When Vanderbilt hired Mark Byington to rejuvenate the men’s basketball program after a long period of underperformance, he dreamed of creating unforgettable moments similar to what the football team experienced last October when fans swarmed the field after defeating Alabama.
Now, that dream is becoming a reality.
In a remarkable surge over just over a week, the Commodores have triumphed over No. 6 Tennessee, claimed victory against ninth-ranked Kentucky, and even put up a strong fight against No. 4 Alabama in a tight road loss. Because of these performances, they have finally made their way into the AP Top 25 for the first time in nearly a decade, debuting at No. 24 in this week’s rankings, joining nine other teams from the formidable SEC.
Byington expressed his desire for the program to develop a winning mentality, stating, “There are overarching goals I want to achieve here, and I want to reach a point where surprises are minimal, where the mindset is that we’re not the underdog going into these matchups; we recognize the strength of our program and anticipate victories. We’re still not there, so let the fans enjoy this.”
However, the celebratory court-storming events following the victories have led to significant financial repercussions, with the NCAA slapping a $250,000 fine for the rush following the win over Tennessee, and a hefty $500,000 penalty for the second incident after the Kentucky game.
In a light-hearted response to the fines, Byington quipped, “Perhaps we’ll need to start a GoFundMe page to cover these costs. We’ll find a way to manage.”
With a bit of breathing room, the Commodores, ranked for the first time since December 7, 2015, prepare for a challenging matchup against SEC newcomer Oklahoma this Saturday.
Vanderbilt’s schedule only intensifies from here, with tough contests lined up against fifth-ranked Florida, No. 1 Auburn, and notable rematches against Tennessee and Kentucky. They will also host No. 23 Ole Miss and visit No. 13 Texas A&M, before concluding the stretch with No. 20 Missouri.
“It’s not time to reflect yet; we need to focus on what’s next,” Byington explained. “In this league, if you start to feel too low, it can really get to you. Conversely, if you feel overly confident, someone will inevitably knock you down. We prefer to stay grounded. Our aim is simply to improve, and we’ll see where that takes us.”
Meanwhile, Tennessee is also facing a challenging patch of games. After their defeat against Vanderbilt, Rick Barnes’ squad managed a win over No. 14 Mississippi State, but fell short again in a nail-biting 53-51 game against top-ranked Auburn, which was competitive until the very end.
Now, the Volunteers are gearing up for a tough three-game homestand against ranked teams, starting with Kentucky on Tuesday night, followed by a clash with the Gators on Saturday and a visit from Missouri next week.
“We have great potential for improvement, and I genuinely believe we can enhance our play,” said Barnes. “We’re nearing the end of January, and there’s still a significant amount of basketball left to be played. Our goal is to peak at the right moment, and we have players dedicated to achieving that.”
As for UConn, the two-time defending national champions are entering the week with three losses in their last five games against unranked opponents, which has caused their ranking to slip to No. 25. Fortunately, they managed to barely keep their streak alive with 52 consecutive weeks in the poll, placing them fourth among current records.
This week poses a test for UConn as they face DePaul on Wednesday and travel to No. 9 Marquette on Saturday.
In the Missouri Valley Conference, Drake has garnered votes for the Top 25 and boasts an impressive overall record of 18-2 and 8-2 in conference play ahead of their game against Northern Iowa on Wednesday night. However, they aren’t the only team from the Valley earning recognition.
Bradley has also emerged as a contender after not being ranked since the final poll of the 1987-1988 season, receiving a vote this week after winning five straight games to improve their record to 18-3 and 9-1 in the league. They are set to clash with UIC on Wednesday night.
