Expert Betting Picks – Take Kentucky Tuesday Night

The Expert Basketball Betting Picks are back, this time to preview a key SEC East showdown.

With both Vanderbilt and Kentucky battling for SEC and NCAA Tournament seeding, who should be your Tuesday night pick?

No. 20 Vanderbilt Commodores (21-7 SU, 14-9-1 ATS) at No. 23 Kentucky (20-8 SU, 10-12-1 ATS)

Tuesday, March 1: 9:00 p.m. ESPN

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Betting Odds:

Vanderbilt: +8

Kentucky: -8

Obviously, Kentucky is the logical of the Expert Betting Picks, if only because of their gaudy home record. The Wildcats are 14-0 at home this year, including a crucial victory in Lexington on Saturday afternoon.

That victory came at the hands of the previously No. 13 ranked Florida Gators, and was the first sign of hope for those in Big Blue Nation for some time now. Junior guard Darius Miller led this club with 24 points.

Still as good as Miller was, the Wildcats will only go as far as their strong freshman class will take them. Kentucky is led by do-it-all point guard Brandon Knight, who is averaging over 17 points and four assists a game, and seems to be a smart choice for the SEC Rookie of the Year honors. On the wing Terrence Jones is a stud as well, averaging 17 points as well, not to mention a team-high nine boards a game. The two combined for 24 points and nine rebounds in the Florida win.

But for all the talent that coach John Calipari has in Lexington, it is actually Vanderbilt’s John Jenkins who seems likely to end up as the SEC Player of the Year. And truthfully, Jenkins alone is enough reason to make Vanderbilt one of your Tuesday Expert Betting Picks. He is averaging an SEC best 19.5 points per game, while forward Jeffery Taylor is chipping in 14.5 a game. The two combined for 37 points in Vanderbilt’s Saturday win at LSU.

So with both teams having such strong perimeter play, what the Expert Betting Picks ultimately come down to is who can control the paint. And we actually like the Commodores to come through.

While Kentucky has Jones and Josh Harrellson, they’re otherwise thin in the front court. However Vanderbilt has talent and skill with forward Festus Ezeli and Lance Goulbourne off the bench. Look for both to have a big game, especially Goulbourne who is coming off an incredible 16 point, 17 rebound effort against LSU on Saturday. The two average a combined 13 rebounds a game.

In a game where the guards will get all the headlines, it will be the battles down low which decide the outcome. Vanderbilt is deeper, more skilled and experienced than their counterparts, which is why, when push comes to shove, we’ve got to take the Commodores.

At Rupp Arena, they’ll give the Kentucky Wildcats their first home loss of the year Tuesday. They’re our Expert Betting Picks.

Expert Betting Picks: Vanderbilt +8