Historically, Vanderbilt isn’t exactly a basketball program with the richest history, especially compared to some of their longtime league rivals in the SEC. However, Mark Byington is trying to change that perception and has already brought a new look and a new path to Nashville after a brilliant first season leading the Commodores.
Vanderbilt hadn’t reached the Big Dance since 2017 but got back into the NCAA Tournament in Byington’s first season at the helm. The Commodores hung tough in a historically strong SEC, winning 20 games and tying for 9th place in the conference race. The program danced for the first time in eight years before their season was ended in a close loss to a strong Saint Mary’s squad in the opening round.
Byington and his new staff had just a few months to build last year’s squad but now have another full offseason under their belts. Vanderbilt had to replace Jason Edwards, A. J. Hoggard and a few other notable contributors, but the coaches went out and acquired notable talent. The Commodores have a flurry of new faces on this roster from the transfer portal, with the hopes that this can be a season where this team takes another step forward in a jam packed SEC race.
We’ll consider the talent on this roster, looking closely both at the returning pieces and the new faces in the fold. Vanderbilt hadn’t really been much of a focus in the SEC in recent years, but Byington is hoping there are some brilliant days ahead for these Commodores. We’ll look at some of those tough days ahead on the schedule and made some larger considerations and predictions about this season.
Projected Starters
Guard – Frankie Collins (Senior)
It’s school number four and power conference number four for Collins, who hopes to make an impact in the SEC at the tail end of his career. A former Top 50 recruit from Nevada, Collins played at Michigan and Arizona State before spending last year at TCU. He lasted just nine games before injury derailed his season, but was a double-digit scorer when healthy. Collins put up 13.8 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.6 steals with the Sun Devils as a junior and is a dynamic playmaking point guard when at his best.
Guard – Mike James (Junior)
Another player hoping to bounce back from a major injury, James should become a major part of the Commodores’ backcourt after his recent success. Two seasons ago he averaged 12.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for Louisville before redshirting last season at NC State due to a preseason injury. Back on the court, James is a great physical guard who can make shots and be a reliable scorer for Vanderbilt.
Forward – Tyler Nickel (Senior)
Nickel became one of last season’s most important transfer additions after previous work as a reserve at North Carolina and Virginia Tech. His first year with the Commodores saw him average 10.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game while knocking down 40% of his 3-pointers. He’s a sharpshooter who takes care of the basketball and could be an even more important weapon on offense in his second season starting with this program.
Forward – Devin McGlockton (Senior)
Another former transfer and key piece of last year’s Tourney run, McGlockton spent his first two collegiate years at Boston College before finding his way to Nashville. His junior year was very solid, putting up 10.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game with efficiency scoring as well. McGlockton is a great weapon inside the paint but can also hit shots outside the arc, while he’s also one of Vanderbilt’s best rebounders.
Center – Jalen Washington (Senior)
Adding a former Top 50 big man is always a win for this staff, though they’re hoping Washington can step into a major role this season. The 6-10 forward spent three years at North Carolina, finding more significant playing time last year with 5.7 points and 4.2 rebounds a game. There’s certainly a bigger role for Washington with the Commodores as a paint presence. We’ll see if he can show his true potential this year.
Key Reserves
Guard – Duke Miles (Senior)
The role is unclear for Miles, but it could be as a major contributor due to his experience and shooting prowess. He spent three injury-riddled seasons at Troy, became All-Big South at High Point, and is coming off a solid year as a starter for Oklahoma, putting up 9.4 points and 2.5 rebounds. Miles was fantastic outside the arc in limited chances with the Sooners and has always been an efficient scorer and could very easily earn a starting role at some point this season.
Guard – Tyler Tanner (Sophomore)
A rare piece of the puzzle that’s spent his entire career with the Commodores, Tanner enters year two in Nashville after showing signs of brilliance as a freshman. He earned a solid role as a reserve, averaging 5.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists last season. The floor for Tanner is as a reliable backup point guard, but he has the potential to become a dynamic backcourt piece if he can fix his shooting woes.
Forward – Tyler Harris (Junior)
Another new face in the rotation, Harris joins Vanderbilt after spending a season apiece at Portland and Washington. Now he’s in Nashville, coming to town after putting up 11.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game last year as a starter with the Cougars. He’s on the rise after brilliant work at Washington, but his contributions will depend on what kind of role he carves out with this frontcourt. It’s impossible to ignore that he made nearly 50% of his 3-pointers last season, albeit with limited chances.
Forward – AK Okereke (Senior)
Nobody shot the ball better in the Ivy League than Okereke last season and now he joins the Commodores after three years out at Cornell. A reserve earlier in his career, he stepped into a major role in a nice junior season with the Big Red, averaging 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. Okereke made nearly 60% of his shots from the field, including a 67% clip inside the arc, giving the Commodores one of the nation’s most efficient scorers as a bench piece with untapped potential.
Forward – Mason Nicholson (Senior)
A new weapon for the frontcourt, Nicholson played JUCO ball before spending the last three years at Jacksonville State. He grew into a role as one of the best defenders in Conference USA and comes fresh from a junior year where he averaged 7.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per outing, including a 64% field goal percentage. He’s a paint presence who can create second chances and limit opposing offenses and he may see decent minutes with the Commodores at the back end.
Schedule Outlook
After the opener at home against Lipscomb, the Commodores are quickly on the road at UCF during the first weekend of the season. A few more tuneups back in Nashville come before Vanderbilt heads to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis. They’ll face off against Western Kentucky, then either South Florida or VCU, and then a third opponent in an early season test.
They get back stateside to start December, facing SMU on December 3rd as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge. Later in the month they do have two more road opportunities before league play begins. The Commodores play in-state rival Memphis on the road on December 17th before heading to Wake Forest just a few days later.
Nothing comes easy in SEC play, as the Commodores will be tested throughout this 18-game gauntlet. The imbalanced schedule has them facing Kentucky, Mississippi, and rival Tennessee twice apiece. Their only looks at Alabama and Florida both come at home early in January, meaning it’s quite a start to league play after the New Year. They’ll host the Rebels on March 4th for Senior Night before ending the regular season at Tennessee a few days later, though Byington hopes this team is playing games for a few weeks after that.
Season Outlook
As we head into the second season of Byington’s era, it’s important first to consider where this started. He arrived last year with hopes and dreams like several head coaches in the recent past who had fallen on their face, but Byington achieved a turnaround and got the Commodores back into national prominence. What’s important now is how this team builds on that progress, and a sea of new transfers certainly helps bolster that potential.
The first important building block for the Commodores is the return of both Nickel and McGlockton. Those forwards were major parts of last season’s success and should only be better in their second years in Byington’s system. They form an important part of this frontcourt and should be leaned on heavily for scoring and experience, though let’s not act like the team only goes through them.
It’s almost impossible to know just who will be the top scorers and impactful players with all of these new additions. Both Collins and James have showcased their ability but will they both put their best foot forward coming back from injuries? Miles was great at another SEC program last year; can he prove himself and be one of those top threats here in Nashville? We didn’t even bring up the freshmen in this class, as a senior-laden lineup should get the focus this season for the Commodores.
One big question heading into the season is what happens at the 5. Washington has the potential to be an impactful presence but can he finally live up to that potential after flailing at North Carolina? Nicholson has every chance to fight for important minutes thanks to his work at Jacksonville State. He won’t see minutes at the 5, but let’s also not forget Harris who’s coming off a brilliant sophomore season in the Big Ten.
Recruiting and landing transfers is a difficult new reality for head coaches in college basketball, but that’s only half the battle. This staff now has to put these players in the best position for success, quickly figuring out which lineups and rotations will lead to success for the Commodores. On paper, Vanderbilt could be a Top 25 team and take a step forward this season, but it all boils down to how these new pieces gel together and if this team stays healthy against a grueling SEC slate.