Vanderbilt is worst defense in SEC entering Kentucky matchup

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Kentucky Wildcats forward Brandon Garrison (10) is guarded by Vanderbilt Commodores forward Jaylen Carey (22) - Denny Simmons, The Tennessean | via Imagn Images

Vanderbilt is having a impressive season under new head coach Mark Byington. The former head man at Georgia Southern and James Madison has installed a tempo offense and a pressure defense in Nashville with a team full of transfers. That led to a 12-1 run to begin the season against a soft non-conference slate. The Commodores have pulled off a couple of big home wins (Tennessee, Kentucky) in league play but are just 1-5 away from Memorial Gym.

The defense is not traveling for the Commdores.

Tennessee scored 81 points in a comeback win on Saturday against Vandy. Florida scored 86 points in a win over Byington’s squad. Oklahoma (97 points) nearly reached the century mark and Alabama (103) points went over it. Every team but LSU has scored at least 75 points against Vandy at home.

The Commodores enter the final three weeks of the regular season ranked No. 77 overall in KenPom‘s defensive efficiency ratings, but Vandy is dead last in SEC games.

Rank	Team	Defensive Efficiency (SEC Only)
1	Tennessee	100.5
2	Texas A&M	101.6
3	Florida	102.1
4	Ole Miss	102.8
5	Auburn	103.7
6	Missouri	104.0
7	Arkansas	106.4
8	Alabama	106.7
9	Georgia	107.4
10	Mississippi State	108.7
11	Oklahoma	111.2
12	Texas	111.8
13	South Carolina	112.7
14	LSU	112.7
15	Kentucky	114.7
16	Vanderbilt	115.8

Kentucky finally jumped ahead of Vanderbilt following very good defensive performances at home against South Carolina and Tennessee when Lamont Butler returned to the lineup. Meanwhile, Vandy is struggling to stop anyone. Kentucky is the last team to score less than 70 point against the Commodores.

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Turnovers could be an issue in this game. Vandy ranks No. 30 nationally in defensive turnover percentage (20.9%) and forced 17 UK turnovers in a 74-69 win on Jan. 25. Meanwhile, Kentucky’s poor ball security against Texas (20.5% turnover rate) helped lead to a loss. But if you protect the basketball, there will be scoring opportunities.

SEC foes are shooting 57.4 percent from two and 41 percent from three against Vanderbilt. Kentucky leads the conference in three-point field goal percentage (40.7%) and ranks fourth in two-point field goal percentage (54.1%). We could see a big offensive performance if Kentucky can take care of the basketball but that could be easier said than done without Butler, Jaxson Robinson, or Kerr Kriisa in the lineup.