NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jason Edwards made a significant contribution to Vanderbilt’s victory over No. 6 Tennessee, scoring 18 points in a tightly contested game that ended with a score of 76-75 on Saturday. This win marked Vanderbilt’s second consecutive triumph, and it brought fans to their feet as they celebrated the first sellout at Memorial Gym since 2019. The Commodores improved their record to 15-3 overall and 3-2 in the Southeastern Conference, achieving only their second win against the Volunteers in the last 14 matchups.
In addition to Edwards’ performance, key players for Vanderbilt included Jaylen Carey with 14 points, Tyler Nickel contributing 13, and AJ Hoggard adding 11 points to the scoreboard. This game also highlighted the strategic battle between coaches, with Mark Byington becoming Vanderbilt’s fourth coach to face Rick Barnes during his decade-long tenure with Tennessee. Byington’s victory tied him with previous coaches Jerry Stackhouse and Bryce Drew in terms of wins over Barnes, leaving only Kevin Stallings with a winning record against Barnes at 2-1.
On the other hand, Tennessee, now standing at 16-2 overall and 3-2 in SEC play, has struggled on the road, suffering its second loss in three away games this season. Chaz Lanier was a standout for the Volunteers, leading the team with 17 points. Teammates Zakai Zeigler, Igor Milicic Jr., and Felix Okpara also contributed with 17 points each. In a dramatic finish, Tennessee had a chance to send the game into overtime, but Lanier converted only one of two free throw attempts with just 2.8 seconds remaining.
In terms of insights from the game, one concerning point for Tennessee was their defense, having conceded over 70 points for the second time this season, both losses coinciding with those high point totals. Despite the challenge posed by Tennessee’s size advantage, Vanderbilt managed to control the glass, out-rebounding the Volunteers 29-25.
A pivotal moment came when Tennessee reduced their deficit to just one point, 41-40, at the beginning of the second half thanks to Milicic’s three-pointer. Vanderbilt quickly responded with four consecutive three-pointers, with Nickel’s fourth extending their lead to 53-40 early in the half. The Commodores managed to lead by as much as 16 points at one stage of the game.
As the contest came to a close, Tennessee made a late surge, finishing the game with the last nine points, but it was ultimately not enough to secure a victory.
Looking ahead, Tennessee will return to action at home against No. 15 Mississippi State on Tuesday night, while Vanderbilt prepares to face No. 4 Alabama the same evening.
