College Basketball Preview: 5. Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt has always been a shooting team but with froncourt players like Taylor that might change.

5. Vanderbilt Commodores Key Returnees: G John Jenkins, C Festus Ezeli, F Jeffery
Taylor
G Brad Tinsley- Senior
G John Jenkins- Junior
F Jeffery Taylor- Senior
F Lance Goulbourne- Senior
C Festus Ezeli- Senior
Sixth- Steve Tchiengang- Senior
Top Recruit- Dai-Jon Parker
Its no joke that this could be the year the Commodores win the national championship. They return pretty much everyone (losing just forward Andre Walker) to a team that went 23-11 in 2010-2011. One of those everyone is John Jenkins who had a breakout sophomore season averaging 19.5 points per game and making the All-SEC first team. Along with him in the backcourt is point guard Brad Tinsley and impact freshmen Dai-Jon Parker. The frontcourt is also super talented led by center Festus Ezeli and Jeffery Taylor both All-SEC second teamers. Ezeli is big (6 feet, 11 inches) and uses his frame to dominate down low. Taylor meanwhile has improved his scoring each year after last years solid 14.7 per game. Lance Goulbourne is big and can rebound constantly putting up 7.3 per game last season. Steve Tchiengang and Rod Odom are bench players who will still get minutes. Jordan Smart is a sniper but he is strictly that and won't play very often.
Bottom Line: With Jenkins and all the rest back the Commodores are legitimate title contenders even in the tough SEC.