The madness finally starts! The stage is set for NCAA’s premier basketball tournament and based on the matchups put forth by the selection committee on Sunday, it’s bound to be another exciting ride once again. One game that will surely capture the imagination of hoops fans is the First Four showdown between No. 11 Vanderbilt and No. 11 Wichita State.
Who will emerge victorious in this play-in game? Read on below for a breakdown of this mouth-watering matchup and while you’re at it, you can check out our preview of the First Four clash between No. 16 FGCU Eagles and No. 16 FDU Knights.
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March Madness No. 11 Vanderbilt Commodores vs. No. 11 Wichita State Shockers Preview
Where: University of Dayton Arena, Dayton
When: Tuesday, March 15, 9:10 PM ET
Line: Vanderbilt Commodores (+3.5) vs. Wichita State Shockers (-3.5); total: 136.5 – view all March Madness lines
TV Broadcast: truTV
Betting on the Vanderbilt Commodores (Overall: 19-13, Conf: 11-7)
Vanderbilt has a set identity, one built upon very good rebounding and shooting. The Commodores have reliable big men in Luke Kornet and Damian Jones, who are averaging a combined 14.1 boards per game this season. They are surrounded by a bunch of knockdown shooters in Matthew Fisher-Davis, Jeff Roberson and Wade Baldwin IV, all of whom are shooting 41 percent or better from three.
In fact, the Commodores are 21st in the nation in three-point percentage, shooting at a high 38.8 percent clip this season. It’s imperative that they knock down their outside shots, especially against a Wichita State team that sports the best defensive efficiency in the country. The onus then is on Wade Baldwin IV to step up his play this coming Tuesday. Vanderbilt’s leading scorer has been struggling mightily from the field of late, shooting just 15-of-46 over his last four games. He’s averaging 14.3 points and a team-best 5.2 assists per game for the Commodores this season.
The Commodores are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 non-conference games.
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Betting on the Wichita State Shockers (Overall: 24-8, Conf: 16-2)
Talk about consistency. The Wichita State Shockers will be making their sixth consecutive appearance in the national tournament when they face the Vanderbilt Commodores in the First Four at Dayton on Tuesday night. It’s a remarkable achievement for the Shockers who struggled mightily at the start of the season, losing five of their first 10 games.
Wichita State, though, used a strong finishing kick to grab a spot in the play-in game. The Shockers won 19 of their last 22 games, thanks in large part to the heroics of Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet. They are the only players to average in double-figures for Wichita State this season, racking up 14.3 and 12.0 points per game respectively.
A major concern, though, for Wichita State is the duo’s recent offensive struggles. Baker, who is second all-time in team history with 237 makes from beyond the arc, was held to 0-of-5 from 3-point range in the loss to Northern Iowa. VanVleet, on the other hand, shot just 3-of-15 from the field in Wichita State’s last two outings. Fortunately for the Shockers, they have unearthed a new offensive weapon in Anton Grady. The forward has picked up his production of late, averaging 13.3 points and 5.5 rebounds over his last four games. He shot 20-of-30 from the field during that span.
The Shockers are 16-6 ATS in their last 22 games overall.
Writer’s Prediction
Wichita State (-3.5) edges past Vanderbilt, 64-59.
