Dan Shulman

Besides the drama on ESPN’s College GameDay this morning, there is the actual game tonight — Kentucky at Vanderbilt at 9 p.m.

While you’re waiting around for that, there is a full day of college hoops on the tube. Louisville travels to West Virginia for a noon game on ESPN. Cincinnati at Marquette isn’t a bad matchup on ESPNU at 3 p.m. Florida entertains Tennessee at 4 p.m. on the SEC Network. Michigan State travels to Ohio State for a Big Ten showdown at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

When it finally comes time for the Cats and Commodores, Dan Shulman and Dick Vitale will do the honors. Vitale gets all the publicity, but Shulman is one of the best in the business, on both baseball and college basketball. He works very well with Mr. Vitale, who remains one of the nicest guys in the business.

And, yes, Erin Andrews will be working the sidelines.

Click the continue line for today’s full schedule of games.

(AP photo/Mark Humphrey)

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• Tennessean: Commodores want to go around UK’s block
• Nashville City Paper: Vanderbilt has beaten No. 1 teams before
• Anchor of Gold: Breaking down the Cats and the Commodores
• ESPN Stats: Vanderbilt has long shot to upset Kentucky
• Jerry Tipton: Vandy represents unique challenges
• Jerry Tipton: Calipari asks UK fans not to ruin Vandy’s GameDay
• Kyle Tucker: UK girding its loins for Vandy’s crazy gym
• Brett Dawson: Kentucky ready for Vanderbilt’s Memorial Magic
• Aaron Smith: Marquis Teague in charge of managing team in unique set-up

• Guy Ramsey: Test exactly what Calipari wants for his team
• Jon Hale: Cats prepare for unique challenge
• Glenn Logan: Previewing UK-Vanderbilt today
• Yahoo Sports: Time for Vanderbilt to step up

• At Florida, Tennessee seeks remedy for road problems, reports Mike Griffith of Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Florida seeks revenge for loss at UT, reports Kevin Brockway of Gainesville Sun.
• Tide needs another big win over LSU, says Cecil Hurt of Tuscaloosa News.
• For LSU basketball, there’s no place like home, writes Scott Hotard of The Advocate.
• Auburn wants toughness in its rematch today with Ole Miss, writes Joe Medley of Anniston Star.
• Mississippi’s Jalen Kendrick gets back to basics, reports Hugh Kellenberger of Clarion-Ledger.
• Is Mississippi State hitting its stride? asks Brandon Marcello of Clarion-Ledger.

• After win over Arkansas, Georgia hopes to keep the momentum going, reports Seth Emerson of Macon Telegraph.
• Marcus Thornton’s performance gives Bulldogs hope, writes Roger Clarkson of the Athens Banner-Herald.
• South Carolina tries to overcome another road block at Arkansas, reports Darryl Slater of Charleston Post and Courier.
• Vandy football coach elaborates on controversial comments, reports Michael Carvell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

(AP photo)

Some late night notes:

- According to Evan Daniels, John Calipari and Orlando Antigua are watching Class of 2014 star Jalen Lindsay tonight.

- Count Paul Jordan of Wildcat Blue Nation as a dissenter in this “Occupy Memorial” movement. Jordan tweeted “Sorry. It not a fan of the #OccupyMemorial crap. Didn’t we get all over Indiana fans for acting like this. Stay classy bbn”

Cameron Mills, the ex-Cat, must agree. He re-tweeted Jordan’s tweet.

So do I. How would Kentucky have reacted if Florida football fans decided to try and overtake UK’s appearance on College Football GameDay a few years back? UK fans will get a kick out of taking over GameDay, but somehow I don’t think it’s going to play so well with the rest of the country. Take Calipari’s advice today.

If you want to wreck Vanderbilt’s GameDay, win the game. And I think UK will do just that, by 77-70.

- Jeremy Lin is stealing all the New York headlines, but Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni can’t wait to get Josh Harrellson back. Zagsblog quotes D’Antoni as saying before tonight’s win over the Lakers, “I had no idea I’d be sitting here saying I can’t wait till Josh Harrellson gets back.”

Jorts has been out for since breaking his right wrist Jan. 21. He was averaging 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds.

- The report filed on the alleged David Salinas ponzi scheme claim investors lost $51 million. Former UK coach Billy Gillispie was one of the investors.

- Chris Low of espn.com makes some good points about LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson knocking his coach’s play-calling in the BCS title game loss to Alabama. That’s the same coach who stuck by Jefferson when the senior got in off-the-field trouble before the season started. Says Chris:

What’s not hard to argue is that Jefferson is throwing a lot of people under the bus who steadfastly stood behind him during his darkest days at LSU.

In fact, they not only stood behind him, but they stuck their necks out for him when he was accused of kicking somebody in the face and charged with a felony, which was later reduced to a misdemeanor.

LSU coach Les Miles was Jefferson’s staunchest supporter, so much so that you could say Miles went down with the ship in that national championship game because he was determined to let Jefferson steer it no matter what … come hell, high water or a swarming Alabama defense.

And, now, what does Miles get in return?

- If you haven’t seen it, check out Will Ferrell doing the (hilarious) intros for the Chicago Bulls at New Orleans Hornets game earlier this week:

(H-L photo/Jonathan Palmer)

Time for the evening news:

Over at CBS Sports, our friend Gary Parrish guarantees Vanderbilt will beat UK:

 Guaranteed to be an upset: I think Kentucky has the nation’s best roster, is the nation’s best team and will win the national championship. Unless Anthony Davis’ arms shrink before Selection Sunday, I’m picking the Wildcats to win it all. Write it down in blood. But John Calipari’s team is going to lose Saturday night at Vanderbilt just like I watched Billy Donovan’s second national championship team at Florida once lose at Vanderbilt. I don’t know how it’s going to happen or why, but it’s going to happen. And then this Kentucky team is never going to lose again. You can write that down in blood too.

At SI.com, Seth Davis presents an opposing view, picking UK to beat Vanderbilt:

This is the first of three remaining road tests for Kentucky (Mississippi State and Florida are the others), but I think the Wildcats will pass it. Vandy loves to play outside-in, but Anthony Davis’s shot-blocking prowess enables his teammates to be aggressive when they close out on three-point shooters. Plus, Commodores point guard Brad Tinsley is no match for UK freshman Marquis Teague.

At Grantland, Mark Titus has UK No. 1 in his power rankings and gives tips on how to beat the Cats:

Even though they are the most athletic team in America, most of Kentucky’s players have only 20-something collegiate games under their belts. This is why teams should make the Wildcats think and react on defense by setting screens and having a ton of movement off the ball instead of setting ball screens and then trying to beat their athletes one-on-one while the rest of the guys just stand by the sidelines.

Now here’s Myron Medcalf of espn.com on UK’s playmakers with description of a play in the Florida game:

 Davis throws the bounce pass to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. And now a Florida team with two guys back is in major trouble.

 Kidd-Gilchrist has options in a 3-on-2 situation. Doron Lamb to his right, Davis on his left. It’s an impossible predicament for the Gators, who just didn’t make the offense-to-defense switch quickly enough on this play.

 Kidd-Gilchrist decides to make a play on his own. He splits a pair of Gators defenders and sails to the rim for the layup. Check out Davis’ position on the drive. If that ball comes off the rim, he’s going to get it and dunk it.

 Such a complete team. But the Wildcats are at their best when they’re racing up the court. That’s one of the many weapons that Vandy will have to stop Saturday. Tough task ahead.

At espn.com, Eamonn Brennan praises Cal’s sense of humor.

There are other games Saturday, including Louisville at West Virginia at noon. Rick Bozich of the C-J points out there are only four teams in the Big East teams with winning road records in conference play — Syracuse, Notre Dame, Cincinnati and the Cards.

Though highly-touted U of L freshman Wayne Blackshear has been cleared to play, it doesn’t sound like he’ll be ready to play until the Cards visit DePaul on Feb. 18. But with the ever-impulsive Rick Pitino, you never know.

The NCAA tuned down Connecticut’s request for a waiver so that it can play in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, even though the Huskies’ abysmal APR calls for Jim Calhoun’s team to be banned from the post-season. Connecticut had proposed reducing the number of games it will play next season. This was UConn’s equivalent of a Hail Mary pass, which fell incomplete.

I have to say I agree with Time’s James Poniewozik about last night’s 30 Rock. The best part of the show was the opening minute when Liz Lemon woke up with her arm jammed inside a Pringles’ can.

“He’s getting old, look at him,” said Jones of his head coach, who turns 53 today. “He’s experienced.”

Asked if the team would sing “Happy Birthday” to the coach — Alan Cutler asked — Jones said he hoped so, and that, “Hopefully we can get some birthday hits.” (He was joking.)

Jones also identified the No. 1 reason behind the Cats’ rise to the No. 1 ranking.

“Team defense is really what’s been getting us through everything right now,” he said, adding that, yes, the blocked shots are an important strategic maneuver. “We want to be aggressive and force teams to drive into difficult shots.”

“Difficult shots” meaning Anthony Davis.