The Vanderbilt Commodores improved to 16-0 on the season after their 84-73 win against LSU on Saturday, and that was after they knocked off Alabama, 96-90 earlier in the week. Following the pair of SEC wins, Vanderbilt moved into the top-10 in the AP men’s basketball poll on Monday as they continued their strong start to the season.
Vanderbilt had previously been ranked No. 11 in the country in the AP poll prior to this week. The Commodores’ next matchup is against Texas on Jan. 14, and then they face off against the defending national champion Florida Gators on Jan. 17.
In addition to Vanderbilt’s 16-0 record, they are 3-0 in SEC play, and essentially tied with Texas A&M at the top of the conference.
This is Mark Byington’s second season at the helm as head coach of the Commodores. In his first season, he led Vanderbilt to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in eight years. The last time the program made the tournament, Bryce Drew was the in his first season as head coach. Vanderbilt did not make the tournament in his following two years, nor did they reach the tournament in the five years under Jerry Stackhouse.
In Byington’s first year, Vanderbilt finished with an overall record of 20-13, and 8-10 in the SEC. They lost in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 10 seed against No. 7 Saint Mary’s. Since Byington took over, Vanderbilt has had recruiting success as well.
As the season progresses into conference play, it’s clear that the Commodores have established themselves as a powerhouse team.
