Three Keys and a Prediction: Vanderbilt Basketball vs. Ole Miss – Sports Illustrated

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NASHVILLE—Vanderbilt basketball has dropped three out of four and needs to get right. Perhaps it facing off against a sputtering Ole Miss team could be exactly the opportunity that it needs.
The Commodores are multiple-point favorites on Tuesday night. Here's what they've got to do in order to leave Oxford happy.
Don’t overlook Ole Miss
As evidenced by Ole Miss’ 10-game SEC losing streak that ended on Saturday against Auburn, Chris Beard missed on a number of evaluations here. But, this group is talented enough to get Vanderbilt if Vanderbilt isn’t ready to go in Oxford on Tuesday. 
This is a group with two explosive scorers in AJ Storr and Malik Dia as well as a three-game SEC winning streak under its belt. Vanderbilt is also in an odd spot here. Perhaps Ole Miss’ Saturday win is one that has sparked it a bit as it heads towards the end of the year. 
Vanderbilt will have to bring it. 
Can Vanderbilt finally play a complete game?
It’s just been so long since this has been the case–its win over Kentucky at Memorial Gymnasium to be fair. This is due mostly to injury, but this group has lost two of three since Duke Miles’ return to the lineup. 
Vanderbilt has lost three of its last four games and appears to be stagnating as it approaches the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. It will still receive a high seed in both, but it’s capable of playing significantly better than it’s been recently. 
Can Vanderbilt get back to that level at any point the rest of the way? 
Time for Vanderbilt to prove it can. Time for it to prove that it can get hot enough to be a second-weekend team. Time for it to reopen some momentum. That would be the best case scenario coming out of Tuesday.
Get Duke Miles and Tyler Nickel going again
There’s too much pressure on Tyler Tanner these days. Tanner is doing all he can, but he needs Miles and Nickel to be at their level again if this team is really going to make a late-season push. 
Nickel went for double figures but was 5-for-15–with a few open misses included–on the day against Kentucky. Miles had 11 points on nine shots–although his seven assists helped. Vanderbilt forward Devin McGlockton was scoreless, fouled out and took just two shots. 
If Vanderbilt’s supporting cast can get it going again, it’s a different team than it’s been recently. AK Okereke and Jalen Washington have been good, but having them as the second and third options isn’t a consistent way to success. 
Prediction: Vanderbilt: 76, Ole Miss: 72
Vanderbilt just isn’t close enough to its best for this to be written off as a significant win. It’s good enough to believe that it won’t be in trouble here, but Vanderbilt turning the corner again likely has to be seen to be believed. 
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Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories. He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud. Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals. He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Basket Under Review and Mainstreet Nashville.
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