To John Calipari, it’s not even debatable. Lately, Kentucky has seen enough of this version of Vanderbilt basketball lately to know it’d like to see no more.
And after Friday’s 80-73 loss in the SEC Tournament, the Wildcats’ coach left zero uncertainty.
“They played for their lives,” Calipari said of the Commodores, “and they are an NCAA Tournament team now. And I think they were before this game.”
They should be an NCAA Tournament team. It doesn’t mean they will be one on Sunday.
But I’m on board. I’ve seen enough, too, to know Vanderbilt is worthy. This is real. It isn’t some flash in the pan. It isn’t luck. It has been going on too long for that. After 10 wins in 11 games, many of them against teams a lot more respected, it’s time to accept that Jerry Stackhouse has a truly dangerous team at his disposal.
One that’s crushing it at the perfect time and still improving. One that I wouldn’t want to play next week.
Or this week, for that matter.
The Commodores who stared down a noisy Big Blue crowd on Friday night and outplayed the mighty Wildcats – clutch shot after clutch shot – weren’t just worthy of the Big Dance. They looked genuinely capable of doing serious damage once in the bracket.
They are fun to watch. They take big shots and make them in bigger moments.
“Vandy deserved to beat us,” Calipari said.
Kentucky was the more talented team Friday, but Vanderbilt – after losing star big man Liam Robbins to injury, no less – was the more confident team.
“I honestly feel that we could win it all,” Vanderbilt coach Jerry Stackhouse said Friday night, “just if we get an opportunity to get in. This team deserves – and the country deserves to see it. I’ve played in the NCAA Tournament. I know what it’s about. You hear all the stories that come out when you advance. They need to know Quentin Millora-Brown. They need to know Ezra Manjon. They need to know Jordan Wright.”
If they get an opportunity to get in.
And I’m still not sure they will.
Many of the bracketology types didn’t even have the Commodores listed on the bubble entering this tournament. Some probably don’t yet.
Here’s why: Entering Friday, Vanderbilt was No. 82 in the NET ratings. Beating Kentucky for the second time in 10 days, if form holds, that might get the Commodores up to about No. 80. You think I’m kidding? That’s where Ken Pomeroy’s site had them afterward: No. 80.
Sounds about right. Vanderbilt’s numbers have barely budged for about the past six weeks despite wins over Tennessee (No. 3 in the NET), Kentucky (21), Auburn (32), Mississippi State (46) and two over Florida by a combined 24 points. The Gators are 16-16. As of Friday, they were No. 61 in the NET – 21 spots ahead of Vanderbilt (20-13).
It’s laughable how this sport’s computer cognoscenti is undervaluing Stackhouse’s squad. If the sport’s prevalent system is so incapable of rewarding Vanderbilt’s torrid form that the Commodores are sitting there with a 21-spot deficit to a .500 Florida team that it handled twice, then the system needs an adjustment.
As is, Vanderbilt could present an intriguing case study for the NCAA selection committee, which must weigh those immovable numbers against the eye test and the idea – outdated as it may be – of crediting a team’s most recent performances. If you’ve watched the Commodores for about a month now, there’s not much doubt that what you’re seeing is an NCAA-caliber team. And it is getting better.
“I think we’re playing as well as anyone in the country,” Wright said.
I don’t know what will happen Sunday. But after Friday night, I know what should happen.
Let ‘em in, y’all.
Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Gentry_Estes.
Source link
Leave A Comment