10. Vanderbilt (11-0)
You’re not going to find much disappointment considering what Vanderbilt has accomplished in the early season, though Mark Byington and his staff and team know that December doesn’t matter. The Commodores are a program that’s never had real postseason success, but an unbeaten start to this season and this recent national relevance has people wondering if history will be made in Nashville.
We saw Vanderbilt on the court just once last week but it was quite the contest, surviving their second road game of the season in a 77-70 overtime win over Memphis. Though the Commodores struggled shooting outside the arc, one of their strongest defensive efforts of the season helped them down their in-state rival. Duke Miles starred with 22 points while Tyler Tanner added 16 points and 7 rebounds in his latest standout performance.
Despite playing an extra five minutes, Vanderbilt had their lowest scoring output of the season on Wednesday night in Memphis. While one aspect struggled, their defense picked up and found a way to get that victory in the extra period and that’s exactly what great teams do when it matters most. Another interesting road challenge comes Sunday at Wake Forest and victory would virtually guarantee a perfect run through nonconference play.