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Kentucky basketball: 5 bold predictions for the 2018 SEC tournament

By Drew Koch

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 09: The Kentucky Wildcats take the court against the Monmouth Hawks at Madison Square Garden on December 9, 2017 in New York City. This photo is part of a photo essay on three sporting events in a fifteen hour time span at Madison Square Garden. The three sports were an NCAA college basketball game between The University of Kentucky vs Monmouth College, followed by an NHL hockey game between the New York Rangers against the New Jersey Devils, followed by a boxing match for the WBO Lightweight Title between Vasiliy Lomachenko against Guillermo Rigondeaux. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 09: The Kentucky Wildcats take the court against the Monmouth Hawks at Madison Square Garden on December 9, 2017 in New York City. This photo is part of a photo essay on three sporting events in a fifteen hour time span at Madison Square Garden. The three sports were an NCAA college basketball game between The University of Kentucky vs Monmouth College, followed by an NHL hockey game between the New York Rangers against the New Jersey Devils, followed by a boxing match for the WBO Lightweight Title between Vasiliy Lomachenko against Guillermo Rigondeaux. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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LEXINGTON, KY – FEBRUARY 24: Jarred Vanderbilt
LEXINGTON, KY – FEBRUARY 24: Jarred Vanderbilt /

4. Jarred Vanderbilt will average a double-double

John Calipari has talked lately about assigned roles for players on this Kentucky basketball team. If you haven’t figured out Jarred Vanderbilt‘s role, you’ve been living under a rock. Vanderbilt is a beast on the boards, plain and simple.

It started to click to Vanderbilt during the game in College Station against the Aggies. In that game, Vanderbilt played 24 minutes, his highest total of the season to date. Vanderbilt grabbed 7 rebounds in that game, 3 offensive, and scored 7 points. In the 6 games that followed Kentucky’s loss to Texas A&M, Vanderbilt averaged 10 rebounds per game.

Not only has Vanderbilt become the team’s best rebounder, but he’s productive on both the defensive and offensive boards. During that aforementioned 6 game stretch, 23 of Vanderbilt’s 60 rebounds have come on the offensive side of the ball. That sets up Jarred  for a quick and easy putback.

Vanderbilt’s production was slowed on Saturday against the Gators due to foul trouble, something Vanderbilt’s going to have to keep under control. He’s being hit with 2.7 fouls per game and only averaging 17 minutes per contest. If Vanderbilt can stay on the floor, he’ll average a double-double in the tournament this week in St. Louis.

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