Thursday, March 12th, 7:30 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: St. Pete Times Forum (21,655) -- Tampa, Florida. Television: Raycom. Home Record: Vanderbilt 13-4, Alabama 13-5. Away Record: Vanderbilt 3-7, Alabama 2-7. Neutral Record: Vanderbilt 3-0, Alabama 2-1. Conference Record: Vanderbilt 8-8, Alabama 7-9. Series Record: Alabama leads, 64-62.

GAME NOTES: First-round action of the 2009 SEC Tournament features a clash between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The winner will advance to tomorrow's quarterfinal round to face top-seeded Tennessee. Vanderbilt, the East Division's fifth seed, earned its only title way back in 1951 and is 29-46 all-time in this event. The Commodores split their 16 SEC games during the regular season and finished 19-11 overall. They have won three straight decisions heading into this tournament and hope to ride that momentum for as long as they can. As for Alabama, the fourth seed from the West, it is second to Kentucky in SEC Tournament titles, as the Crimson Tide have captured the crown six times. Still, the program hasn't won the championship since 1991. Fresh off an amazing win over Tennessee on the road in the regular season finale, expect Alabama to play with a renewed sense of confidence. Vanderbilt beat Alabama in a 79-74 final during the regular season, cutting the Tide's lead to 64-62 in the all-time series.

A.J. Ogilvy tops the roster for Vanderbilt with 15.7 ppg and 7.1 rpg from his center position. A Second Team All-SEC performer, Ogilvy is just a sophomore and is still improving. The Commodores are the second-worst scoring team in the conference with 70.3 ppg, but they are second best in scoring defense (65.0 ppg). They are limiting opponents to 39.6 percent field goal efficiency, impressive by any standards. In addition to Ogilvy, there are three other players averaging double figures in scoring for Vanderbilt. Jermaine Beal provides 12.7 ppg and 3.1 apg, while Jeffery Taylor contributes 12.0 ppg and 6.2 rpg. Rounding out the group is Brad Tinsley with 10.7 ppg.

Alabama is led by Alonzo Gee and his 14.8 ppg, good for 13th place among league scoring leaders. More than just a scorer, Gee is pulling down 7.3 rpg, but he is shooting only 61.3 percent from the foul line and has 29 more turnovers than assists. Senario Hillman brings 13.3 ppg to the floor for the Tide, and he leads the way with 54 steals. JaMychal Green rounds out a trio of double-digit scorers with 10.2 ppg, and he adds 7.5 rpg. Alabama is eighth in the SEC in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The team doesn't excel in any one area of the game, but it can also be said that the Tide aren't decidedly weak in any one aspect.

In what figures to be a close game from the start, give a narrow edge to Vanderbilt in this first-round matchup. The Commodores will put forth a balanced offensive effort and play solid defense as well.

Predicted Outcome

Vanderbilt 66, Alabama 63