Who will win Kentucky basketball vs Vanderbilt SEC game today? Our expert prediction

Posted by author February 19, 2025 Basketball

Kentucky lost to Vanderbilt earlier this season while starting forward Andrew Carr was out with a back injury.
UK guards Lamont Butler and Jaxson Robinson may not play tonight due to injuries.
Kentucky is the most accurate 3-point shooting team in the SEC, while Vanderbilt has the worst 3-point percentage defense.

LEXINGTON — In a classic “tale of two halves” game last month in Nashville, Kentucky basketball had a dismal opening 20 minutes. At intermission, it trailed Vanderbilt by 14 points, 41-27.

The Wildcats roared back in the second half, going on a 31-10 surge to take a 58-51 lead with less than eight minutes to play. But the hosts made more plays down the stretch, as the Commodores escaped with a 74-69 win at Memorial Gymnasium.

One major piece of UK’s rotation didn’t take the floor that day: fifth-year senior forward Andrew Carr, who missed his only game of the season because of a back injury. Though he’s expected to play tonight when the Wildcats and Commodores collide at Rupp Arena, Carr is still trying to regain his form as the back issue continues to bother him.

Other members of Kentucky’s starting lineup also are ailing.

Point guard Lamont Butler has a shoulder injury. Fellow guard Jaxson Robinson has a wrist injury on his shooting (right) hand. During his weekly radio show Monday night, UK coach Mark Pope wasn’t sure Butler or Robinson would be available to play against Vandy.

Though the Commodores have dropped four of their five games since beating the Wildcats, tonight’s foe already proved it can frustrate Pope’s group. Aside from avenging last month’s loss, UK also aims to play a cleaner game: It committed a season-high 17 turnovers versus Vanderbilt.

Here’s what to know about Kentucky’s SEC matchup against Vanderbilt today in Lexington:

The contest between the Wildcats and Commodores will air on SEC Network. You can stream SEC Network on Fubo, which offers a free trial.

Authenticated subscribers can access ESPN via TV-connected devices or by going to WatchESPN.com, the WatchESPN app or ESPN+.

UK and Vanderbilt are slated to tip off at 7 p.m. today.

Oct. 23: exhibition vs. Kentucky Wesleyan ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 123, Kentucky Wesleyan 52
Oct. 29: exhibition vs. Minnesota State Mankato ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 98, Minnesota State Mankato 67
Nov. 4: vs. Wright State (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 103, Wright State 62
Nov. 9: vs. Bucknell (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 100, Bucknell 72
Nov. 12: vs. Duke (Champions Classic; State Farm Arena, Atlanta) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 77, Duke 72
Nov. 19: vs. Lipscomb, (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 97, Lipscomb 68
Nov. 22: vs. Jackson State (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 108, Jackson State 59
Nov. 26: vs. Western Kentucky (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 87, Western Kentucky 68
Nov. 29: vs. Georgia State (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 105, Georgia State 76
Dec. 3: at Clemson (ACC/SEC Challenge) ∣ SCORE: Clemson 70, Kentucky 66
Dec. 7: vs. Gonzaga (Climate Pledge Arena; Seattle) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 90, Gonzaga 89 (OT)
Dec. 11: vs. Colgate (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 78, Colgate 67
Dec. 14: vs. Louisville (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 93, Louisville 85
Dec. 21: vs. Ohio State (CBS Sports Classic; Madison Square Garden, New York) | SCORE: Ohio State 85, Kentucky 65
Dec. 31: vs. Brown (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 88, Brown 54
Jan. 4: vs. Florida (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 106, Florida 100
Jan. 7: at Georgia | SCORE: Georgia 82, Kentucky 69
Jan. 11: at Mississippi State | SCORE: Kentucky 95, Mississippi State 90
Jan. 14: vs. Texas A&M (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 81, Texas A&M 69
Jan. 18: vs. Alabama (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Alabama 102, Kentucky 97
Jan. 25: at Vanderbilt | SCORE: Vanderbilt 74, Kentucky 69
Jan. 28: at Tennessee | SCORE: Kentucky 78, Tennessee 73
Feb. 1: vs. Arkansas | SCORE: Arkansas 89, Kentucky 79
Feb. 4: at Ole Miss | SCORE: Ole Miss 98, Kentucky 84
Feb. 8: vs. South Carolina | SCORE: Kentucky 80, South Carolina 57
Feb. 11: vs. Tennessee | SCORE: Kentucky 75, Tennessee 64
Feb. 15: at Texas | SCORE: Texas 82, Kentucky 78
Feb. 19: vs. Vanderbilt (Rupp Arena), 7 p.m., SEC Network
Feb. 22: at Alabama, 6 p.m., ESPN
Feb. 26: at Oklahoma, 9 p.m., SEC Network
March 1: vs. Auburn (Rupp Arena), 1 p.m., ABC
March 4: vs. LSU (Rupp Arena), 7 p.m., ESPN2
March 8: at Missouri, noon, ESPN

Record: 17-8 (6-6 SEC)

Kentucky 79, Vanderbilt 71: Have injuries decimated UK in the backcourt? Yes. And has Vandy already shown it can best a Kentucky team healthier than the one that likely will suit up tonight? Yes. But the Wildcats have had a propensity for rallying together when the odds seemed stacked against them this season. (Look at both wins over top-five Tennessee clubs for proof. UK was missing key players in each of those victories.) Yet the reality is, even if Butler and Robinson both sit out Round 2 with the Commodores, the Wildcats have more than enough firepower to notch another victory without them. Vandy will fluster UK into mistakes. That’s just what the ‘Dores do, as their 14.64 turnovers forced per game ranks second in the SEC. But Vanderbilt also has the worst 3-point percentage defense in the conference, permitting opponents to convert 37.3% of their attempts. That plays right into UK’s hands as the best 3-point shooting squad in the league at 37.9%. The Wildcats will knock down at least 10 triples to avoid back-to-back losses heading into a high-profile — albeit exceedingly arduous — matchup at No. 4 Alabama this weekend.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.