IMPORTANT: Auburn, Steven Pearl MUST WIN Battle with Vanderbilt Commodores

0:00Auburn and Vandy's battle in Neville Arena. Weirdly a pretty important game. You are locked on Colin Cross over part of the Lockdown podcast network. Your team every day. Yes, welcome on into this special crossover edition of Lockdown Auburn and locked on Vandy. I'm Zach Blackerby, host of Lockdown Auburn. He's Corey Burton, host of locked on Vandy and the Vanderbilt Commodores come to Neville Arena Tuesday evening for what is a more important game. I think then we all would have guessed going into the season, maybe even going into conference play, Corey. I mean, just from the Auburn point of view, you've got a team that felt like it was trending. And then they lose to they go to Tennessee and drop one and then they lose one at home against Alabama.

1:01This is a game that Auburn feels like they need to win because you've got the ranked Vanderbilt Commodores coming in, but now they go on the road Saturday to a ranked Arkansas team to tough stretch for Auburn. They feel like they got to get one. Yeah, absolutely. And same for Vanderbilt. I mean, Vanderbilt is limping in right now, injured and they're just trying to hold on and they had a great three game stretch before Saturday. And I don't know what the heck happened against Oklahoma. They just for 36 minutes, they looked like a team that didn't know which way was up. And then all of a sudden they make this miraculous comeback and almost win the game. Tyler Tanner had 37 points. And if you told me that Vanderbilt would have had 91 points and Tyler Tanner would have 37, I would say, yeah, we probably won in one big, but nobody else did anything. And that's been the inconsistency has been the problem. So for Vanderbilt to feel good about themselves, they've got to get that consistency and they've got to go get a massive, massive road win at Auburn.

2:04Yeah, I mean, do you expect that consistency to happen in Neville? I mean, notoriously, a tough place for folks to come in and win. It's probably a little bit easier now than it used to be or maybe a few years ago, but I mean, is there faith in this or was the Oklahoma game like telling of something like, what do you, what do you think of this? The Oklahoma game was telling of the fact that we don't know really what Vanderbilt team is going to come out because Tyler Tanner went seven minutes without scoring in the Oklahoma game to start the game. Tyler nickel was ice cold for a while and he was hot and cold all night long. So and he's the best three point shooter in the in the conference. If he comes out hot and Tyler Tanner can score within the first couple of minutes and they can get some momentum, they have a chance, but winning on the road is tough. Like they went to like their last few road road games, Arkansas, Throttled Vanderbilt at, you know, at Bud Walton and they got throttled the road trip before that to with with Texas.

3:18They lost in between to Florida, but their three game win streak was mostly at home and then they lose another home game to to Oklahoma, which was that was just inexplicable. So the answer to your question is, I don't know what is going to happen. It's a tough place already Vanderbilt has trouble with the front court already. So you get an environment like mevel arena. I'm normally very, very positive and very high on Vanderbilt everything, but like I'm just unsure of what teams going to show up. So I can't confidently say, yeah, they're going to absolutely win at nevel arena. I think they're capable. But I don't know that right now the way they're playing that they can. Yeah. I think it's pretty well said. And one of the things I have over there on the show rundown, I've got who was who. And I think you can ask that about like most teams in the SEC. I said earlier somewhere. I don't know if it was a locked on or elsewhere, but talking about how Vanderbilt's almost the face of that with the SEC. I mean, every team in the conference. I mean, we've saw with Oklahoma, right? Like from top to bottom.

4:27It's impossible to predict what exactly you're going to see from any particular squad in the conference up to this point, whenever they run out there. And I think, you know, I think if you see Vandy's best on Tuesday night, Vandy probably wins. If you see Auburn's best on Tuesday night, Auburn's going to win. It's just which of these teams is going to show up because we've seen so many different versions of so many different teams in the conference. And I kind of think Vandy is that personified as far as the hot and cold nature of every team in this SEC this season. And I have a question for you because when I was when I was watching the the iron bowl on the basketball court, I noticed that. Yes. Family use an illegal player. Yes, that is true. Yeah, they used. I think they recruited them around James come that game too, by the way, but. Yep, in the perimeter against Alabama. And they were hitting threes on you guys. And that's something that if y'all failed a guard Tyler nickel out on the perimeter. Yeah, somebody that can get hot real quick.

5:40Yeah, that's I think it's a match up to look at for sure, Corey. This is, you know, I don't think it's an effort thing. I don't think it's a lack of ability thing. But for whatever reason, perimeter defense has not been good for Auburn. I think it's always Auburn. It really does feel like other teams just get hot. But at this point in the season, like if that happens every time you go out there, it is you like unless you're just the most unlucky team of all time, which I guess there's a chance of that. Sometimes it really feels that way. But perimeter defense, like if I was planning us Auburn, I'm chunking up threes left and right. So I think what you just said for Vanderbilt. I mean, if you're a top, your top two or three three point shooters for Vanderbilt, I would lean on them heavy on Tuesday. That's that's the second key because the second key can't get there until the first key happens, which you got to start hot, you got to get Tanner going. Sure. And you've got to just, you've got to be able to take advantage and wipe away some of those front court issues that you have because with Duke Miles being out, you're asking all three or your forwards who normally rotate to start and play big minutes.

6:54And that wears them down and there's some mismatches already, then those guys get tired or in foul trouble or whatever. But at some point, you just got to put the pedal on the floor and just go. And that's what Vanderbilt does well. And when they're rolling, that's what they, you know, when they're winning, they're running. And that's just kind of how that's just kind of their identity. But it's very hot cold. It's very inconsistent. And it's very like confidence based, like as soon as Vanderbilt loses their confidence, it's done. Yeah, 15 to 2 run at the beginning of the game is done. That'd be great. I think Auburn folks would love that for sure. All right, let's eat. I think we each got two names that need to step up in this one in order for their team to win on Tuesday. And then of course, we'll give our picks and predictions. That's all coming up right here on this crossover edition of locked on Auburn and locked on Vandy. Today's show brought to you by our friends at Fandall. Fandall is America's number one sportsbook.

7:54The winter games are happening right now. Sure. But if you're listening to this show, you're probably more interested in the match of this happening Tuesday night. Auburn opening at a three and a half point favorite according to our friends at Fandall against the 19th ranked Vanderbilt. Commodore's your initial reaction to that line. Corey was what? I'm surprised it was that tight on the road concerning what Vanderbilt just did at home. Oh, it's interesting. I thought it would be a little bit. I thought it'd be like five, six somewhere in that somewhere in that hot really. Yeah, this it's just on the road. Vanderbilt on the road is different team. Yeah, Vegas, but then again, you know, maybe maybe I'm just a little bit more hot and cold than Vegas is. I don't know. I mean, I don't think anybody's more hot and cold than these two teams. So we'll see. Obviously, though, the winter games are on. There's no better way to follow them with Fandall. Fandall, play your game. Today's show also brought to you by our friends at Wayfair Wayfair.com. I mean, Corey, you can get anything from Wayfair.

8:56I've said it on other reads like our dining room table. We got forever ago. This from Wayfair. We've got several different sets of chairs throughout our home. We all got from Wayfair. I've got multiple bookshelves from Wayfair. What have you gotten from Wayfair patio furniture? I got a I got a table to extend my desk a little bit where I can put another screen on here. So I'm got like I'm surrounded by screen. So I got some furniture for that. Of course, the deck stuff. Out for outside when you're out there grilling and hanging out the backyard. Yeah, starting to warm up a little bit for sure for spring. So get organized refreshed and back on track this new year for way less at the Wayfair.com. Right now to shop all things home that is W.A.Y. F.A. I.R. dot com Wayfair every style, every home. On this crowds of additional blocks on Auburn and locked on Vandy, Zach Blackerbie Corey Burton. For Auburn, I think the two guys need to step up the two key shons. I'm going to say Keeshawn Murphy down low.

9:58I think he's been pretty good. He's actually been the guy I've been most wrong about. I was not high on him going into the season. Was not high on I'm going into conference play and one incredible surprise. He's been I own that he's been awesome. Then Keeshawn Hall, obviously a guy who's super dynamic and we saw him score a lot of points wasn't his most efficient game, but did get into the 20s last game against Alabama. I would like to see him attack the basket a little bit more earlier in the contest instead of just kind of getting to the free throw line towards the end of the game. So I'm going to go with the two key shons. Keeshawn Hall and Keeshawn Murphy. Well, the obvious two for Vanderbilt is of course the nickel in Tanner show. But I'm going to go away from the obvious here and say you need Devin McLaughlin to step up. He's kind of your swing man in the front court. He's kind of the guy that runs a little bit more than the other two. He's got to pick up the pace scoring a little bit. And of course somebody off the bench, which your number one guy in minutes off the bench is none other from the set of friends Chandler Bing.

11:06And he's got a he's got to he's got to score some points. He against Oklahoma. He had 23 minutes and scored four points. He's got a center friends. All of that joke. I didn't catch it. Explain that to me. Chandler Bing. It's a character from friends. From the show he has the same name is the same name from friends guy from friends. Yeah, the character Chandler Bing. Well, I've never seen Fred. I didn't realize they had last names. Yeah, Chandler. Yeah, Chandler Matthew Perry's care. Yeah, okay. Great. Sorry. I'll slow on that one. That was his name. Chandler Bing. Yeah. That's crazy. Did they name him after that? I don't know. They might have they might have been his parents might have been huge friends fans. We know we don't know. Yeah. But speaking of our friends, he's got a he's got our friends on the bench. Someone's got a score in double digits. Someone's got to come off the bench and get some quality minutes. Some have some impact. Steels, blocks, you know, some takeaways, some points, not foul a whole bunch of people and just really allow these guys.

12:11All out of the starters to rest a little bit and play quality minutes. So Chandler Bing, Tyler Harris, those guys. Yeah, all that super reasonable. So we'll see who gets it done. And as we mentioned just a second ago, Fandall has Auburn as we record this on Monday night is the three and a half point favorite based on your comments on it. It sounds like you're picking Auburn, but I don't want to put words in your mouth. Yeah, I think at three and a half, I don't. On the road, I don't know that Vanderbilt can cover that honestly. If it was five and a half, I would say probably Vandy couldn't cover that point spread. That's not right. You're taking Auburn. Yeah, yeah. And this is, you know, coming from me, I'm usually just Vandy, Vandy, Vandy, Vandy, Vandy. I'm always picking Vandy. But I just, I don't know, I just don't. They're just slumping right now and you play like that at home. Now you're going to a hostile road environment. You're still banged up. You're still limping in. It's tough. You know, if this was a full strength team, things might be different.

13:14You know, it is what it is. Somebody's got to step up. Maybe somebody will. If I'm putting money on it through Las Vegas and our friends at Fandall, yeah, probably going to put the money on Auburn on this one. Yeah, I think I would too. I don't know about the spread or anything like that, but as far straight up, I do think Auburn will win this game. I just, I think the two previous games like this team knows how important this is. And I don't know, it just feels like a lot of this is vibes, Corey. And like I think the matchup is fine. Then Auburn's favorite too. I really think they're going to be able to attack the rim, but it's the front court. I mean, honestly, it's the two key shons that are just seem nightmarish for, for Vanderbilt. I mean, Florida had a elite front court. They, they beat, they beat Vandy at home at Memorial. Texas had a elite front court. They 20 piece them Arkansas had a elite front court.

14:15They 30 piece them. And for some reason, Oklahoma found a front court before they arrived in Nashville on Saturday. So weird game. Yeah, totally weird game. They had up there up 20 most of the way and then ended up winning by one. That was, I turned it off and then I looked at the score and I was like, wait a second. Oh, we got a shot. Yeah, I got you. I got you. So let us know in the comments for both of our shows down below what you think the score will be for Tuesday nights action. Of course, that is at six o'clock central time in Neville arena. Cory for all the Auburn folks watching. How can they get more of you? Well, they just just find me on social media at locked on Vandy. If you want to follow along, find me on YouTube locked on Vandy. I got shorts. I got regular shows. I got, I got some 10 minute afternoon sessions. Things like that, talking everything baseball basketball, of course, football. Jared Curtis is going to be extremely exciting. A lot of people aren't high on Jared Curtis. I'm very high on Jared Curtis.

15:15And this is, I've said this might be Vanderbilt's most loaded roster that they've had in a decade, maybe ever. Yeah, and of course, Auburn and Vandy play each other every year now in football. So we will do a few shows over the offseason. We are about that. That's a long rivals now. Life long. Yeah. Is the iron bowl that's the deep south oldest rivalry? There's also Auburn Vandy for sure. Yeah, you just can't, you can't beat it. Yeah, the Elijah McCallister bowl. I guess that's right. All right, please like the video. Please subscribe. We'll see you guys next time. This has been a crossover edition of locked on Auburn and locked on Vandy. Peace. You.