March 12, 2017
By Zac Ellis
VUCommodores.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt’s watch party on Selection Sunday was, at first, a low-key affair. Commodore players gathered in a ballroom of a nearby Nashville Marriott, ate dinner and settled in front of a projection TV to view CBS’s Selection Show. But through 45 minutes and three bracket regions, Vanderbilt had yet to hear its name called.
Eventually, though, Vanderbilt’s name flashed on the screen – and with it, euphoria ensued.
“The excitement in the room when we heard it, it was just a spontaneous, tremendous reaction,” head coach Bryce Drew said.
The ‘Dores are dancin’! #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/kOKh3em1B6
 VandyMBB (@VandyMBB) March 12, 2017
Indeed, Vanderbilt is dancing once again, this time as an at-large selection in the West Region. The No. 9 seed ‘Dores will face No. 8 seed Northwestern (23-11) at 3:30 p.m. CT on Thursday in Salt Lake City. It will be the program’s second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 15th overall in school history.
Vanderbilt found itself in a similar situation last March. That Commodores team landed in the First Four in Dayton, where it fell as an 11 seed to fellow 11 seed Wichita State, 70-50. The ‘Dores boasted two eventual NBA draft picks in guard Wade Baldwin and forward Damian Jones. But while the Commodores are back in the Big Dance under Drew, these players admitted to a different vibe on this year’s Selection Sunday.
“Last year, especially coming off the loss in the SEC Tournament, we were kind of feeling like we were right on the edge,” senior Luke Kornet said. “This year, we came from behind and made our way in, but approaching today, we seemed pretty confident that we would be in the field.”
That late growth has come to define this Vanderbilt roster. Following an 8-10 start, the Commodores won 10 of their final 14 games, advancing to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2013. They finished with six top-50 wins – including three against Florida — 10 top-100 wins and the nation’s No. 1 strength of schedule. All six of Vanderbilt’s top-50 wins have come since Jan. 21, when it knocked off No. 19 Florida in Gainesville, 68-66.
Guard Nolan Cressler said a sense of camaraderie has led to an evolution of this year’s Vanderbilt team. It’s also why the senior expects a different tournament result in the coming days.
“I think it’s a much different team,” Cressler said. “We had a lot of talent last year, obviously, as losing Wade [Baldwin] and Damien [Jones] was a big hit for us. But just the way this team’s come together this year, it’s really been a special experience for us, a really unique experience with the changing staff.”
Now Vanderbilt will turn its focus to Northwestern, which it set to play in its first-ever NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats boast a 23-11 record, and their 23 wins are a school record. On Saturday, Northwestern fell to Wisconsin, 76-48, in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. With a win over its Big Ten foe, Vanderbilt would have a chance to face No. 1 seed Gonzaga in the next round.
This team has the tools to make the most of March. Now the Commodores are ready to prove it.
“Last year is last year,” Cressler said. “Now we want to have a better tournament experience than last year.”