March 13, 2011
The Vanderbilt men’s basketball team will face Richmond in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 17, inside the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo. The winner of that game will face either Louisville or Morehead State in the second round on Saturday, March 19.
The Commodores, the number five seed in the Southwest Region, will play in the state of Colorado for the first time in the history of the program. It will also be Vanderbilt’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament as a number five seed.
UPDATE: Gametime and TV Established
The Commodores will tip off around 3 p.m. CT, or 30 minutes after the first game of the day at the Pepsi Center, Louisville-Morehead State. That game tips off at 12:40 p.m. CT.
2011 NCAA Tournament Bracket with times and TV 
Vanderbilt’s History At The NCAA Tournament
Vanderbilt will be making its 12th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and their fourth since 2004, and have a 9-12 all-time record at the tournament. The Commodores have advanced to the regional semifinals four times since the field expanded to 64+ teams (1988, 1993, 2004, 2007) and advanced to the Elite Eight on one occasion, in 1965, when the field was only 23 teams.
The Commodores’ last appearance came in the 2010 tournament, when Vanderbilt, a four seed, fell to Murray State, a 13 seed, 66-65, in the first round in San Jose, Calif. The Racers’ Danero Thomas hit a shot as time expired to give Murray State a win in one of the most exciting games of the tournament.
In the 2007 edition of the tournament, Vanderbilt, a #6 seed, knocked off #11 George Washington, 77-44, and #3 Washington State, 78-74, in a double overtime classic, at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif. The Commodores were defeated by #2 Georgetown, 66-65, in the East Regional semifinals at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J.
In 2004, VU advanced to the Sweet 16 as a number six seed in the Phoenix regional, defeating No. 11 seed Western Michigan (71-58) and No. 3 seed N.C. State (75-73) in Orlando, Fla. The Commodores then lost to eventual national champion, No. 1 seed Connecticut, 73-53, in Phoenix, Ariz.
Commodore Tournament Quick Facts
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 12
Tournament Record: 9-12 (.429)
Total Tournament Games: 21
Last Appearance: 2010; Lost to Murray State in the First Round of West Regional
Best Finishes: Elite 8 (1965: field of 23); Sweet 16 (1988, 1993: field of 64; 2004, 2007: field of 65)
NCAA Tournament Tip-Ins
- Vanderbilt’s highest seed at the NCAA Tournament was a three seed in 1993.
- Highest seeded team Vanderbilt has defeated in NCAA Tournament: No. 2 seed Pittsburgh, 80-74 in overtime (3/20/88).
- In 11 previous NCAA appearances, Vanderbilt has played four teams that advanced to the Championship Game:
1965 – Michigan (85-87, Regional Finals). Michigan eventually lost to UCLA in title game, 91-80
1974 – Marquette (61-69, Regional Semifinals). Marquette eventually lost to N.C. State in title game, 76-64
1988 – Kansas (64-77, Regional Semifinals). Kansas went on to win title over Oklahoma, 83-79.
2004 – Connecticut (53-73, Regional Semifinals). Connecticut went on to win title over Georgia Tech, 82-73.
Commodore NCAA Tournament History (Yearly Results)
1965 NCAA Tournament (1-1)
Lexington, Ky., March 12-13
Vanderbilt 83, DePaul 78 (OT)
Michigan 87, Vanderbilt 85
1974 NCAA Tournament (0-2)
Tuscaloosa, Ala. (March 14-16)
Marquette 69, Vanderbilt 61
Notre Dame 118, Vanderbilt 88
1988 NCAA Tournament (2-1)
Lincoln, Neb. (March 18-20)
[7] Vanderbilt 80, [10] Utah State 77
[7] Vanderbilt 80, [2] Pittsburgh 77 (OT)
Pontiac, Mich. (March 25)
[2] Kansas 77, [7] Vanderbilt 64
1989 NCAA Tournament (0-1)
Providence, R.I. (March 17)
[9] Notre Dame 81, [8] Vanderbilt 65
1991 NCAA Tournament (0-1)
Tucson, Ariz. (March 15)
[8] Georgetown 70, [9] Vanderbilt 60
1993 NCAA Tournament (2-1)
Salt Lake City, Utah (March 18-20)
[3] Vanderbilt 92, [14] Boise State 72
[3] Vanderbilt 85, [6] Illinois 68
Seattle, Wash. (March 26)
[7] Temple 67, [3] Vanderbilt 59
1997 NCAA Tournament (0-1)
Auburn Hills, Mich. (March 13)
[7] Xavier 80, [10] Vanderbilt 68
2004 NCAA Tournament (2-1)
Orlando, Fla. (March 19-21)
[6] Vanderbilt 71, [11] W. Michigan 58
[6] Vanderbilt 75, [3] N.C. State 73
Phoenix, Ariz. (March 25)
[2] Connecticut 73, [6] Vanderbilt 53
2007 NCAA Tournament (2-1)
Sacramento, Calif. (March 15-17)
[6] Vanderbilt 77, [11] G. Washington 44
[6] Vanderbilt 78, [3] Wash.â€Ë†St. 74 (2OT)
East Rutherford, N.J. (March 23)
[2] Georgetown 66, [6] Vanderbilt 65
2008 NCAA Tournament (0-1)
Tampa, Fla. (March 21)
[13] Siena 83, [4] Vanderbilt 62
2010 NCAA Tournament (0-1)
San Jose, Calif. (March 18)
[13] Murray State 66, [4] Vanderbilt 65
Stallings At The NCAA Tournament
Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings owns a 5-6 mark in the NCAA Tournament. He is 4-4 in his fifth appearance at Vanderbilt (2004, 2007, 2008, 2010) and 1-2 in two appearances (1997, 1998) during his six-year tenure as head coach at Illinois State from 1994-1999.
Year – Seed – Record – Results (Region)
2010 – No. 4 – 0-1 – lost to [13] Murray State, 66-65 (West)
2008 – No. 4 – 0-1 – lost to [13] Siena, 83-62 (Midwest)
2007 – No. 6 – 2-1 – def. [11] George Washington, 77-44 (East)
def. [3] Washington State, 78-72 (2 OT)
lost to [2] Georgetown, 66-65
2004 – No. 6 – 2-1 – def. [11] Western Michigan, 71-58 (Phoenix)
def. [3] N.C. State, 75-73
lost to [1] Connecticut, 73-53
1998 – No. 9 – 1-1 – def. [8] Tennessee, 82-81(OT) (West)
lost to [1] Arizona, 99-60
1997 – No. 11 – 0-1 – lost to [6] Iowa State, 69-57 (Midwest)
Stallings served an assistant under Roy Williams at Kansas from 1989 to 1993, helping lead the Jayhawks to four NCAA appearances (1990-1993) and two Final Four showings (1991 and 1993).
Stallings worked as an assistant to Gene Keady at Purdue from 1983 to 1988 with the Boilermakers making six NCAA Tournament appearances. Stallings played at Purdue for three seasons (1980-82), including 1980 when the Boilermakers advanced to the Final Four.