Tigers Tamed for 20th Win

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Chris Mañon posted his first double-double at Vanderbilt Saturday while Tyler Nickel sank another key 3-pointer to help lead the Commodores to an 97-93 SEC men’s basketball overtime victory over No. 14 Missouri at Memorial Gymnasium.

Mañon recorded a season-best 23 points, making 8-of-13 from the field and 7-of-8 free-throw attempts, while tying a career high with 11 rebounds for the Dores (20-9, 8-8 SEC), who also got 21 points and six assists from AJ Hoggard—the most he has posted in an SEC game—as well as 17 points from Jason Edwards.

But it was Nickel who hit all three of his 3-point attempts in the final six-and-a-half minutes of regulation to help send the game to overtime. The first two came on consecutive possessions, with each making it a one-score game, before Hoggard drove the into the lane and kicked the ball out to the junior on the wing for a shot that went in with four seconds to go tie the contest, 81-81. Nickel finished with 12 points.

Mañon drive for a layup 19 seconds into the extra period to give Vandy the lead for good, and Hoggard followed with a layup and a 3-point play to put the Commodores up by six with less than two minutes to go.

This marks the first time since the 1987-88 campaign that Vandy has defeated four top-15 opponents in a season, while the last time the Dores earned victories over top-25 teams in three straight games previously was in January 2007.

Caleb Grill led the Tigers (21-8, 10-6 SEC) with 28 points, with Mark Mitchell adding 20 points and seven rebounds. Tamar Bates and Anthony Robinson II each scored 16 points as well, with the latter also contributing five assists.

Jaylen Carey posted 10 rebounds and Devin McGlockton supplied eight to help Vandy finish with a 39-28 rebounding advantage, with the Commodores also ending up plus-14 in points in the paint.

Missouri, which led for more than 32 minutes of game time, made 28-of-35 free throws in the contest.

Vandy plays host to Arkansas on Tuesday, with its final home game of the regular season scheduled to get underway at 9 p.m. on SEC Network.