentucky with four games left, but they also face a challenge for the No. 2 spot in the SEC East. The top two teams in each division receive a bye into the conference tournament quarterfinals.
Vanderbilt is one-half game ahead of Florida, who will host the Commodores on March 2. That makes Thursday’s game and Saturday’s trip to Arkansas crucial.
Matt Field
Nashville.com Sports Editor
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