The No. 4 Vanderbilt Commodores pulled off a big 91-74 win over No. 1 Florida Gators on Saturday to advance to the championship round of the SEC Tournament. It was such an impressive performance that even Dick Vitale couldn't help but congratulate head coach Mark Byington.
Vitale, who is 86 years old, admitted he wasn't shocked by Vanderbilt winning, but was surprised by the 17-point difference. The longtime college basketball analyst gave Byington a shoutout in his post on X, formerly known as Twitter. He also claims that Florida will bounce back in the NCAA Tournament.
“Wow, not shocked by Vanderbilt winning vs. Florida, but the margin surprises me as Vandy wins 91-74 [to go to the] SEC tourney – tip the hat to Coach Byington & the talented Vanderbilt TEAM. Gators now have time to mentally focus on the big prize and clean up their defensive deficiencies. Coach Todd Golden will have them ready for [the] March Madness Tournament.”
Vanderbilt moves on to the championship round of the SEC Tournament, where they will take on the winner of No. 3 Arkansas Razorbacks and No. 15 Ole Miss Rebels. It's been an impressive run for the Commodores so far, as Mark Byington has led the team to a 26-7 record this year.
Byington, who turns 50 in April, took the Vanderbilt head coaching job in 2024 after serving as the head coach at James Madison for four years. The Commodores have a nearly 70.0% winning percentage during his tenure, which bodes well for the program's future.
After defeating Florida on Saturday, Vanderbilt is in a great position to participate in the NCAA Tournament this year. They won't know for sure until Selection Sunday on March 15.
