Vanderbilt mailbag: Basketball record predictions and Dansby Swanson's contract

Vanderbilt basketball has been caught in a funk, losing consecutive games to Grambling State and NC State and squandering any opportunity to get a marquee nonconference win.

The team doesn't have a standout skill on either side of the ball and a path to even the NIT is looking slimmer.

Meanwhile, Vanderbilt football will welcome its new signing class on Wednesday, a class that currently ranks 43rd in the country per the 247Sports Composite and contains two 4-star recruits.

Baseball alum and Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame member Dansby Swanson signed a seven-year, $177 million deal with the Chicago Cubs, leaving his hometown Atlanta Braves.

The Tennessean answers reader questions:

"Predict Vandy MBB season final record / what will they go in SEC play." -Nash

KenPom currently projects a record of 12-19 and 5-13 in the SEC. The analytics system would have Vanderbilt favored in just two SEC games (the two against South Carolina), but odds are the Commodores would pick up a few more against teams like Georgia, Ole Miss or Florida.

I'm willing to go a little higher than that. Vanderbilt has a knack for playing every single opponent close, including the ones that analytics suggest it shouldn't. That would likely average out to a few other wins over the course of a season. I think there will be at least one Commodores win that surprises , but it's hard to see more than seven SEC wins right now, and my current prediction would be an SEC record of 6-12, with an overall record of 13-18 (not including the SEC Tournament).

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"What’s your opinion on Dansby (Swanson's) new contract?" -Chris Ray

It's good to see an all-time Vanderbilt great get paid, and by signing with the Chicago Cubs, he gets to be near his wife, Mallory Pugh, a soccer player for the Chicago Red Stars.

Although Swanson is a polarizing player in MLB circles due to his strikeout rate, his defensive reputation dates back to his college days, and now the Cubs will be the beneficiary of his highlight plays. Although he'll no longer be teammates with Kyle Wright, there's a Commodores connection in Chicago, too. The Cubs' GM, Carter Hawkins, was David Price's backup catcher at Vanderbilt, and the Cubs seem to be building around pitching and defense, a familiar strategy to Vanderbilt fans.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt mailbag: Basketball predictions and Dansby Swanson contract