Players to watch and keys to the game for Kentucky at Vanderbilt

Amid all their injuries, the Kentucky Wildcats have won five straight games. They have a grit to them, an “it” factor, and an athleticism that are all contributing to their winning streak. The best part is they haven’t peaked yet or played their best basketball.

The Wildcats’ best basketball will be required this week with a two-game road trip that has major stakes in the SEC regular-season title race. Kentucky travels to face Vanderbilt Tuesday night and Arkansas Saturday night.

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First up is Vanderbilt Tuesday night in Nashville. The Commodores are a really good offensive team, a key reason for their 16-0 start. Although they have lost three of their last four, the Commodores are still a team to be taken seriously. They can shoot the lights out, and they’re also opportunistic defensively.

Winning this game would finally give the Wildcats that one win on their résumé that would portray them as serious contenders. That may not mean Final Four and national championship contenders, but Sweet 16 and Elite Eight contenders would be in play with a win on Tuesday.

Let’s take a look at a talented Vanderbilt team, keys to the game, and score prediction for Tuesday night.

Players to watch on Vanderbilt

1. No. 3: Tyler Tanner — 6-0, 175 lbs. So. BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (Brentwood Academy)
Stats: 17.4 pts, 3.6 rebs, 105 ast.-37 TO, 49.8 FG%, 40.2 3-PT FG%, 87.8 FT%, 30.7 mpg

Tanner is off to a great start in his college career, coming off a freshman season where he set the Commodores’ freshman record with 55 steals. He was the only Power Four conference player with 60+ assists and 15 or fewer turnovers, and he led all Power Four conferences with a 4.2 assist-to-turnover ratio. One of four players with 50+ assists and steals, Tanner was the only player in the country to record over 50 assists, 50 steals, and less than 15 turnovers, and the first player since at least 1996-97 with 50 assists, 50 steals, and less than 15 turnovers.

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This season, Tanner has…

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Publish date : 2026-01-27 20:40:00

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