Two of the best teams in the SEC will matchup in an exciting Saturday matchup down in Nashville. Defending champion Florida heads back on the road to take on a Vanderbilt team that has surprised and exceeded early expectations. These teams both want to make a statement this weekend but only one can walk away with their fourth win in league play.
Some questionable play out of Florida (12-5) earlier in the season had people questioning the Gators, even with the defending champs bringing back those three frontcourt starters from last year. The offense has certainly stabilized in recent weeks and Florida has won a pair of ranked games since the beginning of the New Year. They face one of their toughest challenges here but look a lot better than even a month ago.
After brilliance in the opening months, Vanderbilt (16-1) only just lost their first game of the entire season in a rare clunker at Texas. The Commodores were awesome in wins over Alabama, Saint Mary’s, SMU, and several other programs, but they were just bullied up front all night long by the Longhorns. Vanderbilt is hoping for a major bounce back effort after that loss on Wednesday night.
Florida vs. Vanderbilt: When and Where
Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026, 2:00 pm ET
Location: Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tennessee
Florida vs. Vanderbilt: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch: ESPN
Streaming: FuboTV
Florida vs. Vanderbilt: Betting Odds
Spread: Vanderbilt Commodores 3.5, Florida Gators +.3.5
Moneyline: Vanderbilt Commodores -170, Florida Gators +160
Total: 160.5
Florida vs. Vanderbilt: Series History
All-time series: Florida leads 75-74
Last meeting: Florida 86, Vanderbilt 75 (February 4, 2025)
Projected Starting Lineups
Florida Gators
Thomas Haugh (17.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg)
Alex Condon (14.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg)
Boogie Fland (11.8 ppg, 3.5 apg)
Rueben Chinyelu (11.4 ppg, 10.7 rpg)
Xaivian Lee (11.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Vanderbilt Commodores
Tyler Tanner (17.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.2 apg)
Duke Miles (17.5 ppg, 4.4 apg)
Tyler Nickel (14.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
Devin McGlockton (10.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg)
AK Okereke (8.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
The Commodores have found ways to win this season when their shooters have been cold, but that might cause even more trouble on Saturday. The Gators have one of the best frontcourts in the nation and Vanderbilt just had significant trouble both scoring and stopping Texas inside the arc. If Florida asserts their will on the glass and can get reliable play from those new guards, the Gators can go on the road and grab another huge win. Vanderbilt needs to shake off that lousy performance and return to the type of basketball that’s gotten them into the Top 10 national rankings this season.
Can Florida’s strong forwards take control of this game and grab what might be their most impressive win to date of the season? Could we see a big bounce back from the Commodores’ offense and a big step forward after recent struggles on defense?