11 Vanderbilt (13-0, 0-0 SEC) at South Carolina (9-4, 0-0 DEC)
Saturday, Jan. 3 • 1 p.m. CT
Colonial Life Arena • Columbia, S.C.
ESPNU • 102.5 The Game • Game Notes • Game Day Central
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — No. 11 Vanderbilt men’s basketball opens SEC play on the road Saturday when the Commodores visit South Carolina for a 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT clash with the Gamecocks.
Saturday’s SEC opener will air on ESPNU with Kevin Fitzgerald and Rodney Terry on the call. Fans can also listen to the action on 102.5 The Game and the Vanderbilt Athletics App as Kevin Ingram and Tim Thompson anchor the radio broadcast.
ROAD READY
- Vanderbilt begins SEC play on the road, however, the Commodores are no stranger to high-level matchups away from home.
- Vandy was one of just two high-major programs to play three true road games in nonconference action. The Dores are the only high major to go 3-0 on the road in noncon play.
- The Commodores are 6-0 in road and neutral site games, making them 1-of-4 major conference teams to play six contests away from home this season and go undefeated in those games.
- In games away from home, Vandy is averaging 91.3 points with an average margin of 15.8 ppg.
DISHIN’ DORES
- Vanderbilt’s high-powered offense comes as a product of elite ball movement.
- The Commodores rank 10th nationally in assists per game, handing out 19.9 per game. The Dores also rank ninth in the country in assists-to-turnover ratio at 1.88. Both marks rank second in the SEC.
- Vandy owns a 60.8 percent assist rate, a top 35-mark in the country.
- The result is a top-10 offensive efficiency and a 62.8 shooting percentage on 2-point attempts, the fourth highest in the nation.
WASHINGTON WORKING
- Jalen Washington has found his stride with the Commodores, hitting double figures in five of the past seven games including notching a career high in points twice.
- The newcomer notched a career-best 21 points in the nonconference finale against New Haven, coming on seven dunks, two layups and three free throws.
- Washington popped in the Battle 4 Atlantis Championship game with a then career-high 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field.
- The 6-11 big also scored 11 points with eight rebounds in the semifinal against VCU.
- Washington posted a season-high four blocks in the ACC/SEC Challenge win over SMU.
- At Memphis, Washington knocked down a career-high 10 free throws to score 14 points. He also grabbed six boards and added two rejections in the win.
TANNER TAKING OVER
- Tyler Tanner is averaging 16.0 ppg after scoring just 5.7 ppg in his first season. He’s scored in double figures in all 13 games, a feat he accomplished only twice in his first season.
- As a freshman, Tanner made just 17 threes all season while shooting 26.6 percent. He’s already hit 24 in 2025-26 while shooting 42.9 percent from three.
- In the ACC/SEC Challenge win over SMU, Tanner dropped a career-best 26 points and five boards.
- Tanner produced a career-high nine assists in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
- He leads the team with 63 assists this season, matching his season total from 2024-25, and has seven outings with five or more dimes.
- On the defensive side, Tanner leads the team with 35 steals, picking up where he left off from a record-setting 55 swipes as a freshman.
SERIES HISTORY
- Vanderbilt holds a narrow 35-32 edge in the all-time series.
- The Dores earned the win in last season’s matchup on a late Devin McGlockton putback and-one.
- Vandy has won three of the past four meetings but has struggled in Columbia, winning just one of its past seven trips to South Carolina.
