Vanderbilt's Win Streak Reaches Three, but Questions Still Linger

After losing four straight, the Commodore have now strung off three consecutive wins after a win over Ole Miss Saturday night.

A.J. Ogilvy led the way again with 17 points while freshman standout Jeffrey Taylor added 14 points, as the Commodores never let the Rebels get closer than seven.

A three-game winning streak might seem impressive, but don't let it fool you. Those three wins came against teams whose combined conference record is 10-16.

Vanderbilt is currently sitting fifth in the SEC East with a 4-5 conference record and a 15-8 record overall.

If Vanderbilt wants any shot at another NCAA Tournament bid, these next three games will be crucial.

The Commodores' next three opponents are Tennessee, Kentucky, and Florida. All three teams have already defeated the Commodores, and in convincing fashion.

Vandy must take two of these next three games if they want anything more than an NIT bid.

Tennessee is coming off a tough loss to Auburn, so the Vols will come out fired up at home to play Vandy.

Kentucky, on the other hand, is in a slump of its own, having lost its last three. Vandy gets the Wildcats at home, which may prove to be the deciding factor.

The final of this three-game stretch will take the Commodores down to Gainesville, where no one likes to play. Historically the Commodores have had undeniable trouble at winning on Florida's home court, so this will be another tough one.

Vandy has already proved to be a good basketball team, but to be a great team, you beat more than just the conference bottom-dwellers.

A huge opportunity lies ahead to show the rest of the nation that Vanderbilt has evolved into a legitimate basketball contender every year.

Unfortunately, with the SEC down as much as it is this year, it will take more wins than normal to prove to the tournament selection committee that they belong in the field of 65.

Kudos for winning the games you're supposed to, Vandy, but the true tests still lie ahead.