Vanderbilt @ Alabama preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 9, 2019 ) Alabama 77, Vanderbilt 67

Alabama looks to end a three-game losing streak and get back on track for a postseason berth when it hosts SEC rival Vanderbilt on Saturday. The Crimson Tide haven't won since the last time they played the Commodores on Feb. 9, falling most recently 65-56 at Texas A&M, while Vanderbilt is still looking for its first conference victory this season, having dropped 14 games in a row overall.

Alabama is powered by freshman guard Kira Lewis Jr., who leads the team in scoring (14 points) and assists (2.9), though Avery Johnson's offense hasn't been clicking of late, failing to score more than 62 points during its losing streak. For the Tide to break that string, sophomore guard John Petty Jr. (11.0 points, 4.0 rebounds) and senior forward Donta Hall (10.7, 8.4, 1.8 blocks) will need to contribute as well. The Commodores have been solid defensively in February, holding opponents to 66.8 points in five contests, including a 58-46 loss to No. 5 Tennessee on Tuesday, but the team's offense has struggled, failing to reach 60 points over the last three games. Sophomore guard Saben Lee (12.9 points) is the leading scorer for coach Bryce Drew, and freshman forward Aaron Nesmeth has paced the team in scoring (15.1 points) and rebounding (6.1) in conference games, but Vanderbilt needs more contributions from its role players if it's going to get its first league victory.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT VANDERBILT (9-17, 0-13 SEC): The heralded recruiting class that included Nesmeth, guard Darius Garland and forward/center Simisola Shittu has not quite lived up to its advance billing, though it's Shittu who has shown the most growing pains. Nesmeth has emerged as the season has gone on while Garland was lost for the season to a knee injury five games into the campaign, but Shittu has regressed in his play of late, failing to score at least 14 points in any of the last 13 contests after reaching that mark nine times in his first 13 collegiate games. The 6-10 Shittu recovered from a torn ACL during the offseason and has struggled with the physicality of SEC play, but Drew is still hoping to see more of Shittu's early-season production in the closing games of the campaign.

ABOUT ALABAMA (15-11, 6-7): The Crimson Tide is starting to feel the pressure of late-season losses, hoping to avoid last season's five-game losing streak to end the regular season. Many bracket predictions still had Alabama among the NCAA Tournament field even after it blew a 12-point second-half lead in its loss to Texas A&M, but Johnson knows his team can't afford many more setbacks if it hopes to return to the Big Dance. Petty said prior to the loss to the Aggies that the team is looking at every remaining game as must-win, but a setback to Vanderbilt would be a crushing blow to the team's NCAA chances.

TIP-INS

1. Vanderbilt leads the SEC with 621 free-throw attempts this season, and the team scores 23 percent of its points from the line, which ranked 18th in the nation through Thursday.

2. Alabama outrebounded its opponent 17 times in its first 18 games this season, but it has won the rebound battle only once in its last eight games, going 3-5 over that stretch.

3. The Crimson Tide are going for their first season sweep of the Commodores since 1986-87.

PREDICTION: Alabama 78, Vanderbilt 64