The Vanderbilt Commodores finished the 2004-05 season with a mark of 20-14 straight up, which included a Southeastern Conference record of 8-8, placing them in third place in the SEC East Division.
The Commodores finished 18-14 against the college basketball gambling lines, and finished the regular season with strength as they got the cash in six of their final seven games. After being bounced in the opening round of the SEC tournament, the Commodores went on to the third round of the NIT and posted a 2-1 straight up but 1-2 mark against the spread as they were eliminated by Memphis 68-81 as 5.5-point dogs.
Vanderbilt had a well deserved reputation for being a solid basketball program and SEC contender. This notoriety, however, along with the solid NIT performance, would actually serve to deplete some of their board value as, while they were not of the same reputation as SEC East Division rival Kentucky, they were a team that gamblers had no problem giving serious consideration to.
Solid Start
Vanderbilt opened the 2004-05 season with a 67-46 home win over Jacksonville State as 24.5-point overlays. But from there, they would prove to be solid values at the start of the season beginning with an 81-60 win over Furman as 14.5-point home chalks. That was then followed by an 85-53 win at home over North Carolina Greensboro as a 22.5-point chalk. Next came a 68-61 upset win at up and coming Georgetown as a 3-point dog for a solid start of 3-1 against the board.
Brief dip
Vanderbilt was unable to sustain momentum, however, starting with a 76-75 home win over Oregon as a 9-point overlay. That was then followed by an 83-92 home loss to Cincinnati as 9-point home chalks. After a 74-58 unlined home win over Alabama A&M, the Commodores scored a 78-72 home win over New Orleans as 21-point overlays for a brief dip of three consecutive failures ATS. Back off the board, Vandy beat Indiana-Purdue.
Value briefly restored
Vanderbilt got back into the black with a 63-60 win at Dayton as 1-point dogs but followed that up with a 67-76 loss at Georgia Tech as 1.5-point chalks. From there, however, Vandy would see their value briefly restored beginning with a 74-50 home win over Auburn as 11.5-point chalks. That was then followed by a 57-52 win at Kentucky as 5.5-point dogs for a third payoff in four games.
Unable to sustain success
Just when it looked as if Vanderbilt would make a strong run both on the court and at the sportsbook, they would prove unable to sustain success beginning with a 66-78 loss at Arkansas as 4.5-point dogs. That was then followed by a 64-66 overtime home win over South Carolina as 5.5-overlays. The bleeding briefly stopped with an 80-52 win over Mississippi State as 12-point chalks. Unfortunately that would prove not to be a portent of things to come.
Free fall
Vanderbilt was next blown out at Florida 58-81 as 9.5-point dogs, which began a free fall both on the court and at the sportsbook. Next came a 62-69 loss at Tennessee as 6.5-point dogs. That was followed by a 73-74 home loss to Georgia as 9.5-point chalks and then a 74-77 overtime loss at Alabama as 3-point dogs for a push. The red ink then resumed pouring as Vandy beat Kentucky 84-81 as 3.5-point overlays for a “bad beat.” That was then followed by a 68-73 home loss to eventual national champion Florida as 2.5-point dogs.
Unwanted values
Vanderbilt had become one of the most unappealing teams in the SEC with just one payoff in nine games as they headed into the stretch drive of the regular season, which they finished with a 3-2 mark both SU&ATS.
Vandy then reverted back to red ink however, as they went 1-2 both SU&ATS in post season as they were eliminated by Notre Dame 69-79 as 5-point dogs in the first round of the NIT.