No. 5 Vanderbilt (26-8, 11-7 SEC) vs. No. 12 McNeese (28-5, 19-3 SLC)
Thursday, March 19 • 2:15 p.m. CT
Paycom Center • Oklahoma City, Okla.
TruTV • 102.5 The Game • Game Notes
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — No. 5 Vanderbilt opens the 2026 NCAA Tournament against No. 12 McNeese on Thursday in a 2:15 p.m. tipoff in Oklahoma City. The first round matchup will air on TruTV with Brandon Gaudin, Chris Webber and Andy Katz on the call.
Fans in Nashville can also tune in on 102.5 The Game to listen to Kevin Ingram’s and Tim Thompson’s view of the action.
DORES DANCE AGAIN
- Vanderbilt returns to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in as many seasons under coach Mark Byington. Byington is the first Commodore head coach to lead the black and gold to the dance in each of his first two seasons.
- The Dores are making their 17th appearance in March Madness where the program is 10-17 all-time. Vandy is seeking its first win in the tourney since 2012.
- Vanderbilt’s No. 5 seed is the program’s highest since 2012. The Dores are 1-1 all-time in 5-12 matchups.
- Vanderbilt’s 26 wins are tied for the most heading into the NCAA Tournament in program history, joining the 2011-12 and 1992-93 squads.
NICKEL GETS RIGHT
- Tyler Nickel busted out of a shooting slump with a 5-for-7 performance from three in the SEC Championship game. The five threes matched his total for the previous four games.
- Nickel now has 102 made threes on the season, fourth-most in Vanderbilt history and just one shy of third on the list.
- The game was Nickel’s seventh with five or more triples this season.
- He hit eight triples against Central Arkansas and at Wake Forest, becoming just the second Commodore to hit eight threes in multiple games in a single season. The other being all-time leading scorer Shan Foster.
TANNER EARNING POSTSEASON RECOGNITION
- Tyler Tanner finished the 2026 SEC campaign with historic numbers, averaging 21.5 points, 5.5 assists and 2.3 steals in the 18 league games.
- Tanner earned First Team All-SEC honors from both the conference head coaches and the Associated Press. He was also named a honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press and U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
- The Vandy sophomore is the only SEC player to finish conference play averaging better than 21.0 points, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals in at least the past 30 years.
- For the full season, Tanner averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 assists and 2.4 steals. He is the only player in the country to average 19/5/2 this season.
- He’s also the first to record the line Vanderbilt basketball history.
- Tanner is the first Commodore to earn First Team All-SEC honors since Liam Robbins in 2023 and the first to earn consensus first billing since Scotty Pippen Jr.
- Tanner was also named to the SEC All-Defensive Team. His 81 steals lead the conference and all high-major players in the country.
FIRST ROUND MATCHUP
- Vanderbilt is making its second-straight appearance in the big dance, earning the No. 5 seed in the South region.
- The Commodores will see a first-time foe in the opening round, battling No. 12 McNeese on Thursday.
- Vandy is 14-0 all-time against current members of the Southland Conference.
