3 Reasons why you should actually cheer for Alabama over Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament

Thursday night at approximately 8:30 pm ET on the SEC Network, Alabama will play Vanderbilt to earn a date with Kentucky in the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals. Big Blue backers will likely be cheering for the 11th-seeded Commodores to upset the six-seed Crimson Tide. This year Kentucky fans should actually hope chalk holds, making way for a third matchup with Alabama.

Beating Alabama in the SEC Tournament is John Calipari’s Favorite Pastime

John Calipari produces NBA Lottery picks and eliminates Alabama from the SEC Tournament. That’s just what he does. Kentucky has eliminated Alabama in six of Calipari’s 11 SEC Tournaments, including four straight from 2016-19. The average margin of victory in UK’s SEC Tournament wins is 15.3 points per game. The 18-point win in 2019 is actually Kentucky’s most recent SEC Tournament victory.

Calipari has NEVER Defeated Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament

Calipari is 6-0 vs. Alabama in the SEC Tournament. On the other side of the historical coin, he’s 0-2 vs. Vanderbilt in conference tournament play. The 2012 Championship Game loss was irrelevant at the time — getting Darius Miller some momentum was more important than actually winning the SEC Title. However, all Kentucky needed to do to make the NCAA Tournament in 2013 was beat a below average Vanderbilt team. Instead, the Nerlens Noel-less Wildcats took an embarrassing 16-point loss to the Commodores and went to the NIT.

Scotty Pippen Jr.

History does not always predict the future. Nate Oats has elevated Alabama’s basketball program since Avery Johnson ran the show, but he does not have a player that can change a game like Scotty Pippen Jr.

Every time Pippen plays against his “dream school,” he scores more points than the previous meeting with the Wildcats. This year he posted 32 and 33 points in losses. Pippen has reached double figures in all six career games against Kentucky, averaging 26.5 points per game and shooting 36.1% from behind the three-point line.

Even though fatigue could play a factor with a third game in three days, Pippen has Kemba Walker potential. He’s good enough to get hot and single-handedly carry the Commodores on an incredible run. Kentucky is better off avoiding Vanderbilt.