Vanderbilt Commodores basketball prolific scoring reaches level not seen in SEC in 32 years

The No. 24 Vanderbilt Commodores defeated VCU 89-74 in the Battle 4 Atlantis semifinals on Thursday. The team improved to 7-0, their best start since 2007-08, and is now averaging 98.1 points per game through seven contests, the highest scoring pace by an SEC team since the 1993-94 Arkansas Razorbacks, according to ESPN Insights.

Vanderbilt’s balanced attack featured four double-digit scorers. Duke Miles led the way with 20 points, going 4-of-5 from the field and 10-of-11 at the free-throw line. Tyler Nickel and Tyler Tanner each put up 16 points, while Jalen Washington added 11 points, eight rebounds, four assists, a block, and a steal. Nickel also sank four of Vanderbilt’s 11 three-pointers, and Tanner led the team with five assists. The Commodores shot 52.9% from the field and converted 50% of their three-point attempts, going 11-for-22 from beyond the arc.

Vanderbilt jumped out to a 20-3 lead, generating seven turnovers in the first eight minutes, but VCU rallied with a 20-4 run to close the gap to 24-18. At halftime, the Rams trailed narrowly, 43-41, despite shooting just 31% from the field, thanks to making 21-of-24 free throws. The Commodores regained control in the second half, shooting 60.9% while outscoring VCU 46-33. Vanderbilt put together an 11-0 run midway through the half, with Washington’s dunk and Tanner’s layup stretching the lead to 85-65 while VCU went scoreless for over four minutes during the stretch.

Foul issues surfaced late for Vanderbilt, with Tanner, Miles, and Collins each racking up four fouls, but none fouled out. Head coach Mark Byington managed rotations carefully to preserve his lineup. Vanderbilt also outrebounded VCU 43-29 and recorded 18 assists.

The Commodores now await the winner of the Virginia Tech–Saint Mary’s semifinal on Friday, with the opportunity to claim the Battle 4 Atlantis title while continuing their historic scoring pace in the SEC.

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