Vanderbilt Basketball: Hopeful Season Tips-off Against the Oregon Ducks

There's probably never been more buzz surrounding the Vanderbilt Commodores heading into a basketball season, and the first test of the year will come against a dangerous Oregon Ducks team.

The No. 7 Commodores truly challenged themselves with the non-conference schedule they put together for this season, which is filled with high expectations.

Many people see Oregon as a sleeper team in the Pac-12 for the same reasons that people see the Commodores as a trendy pick to win the SEC. They both have a ton of talent returning from 2010.

ESPN college basketball analyst Andy Katz has Oregon as one of 10 programs that are on the rise and have a great chance to have a very successful season.

Most top-ranked teams tend to start the season with a couple cupcakes before getting into the teeth of their non-conference schedule, but the Commodores have decided to test themselves early.

Whether the game ends in a win or a loss, they'll be better prepared for the long haul that is a college basketball season.

It is more than likely that this game will be won or lost inside the paint.

The Commodores will get their outside looks regardless, and John Jenkins will be the focal point of that part of the game plan.

Things will be far more difficult for the Commodores without Festus Ezeli holding down the fort on both ends of the court inside.

Ezeli was regarded by many as being one of the most improved players in college basketball this season, and his inside scoring will be missed for this game and five others due to suspension.

This will force freshman Josh Henderson to step in and grow up fast in front of a big crowd. He was a 3-star recruit in Vanderbilt's 2010 recruiting class, and he has a great combination of size and athleticism according to scouts.

The Ducks will counter with a talented big man of their own in Tony Woods, who is a transfer from Wake Forest and has a ton of upside.

The Commodores' success in this game and for the rest of the season will rest on how consistent and reliable John Jenkins and Jeffery Taylor will be on the offensive end.

There were many times towards the end of 2011 when Taylor struggled to be even a mild factor on offense, and that simply can't happen if they're going to make a historical run.

This matchup should be one of the more exciting games on the Friday night slate, which is opening night for the majority of teams.

Expect a lot of rust through the first portion of the game, but if the Commodores find their shooting rhythm then they should notch a win to start the 2011 season. They'll have the benefit of a packed house inside Memorial Gym, a place that in which most teams struggle on their first visit.

However, don't bet the mortgage on this game, because the Ducks are more than capable of pulling off the upset with the Commodores missing Ezeli down low.