Three Keys and a Prediction: Vanderbilt vs. South Carolina

Vanderbilt basketball hits the road for its SEC opener on Saturday and will face Lamont Paris' South Carolina team as it looks to win its first SEC game in each of Mark Byington's two seasons at the helm.

The Commodores are favorites to pick up a win on Saturday despite hitting the road. Here's what they'll have to do in order to win, as well as a prediction.

Vanderbilt’s guards outplaying Meechie Johnson

Johnson is South Carolina’s best player by a decent stretch and is the straw that stirs the drink for it, but it doesn’t have much outside of him.

Vanderbilt seemingly has two guards on its roster that are better than Johnson in Duke Miles and Tyler Tanner. If either of them can outplay Johnson on Saturday it appears as if Vanderbilt would have the inside track on a win.

Johnson averages 14.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

Make South Carolina shoot it

Here’s a jarring stat. Ready?

South Carolina is eighth in the country in two-point percentage and sixth in free-throw percentage. Yet, it’s 271st in 3-point percentage. It’s got just one qualified shooter making more than 40% of his shots from beyond the arc. For a team without an abundance of talented creators, that’s trouble.

Lamont Paris’ team can always get hot, but if Vanderbilt can keep it out of the paint it doesn’t appear to have all that much trouble out ahead of it. Mark Byington toyed with a zone late in the game against New Haven, could he bring it out on Saturday?

Withstand the first SEC physicality test

It’s not a glaring weakness, but perhaps Vanderbilt’s biggest area of question these days is whether the frontline Byington brought in can consistently hold up in league play–particulary if Mason Nicholson isn’t giving him many minutes.

South Carolina’s frontcourt won’t be all that much of a test for this Vanderbilt team, but does help it to be ranked No. 101 in defensive rebounding efficiency. Vanderbilt still has some things to prove on the front line and Saturday is its first chance to do it in the league.

Your move, Jalen Washington.

Prediction: Vanderbilt: 90, South Carolina: 70

South Carolina has made a push to pack the stadium on Saturday, but Vanderbilt is better in just about every aspect. The Gamecocks are trending towards a season.

If Vanderbilt loses this thing, it’s likely to be drawn up to one of those flukey things that happen on the road this time of year.