Three Games That Matter: Memphis Chases Another Statement, Belmont Meets Its Rival, and Davidson Faces Bradley
2026-11-10
Tuesday offers three different reasons to look beyond the Champions Classic: an opportunity to beat another ranked opponent, a neighborhood rivalry with nothing separating the programs in the all-time series, and an intriguing Missouri Valley–Atlantic 10 matchup.
Memphis has the biggest stage. Belmont and Lipscomb bring the history. Bradley and Davidson offer a chance to learn something about two programs before conference play begins shaping their seasons.
These are our three most compelling games involving mid-major programs tonight. All times are Eastern. Score predictions are editorial projections based on current results and matchup analysis, rather than outputs from the MMH Power Index.
Memphis at No. 22 Vanderbilt
7:15 p.m. | SEC Network+ | Memorial Gymnasium, Nashville
Memphis has already put together an opening week worth paying attention to. The Tigers beat then-No. 18 Iowa State and followed it with an 89–88 victory over VCU. Now comes a trip across Tennessee to face an unbeaten, nationally ranked opponent whose defense has been the story of its own opening week.
At 2–0, Memphis enters as the leading team receiving votes in the AP poll. Another win would give the Tigers a strong argument for a place in the rankings and another significant nonconference result before the season is two weeks old. Vanderbilt is also 2–0 after beating Bellarmine and Wake Forest. [1, 2]
The matchup: Jayden Reid against Vanderbilt's first line of defense
Jayden Reid has given Memphis a dependable source of offense immediately. The senior averaged 29 points and four assists in the opening week and scored a career-high 32 against VCU. His two free throws with fewer than six seconds remaining helped finish that win. [1, 3]
The question Tuesday is how efficiently he can create once Vanderbilt starts loading its defense toward him. Reid does not need another 30-point game for Memphis to win. He needs to make the Commodores commit a second defender, then get the ball out early enough for the next Tiger to attack an advantage.
That distinction matters against a defense that held its first two opponents to 47 and 51 points. Vanderbilt limited Wake Forest to 35 percent shooting, and Bellarmine and Wake Forest combined to make only 11 of 47 three-point attempts. Those numbers come from a tiny sample, but they give Memphis a clear challenge: avoid allowing the game to become a string of difficult, late-clock jump shots. [2, 3]
Luke Almodovar is an important counterweight. He enters averaging 12.5 points and has made four of nine three-point attempts. If Vanderbilt's help comes from his side, Memphis needs to make that decision expensive. [1]
Where Memphis can win it
The Tigers have made 25 free throws in each of their first two games. Continuing to attack the paint would give them a scoring source when perimeter shots stop falling and could force Vanderbilt to adjust its defensive personnel. [1]
My preferred Memphis approach is controlled aggression: attack before the defense gets organized, then move the ball when the initial drive is contained. A hurried shot that leaves the Tigers poorly positioned to defend is a gift to the home team. A paint touch that produces a foul or an open kickout is how Memphis can keep this competitive.
At the other end, Tyler Tanner demands the same attention Reid will receive. Vanderbilt's guard is averaging 18.5 points and four assists and just produced 17 points and 10 rebounds against Wake Forest. Memphis needs to finish possessions after forcing his first miss; a rebound that becomes another drive can undo otherwise sound defense. [2]
The Tigers also remain without Nemanja Popovic, who is serving an NCAA-mandated six-game withholding period tied to previous international competition. That limits their available interior options and makes foul management more consequential. [1]
The prediction
Memphis has already shown it can survive a close finish. I expect Reid to keep the Tigers within striking distance, but Vanderbilt's early defensive performance and home floor give the Commodores a narrow edge. Memphis will need consistent secondary scoring to turn another impressive performance into another victory.
Prediction: Memphis 74, Vanderbilt 78.
Belmont at Lipscomb
8 p.m. | ESPN+ | Allen Arena, Nashville
The Battle of the Boulevard does not need rankings to make it compelling. Its 153rd installment arrives with the all-time series tied 76–76. Belmont has controlled the modern portion of the rivalry, winning 20 of the last 23 meetings, but 12 of the last 15 have been decided by nine points or fewer. [4]
That combination captures the appeal: the Bruins have usually found a way to win, while Lipscomb has regularly stayed close enough to make the ending uncomfortable.
Belmont enters 2–0 under Evan Bradds. Lipscomb is 1–2 after road losses to Southeast Missouri State and Iowa, followed by a 78–77 home win over SIU Edwardsville. The Bisons' record comes with more context than a glance at the standings provides. [4, 5]
The matchup: Can Lipscomb make Belmont play too fast?
Belmont's official preview identifies Lipscomb as an early national tempo leader. With returning all-conference point guard Mateo Esmeraldo and Oregon transfer Takai Simpkins, the Bisons have players to watch when the game opens up. [4]
For Lipscomb, the tactical opportunity is to test Belmont's communication before all five defenders are set. Advance the ball quickly, make the Bruins identify matchups, and attack a gap before the help is established. That is especially appealing against a roster still building familiarity.
Belmont returns six players but has nine newcomers. No current Bruin has more than one season of game experience in a Belmont uniform. That is a reason to watch the details Tuesday: who stops the ball in transition, who takes the first cutter, and who recognizes when a teammate needs help. [4]
Why Jack Smiley matters
Smiley opened with 24 points against Southern Indiana and added 16 points and six rebounds against Centre. He gives Belmont an offensive reference point when a rivalry game becomes hurried or disjointed. [4, 6]
The Bruins' task is to let good opportunities develop without confusing patience with passivity. When Lipscomb pushes the tempo, Belmont should still attack favorable numbers. When the Bisons have recovered, the Bruins need enough discipline to work into a second action instead of accepting the first contested jumper.
The opening-game turnover count is a warning: Belmont committed 19 against Southern Indiana. Against a team eager to play quickly, careless possessions can become both lost scoring chances and immediate pressure on the defense. [6]
For Lipscomb, home court offers a chance to turn those mistakes into a sustained run. The Bisons need to make Belmont solve problems repeatedly, especially after substitutions, rather than relying on the crowd or the rivalry's emotional energy to carry them.
The prediction
I expect stretches of uneven basketball and a finish that fits the rivalry's recent history. Lipscomb's pace and home floor should keep the Bisons involved. Smiley's productive start gives me slightly more confidence in Belmont's ability to find a necessary basket late, provided the Bruins protect the ball better than they did in their opener.
Prediction: Belmont 78, Lipscomb 74.
Bradley at Davidson
7 p.m. | ESPN+ | John M. Belk Arena, Davidson
This is the first meeting between the programs, and they arrive with very different recent offensive performances. Davidson is 2–0 after a 76–61 road win over Washington State and an 88–76 victory over Mercer. Bradley is 1–1 after losing 63–52 at home to Pacific. [7, 8]
For Davidson, Tuesday is a chance to show its efficient opening week can survive another opponent's adjustments. For Bradley, it is an immediate opportunity to respond to a disappointing home result.
The matchup: Davidson's scoring options against Bradley's possession discipline
Nick Janowski has been Davidson's headline performer, averaging 23 points on better than 73 percent shooting through two games. Sam Brown is averaging 20 points and Josh Scovens 16.5. Those shooting numbers will fluctuate, but the distribution of scoring matters: Bradley cannot assume that containing one player will contain the offense. [7, 8]
The Wildcats also have a useful connector in Ian Platteeuw. He recorded eight assists against Washington State and followed that with 12 points and 12 rebounds against Mercer. Bradley needs to account for his passing as well as his work near the rim. [7]
My tactical concern for the Braves is what happens after their first defensive rotation. If extra attention goes toward Janowski, can the next defender cover the pass without opening a cut behind him? Davidson's multiple scoring options make a late recovery costly.
Bradley needs offense that helps its defense
The Braves cannot count on 52 points being enough against an opponent that has cleared 75 in both games. Yet simply playing faster would not necessarily fix the problem.
Bradley needs possessions that produce a paint touch, a clean shot, or a chance at the foul line. An empty trip ending in a rushed perimeter attempt lets Davidson attack before the Braves have established their defense. A longer possession is useful only if it eventually creates something worth taking.
Max Gaspà, who has nine assists through two games, is a player to watch in organizing that response. Ben Thornbrue enters averaging 10.5 points. Bradley needs enough offensive support to keep Davidson from concentrating its attention on a small number of threats. [8]
There is a possible pressure point for the Braves: Davidson's starters have played 78 percent of the available minutes through two games. Making that group defend repeated actions could matter as the night progresses. Bradley has to earn those benefits by sustaining possessions and staying close enough for fatigue or foul trouble to become relevant. [8]
The prediction
Davidson's opening results offer the more convincing evidence. The Wildcats have already won away from home, have several productive scorers, and committed only five turnovers against Mercer. Bradley should make portions of this game competitive, but I trust Davidson to generate the cleaner offense over 40 minutes. [7]
Prediction: Bradley 65, Davidson 74.
Reporting sources
- Memphis Athletics: Tigers Receiving Votes, Head to No. 22 Vanderbilt
- Vanderbilt Athletics: In-State Battle on Tap Tuesday
- Field Level Media/CBS Sports: No. 22 Vanderbilt Tests Lockdown Defense Against Memphis
- Belmont Athletics: Men's Basketball Plays at Lipscomb Tuesday
- Lipscomb Athletics: 2026–27 Schedule
- Belmont Athletics: 2026–27 Statistics
- Davidson Athletics: Davidson Hosts Bradley on Tuesday Night
- Bradley Athletics: Season's First Road Trip