Kentucky Basketball vs Vanderbilt: Start Time, TV Info, Online Stream, Odds, Prediction

As the college hoops regular season winds down, the Kentucky Wildcats and Vanderbilt Commodores will face off for the second time Saturday when they tangle in Memorial Coliseum.

Round 1 saw the Cats pounce on the hapless Dores in Rupp Arena before running away with a 76-57 win. That loss dropped Vandy to 3-4 in SEC play, but they've since responded with a 6-2 stretch in league play that now has them on the cusp of an NCAA Tournament berth.

Vanderbilt improved to 17-11 overall and 9-6 in league play with an 87-74 win over Florida in Gainesville on Tuesday night. With the win, the Dores swept the season series between the two teams, and the Gators are being comfortably projected into the Big Dance.

Junior center Damian Jones led four players in double figures with a career-high 27 points on 12-13 shooting from the floor. Jones also tied a career high in field goals made and added seven rebounds. Sophomore forward Jeff Roberson garnered the fifth double-double of his career with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Sophomore guard Wade Baldwin IV scored 13 points and has scored in double figures in 22 games this season. Junior forward Luke Kornet blocked four shots vs the Gators, the ninth game this season he has posted four or more blocks.

Speaking of defense, Vandy is thriving on that end of the court while ranking second in the nation in three-point field-goal % defense at 28.5%. Vanderbilt also ranks sixth in field-goal % defense (38.0%) and 15th in blocks (5.4).

The Dores can also light it up from deep, ranking 22nd in three-point field-goal % (39.1%). In league games only, Vanderbilt leads the conference in blocks with 5.5 per game and is second in scoring (76.7 ppg), field-goal % (.453), three-point field-goal % defense (.298), and made three-pointers per game (8.5).

Most of this success has come at home, where the Commodores are 12-2 on the season at home and 3-8 in true road games this year, with the three road wins coming at Tennessee, Auburn, and Florida. Vandy has won six in a row at home, are averaging 80.2 points per game in 14 home games, and have posted a scoring margin of +17.1.

The Commodores are shooting 48.3% at home, compared to 37.0% by opponents, and are converting on 41.4% of its attempts three, compared to 29.0% for opponents. All of this may spell an upset Saturday when Kentucky comes to town, and it doesn't help that the Cats haven't won four straight vs the Dores in over a decade.

Since start of 2004 season, UK has not won 4 straight vs Vandy. Can do so with a win Saturday, per @bigbluehistory. pic.twitter.com/5dPTcXlQ9T

— Jason Marcum (@marcum89) February 26, 2016

Here's everything you'll need for the Cats taking on the Dores.

Kentucky Wildcats (21-7, 11-4 in SEC) at Vanderbilt Commodores (17-11, 9-6 in SEC)

When: Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016

Location: Memorial Gymnasium (14,316) in Nashville, Tenn.

Game Time: 4 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Announcers: Spero Dedes (PxP) and Doug Gottlieb (Analyst)

Rosters: VU Roster; UK Roster

Online Stream: CBS Sports

Radio: UK Radio Network (Tom Leach, Mike Pratt)

Odds: The game opened as a pick 'em, went to Vandy by 1.5, but UK is now a 1-point favorite, per Vegas Insider.

John Calipari's Record vs. Vandy: 11-3

Kevin Stallings' Record vs. Kentucky: 11-23

Last 10 Meetings:

Date	Matchup	Line
01/23/16	Vanderbilt 57 @ Kentucky - 76	Kentucky -6
01/20/15	Vanderbilt 57 @ Kentucky - 65	Kentucky -21.5
01/11/14	Kentucky 71 @ Vanderbilt - 62	Kentucky -9
03/15/13	Vanderbilt 64 @ Kentucky - 48	Kentucky -5.5
02/20/13	Vanderbilt 70 @ Kentucky - 74	Kentucky -11
01/10/13	Kentucky 60 @ Vanderbilt - 58	Kentucky -12.5
03/11/12	Vanderbilt 71 @ Kentucky - 64	Kentucky -8
02/25/12	Vanderbilt 74 @ Kentucky - 83	Kentucky -11.5
02/11/12	Kentucky 69 @ Vanderbilt - 63	Kentucky -5
03/01/11	Vanderbilt 66 @ Kentucky - 68	Kentucky -8.5

Projected VU Starters

#4 G - Wade Baldwin IV, 6-3, 194 lbs, So.

#13 G - Riley LaChance 6-2, 182 lbs, So.

#3 F -  Jeff Roberson 6-6, 220 lbs, So.

#3 F - Luke Kornet 7-1, 240, Jr.

#30 C - Damian Jones 7-0, 245 lbs, Jr.

Projected UK Starters

#3 G - Tyler Ulis, 5-9, 160 lbs, So.

#13 G - Isaiah Briscoe, 6-3, 202 lbs, Fr.

#23 G - Jamal Murray, 6-4, 207 lbs, Fr.

#00 F - Marcus Lee, 6-9, 224 lbs

#22 F - Alex Poythress, 6-8, 230 lbs, Sr. (I have Alex starting over Isaac because Alex matches up better with the versatile Damian Jones)

My Prediction: Don't let Vandy's 17-11 record fool you. Injuries led to the Dores starting this season out slower than expected, but this team is very dangerous and fully capable of beating the battered the Cats in Memorial.

Now more than any point during this season, the Dores need a signature win like this just to get back into the conversation of an NCAA Tournament berth. They're on the Last 4 In//Out line coming into this game, so getting a win over UK would likely clinch their spot in the Big Dance.

This will be a hard-fought, down-to-the-wire slugfest affair that sees the home team who's playing far more desperate coming away with a close win.

Final Score: Vanderbilt 74, Kentucky 73