No. 23 Memphis plays host to Vanderbilt on Saturday in a game televised on CBS. It will be the 15th all-time meeting between the two programs from the state of Tennessee, with the Commodores holding an 8-6 advantage against the Tigers in the all-time series.
The Tigers have built an impressive resume throughout the first month and half of the season and have ranked wins over Arkansas, Texas A&M, Clemson and most recently, Virginia. In the 77-54 win over the Cavaliers, senior forward David Jones scored a game-high 26 points and helped Memphis record its fourth consecutive win.
As for Vanderbilt, its season hasn't gone according to plan. The Commodores are coming off their third consecutive loss to Western Carolina to drop to 4-7 on the season and the resume also includes losses to Presbyterian and San Francisco.
Vandy is in danger of missing out on the NCAA Tournament once again in Year 5 of the Jerry Stackhouse era unless it turns things around quickly. A win over Memphis — a team it has beaten in five of the last six meetings — would be a perfect place to start.
How to watch Memphis vs. Vanderbilt live
Date: Saturday, Dec. 23 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: FedExForum -- Memphis, Tennessee
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
Streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime
Memphis vs. Vanderbilt prediction, picks
After just missing out on the NCAA Tournament last season, this was viewed as a potential breakthrough season for Stackhouse and his program. That obviously hasn't been the case thus far and the game against Memphis is one last chance to make a statement before SEC play starts in a handful of days. Memphis has been on the rise as of late and a large part can be contributed to the veteran experience on the roster. The Tigers have struggled recently against Vandy, but with this game being at home, it's a perfect chance to get another big win before the turn of the calendar year. Prediction: Memphis -17.5
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