10. Vanderbilt (10-0)
Not quite as tested as some of these other top teams, but these Commodores have not shied away when the lights have brightened under Mark Byington’s leadership. Vanderbilt already has several impressive wins away from home, including that 25-point win over Saint Mary’s that should continue aging spectacularly this season. Vanderbilt is regularly winning these games by decent margins, including several against power conference foes.
There wasn’t some big matchup for the Commodores this week, as the team simply did what was needed to secure an 83-72 win over Central Arkansas on Saturday. This is one of those final margins that doesn’t look quite as impressive, but Tyler Nickel had a career day with 30 points and Vanderbilt got the job done for a tenth straight time.
There’s been a consistent energy from Vanderbilt throughout the first weeks of this season as this team has simply done its business and sits in an enviable position. Again, they aren’t out here crushing powerful contenders but simply beating the teams needed, especially with great performances from Nickel and others. This next week provides an intriguing challenge, as the Commodores have road games at Memphis and Wake Forest before Christmas.