Tonight Kentucky heads to Memorial Gym to take on Vanderbilt in Men's basketball for the second matchup this season. The first game was a lopsided affair for most of the game until Vanderbilt made a late run to make the score seem more respectable.

I don't think Vanderbilt will win the game, and I don't even really expect it to be that close. I like Vanderbilt's team, and I like a lot of the players, but the team seems to be missing something (like an outside shooter). Next season with the arrival of Station Camp High School's John Jenkins (if you're a Rivals member, you can read a story about Jenkins here), this should definitely be a tournament team and hopefully a higher seed. With the future so bright, it is harder to complain about the present, but here are some things I would like to see from this year's version as we head down the stretch.

1. More 3/4 court and full court press off made baskets. It seems that Vanderbilt's best runs lately have occurred when they have gone to more of a press and half-court trap. Vanderbilt has the depth and the athleticism this year that they haven't had in the past to play this game better I think. The Dores can leave Ogilvy/Ezeli back to clean up any long passes, and let whoever else is in pressure the ball.With athletic players like Jermaine Beal, Brad Tinsley, George Drake, Jeffrey Taylor, Lance Golbourne, Steve Tchiengang, and Darshawn McClellan, this team has the length and quickness to provide excellent backcourt pressure and to recover when the press is broke. One of the things that Vanderbilt has really struggled with is forcing turnovers, and I think this would definitely help get some turnovers and easy buckets. The press is the main thing I would like to see implemented more.

2. More finishing around the basket - Vanderbilt has had a lot of opportunities around the basket, but they have not finished them. Ogilvy, Ezeli, Tchiengang, Taylor, and Golbourne all have to be able to finish in traffic on second looks or be smart enough to know when they're not going to finish and set up an outside shot for Beal or Tinsley.

3. More alley-oops. Just because. This is the most exciting play in college basketball, and it is definitely there for Drake, Taylor, Golbourne, Tchiengang, etc. In my opinion, the pass has never been much of a part of Beal's game. Also, without a legitimate outside shooting threat, defenses can collapse and it is easier to prevent the back cuts that lead to the jams. Still, it's the most exciting play, it energizes the crowd, and it makes fans want to come out to more of the games, so if we can get a few more alley-oops off the fast break or from half-court sets, why not?

BOIMH is comi7ng live to you from our nation's capital. Coincidentally, my teacher asked me what the capital of North Carolina was. I told her it was Washington D.C. (that's right). She told me I was wrong, so I told her she had a lumpy boot. I, like Vanderbilt, am a winner, so I can do what I want. Mainly, I'm typing this because we've see what happens when I write a preview (six wins) and what happens when I don't (four losses). While  some might argue that I alone am not able to singlehandedly determine the outcome of the game by writing a bloggy preview nobody reads, I tend to disagree.

This UT-Vandy game will certainly be interesting. I don't think UT is going to be able to move the ball, but I'm not sure Vanderbilt will be able to either. I do think Vanderbilt will take better care of the football though, and that is why I'm picking the Dores to win... by at least 10.

Vanderbilt 28 Tennessee 17

So the last game I previewed was the Auburn game. After successfully predicting a Vanderbilt win, BOIMH took a little time off to focus on law school, and things quickly started to fall apart for the Commodores. While I don't want to take all the blame for the disastrous past five weeks, rest assured that things will turn around now that the blog is back in action.

I am back right in time for the Kentucky game, and Vanderbilt is in familiar territory. A late season collapse, an underdog in an SEC matchup, and a tough away game in what looks to be uncomfortable weather on national TV. The line I've seen in this game is Kentucky (-4), with an over-under of 39. This leads to an estimated final of about 21-17, so how's it actually going to play out?

First, on defense the  'Dores have started to show their weaknesses. They have not come out hot in the first quarter but have seemed to make the needed adjustments to stop offenses in the second halves of games. Kentucky is probably going to come with a heavy running game, and I expect them to find some holes early, but once Vanderbilt starts coming with heavier blitzes and packing the box, it will be interesting to see if Kentucky can beat the secondary through the air.

On offense, it looks like Nickson will once again be starting this week with Mackenzie Adams suffering a hip pointer in last week's loss to Florida. Nickson looked decent in the second half, and the thing to look for this week is whether he can make quick reads. Vanderbilt's quarterbacks have looked lost in their timing other than the occasional slant route to the receivers and out routes to the tight ends. Vanderbilt needs to figure out the timing on the deep pass and the crossing routes, or they are going to be in trouble. I don't think Vanderbilt will rely on the pass, but they are going to have to make some plays in the passing game (on second and third downs) if they want to pull this game out.

All in all, this is certainly a winnable game for Vanderbilt, and I think the seniors will come out fired up on the road against a favored opponent. Leaders on the team like Nickson, Langford, George Smith, and others have to realize that their goal of going to a bowl game is slipping away, and it is up to them to put a stop to it. The conditions look to make it difficult for both teams on special teams as temperatures in the low to mid 40s and a high chance of rain are going to make snaps, holds, and kicks that much trickier.

Don't look for a lot of field goals from either team, but look for Vanderbilt to pull out a close, hard-fought game on the ground with maybe a big play through the air or in the return game mixed in.
Vanderbilt 21, Kentucky 17