First Four: Wichita State vs Vanderbilt Preview, Trends and Pick
Scott Morris | March 15, 2016
On Tuesday, First Four play as the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament begins when two No. 11 seeds take the floor as the Vanderbilt Commodores met the Wichita State Shockers.
Current odds: Wichita State -3.5, Total: 136.5
Vanderbilt is 4-2 SU and ATS over its past six games played. The OVER has cashed in 8 of the past 9 games Vanderbilt has played.
Wade Baldwin IV and Damian Jones have been team leaders on both ends of the court this season for Vandy.
Wichita State lost in overtime during the Missouri Valley Tournament and were nearly left out of the tournament. The Shockers were 16-2 SU during conference play in the regular season.
The loss by the Shockers ended a winning streak of six games making them 6-1 SU and 4-2-1 ATS over their past seven games overall.
The UNDER has cashed in 8 of the Shockers past 11 games.
The backcourt duo of Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker are the important glue that holds this team together. The two are team leaders at both ends of the court.
Trends
Vanderbilt is 10-4 ATS over its past 14 games played against nonconference opponents but are only 1-4 ATS over the past 5 games played in the tournament. The total has remained under in 16 of the teams past 23 games overall.
Wichita State has covered the number in 7 of its past 10 games. However, the team is only 2-5 ATS over its past 7 games played against teams from the SEC. The point total has cashed UNDER in four of its past five games played at neutral courts.
The last time the two met was during the 2005 postseason. Vanderbilt won that game 65-63 with the UNDER cashing on a closing line of 128.
Lean toward Wichita State in this one.
