📅 Date & Time: Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025 — 6:00 PM
📍 Venue: FedExForum — Memphis, TN
📺 TV: ESPN2
📊 Series Context: This meeting is part of a local rivalry; historically the series is close, with Memphis winning the last four meetings before Vanderbilt’s current run.
J&J previewed Wednesday night's (12/17) Vanderbilt vs. Memphis matchup (AUDIO)
🐾 Team Status & Records
Vanderbilt Commodores: 10–0, undefeated and ranked No. 13 nationally entering the game. They’ve started strong, including a recent win behind Tyler Nickel’s 30-point effort.
Memphis Tigers: 4–5, with some notable victories this season but coming off a tough loss to Louisville.
🔑 Key Storylines
Vanderbilt Strengths
Offense has been potent — averaging high scoring outputs and shooting efficiently.
Tyler Nickel has been a major scoring threat, especially from deep.
Veteran guard Duke Miles leads the team in scoring and playmaking.
Memphis Strengths
Motivated to defend home court and gain an upset win against an in-state Power 5 foe.
The Tigers have played competitive games and have home winning trends against non-conference opponents.
Matchup Notes
Vanderbilt’s balanced offense will challenge Memphis’s defensive consistency
Memphis will have to limit opponent three-point shooting and protect the paint to stay competitive.
📈 Predictions & Odds
Spread: Vanderbilt favored by around 7.5–9.5 points in many previews.
Moneyline: Commodores strong favorites.
Over/Under: Total around ~158–159 points, with some analysts leaning over.
Analyst Expectations
Many projections favor Vanderbilt to win and cover the spread, often by double digits.
Some nuance exists — a few models call for a competitive game with Memphis pushing but ultimately falling short.
🔍 Players to Watch
Vanderbilt
⭐ Tyler Nickel — Scoring leader and deep threat.
Duke Miles — Consistent guard play and playmaking.
Memphis
Dug McDaniel / Zach Davis — Memphis’s key offensive options (based on recent box score leaders).
🏁 Bottom Line
This matchup pits an undefeated, nationally ranked Vanderbilt squad against a young and hungry Memphis Tigers team looking for a signature non-conference home win. Expect a fast tempo, strong scoring from both sides, and a pivotal performance from Vanderbilt’s perimeter stars