No. 22/19 Vanderbilt gets its first real in-state test of the season Tuesday night, when Memphis comes to Memorial Gymnasium for a 6:15 p.m. tip in Nashville.
Both teams arrive unbeaten at 2-0, but they’ve taken different paths to get there. Vanderbilt has rolled through Bellarmine and Wake Forest by wide margins, while Memphis has stacked up wins over then-No.
18 Iowa State and VCU. That gives Tuesday’s meeting a little extra bite, even early in the season.
This is the second straight year the Commodores and Tigers have faced off, and the fourth time in the last five seasons. Vanderbilt won the last one, taking a 77-70 overtime decision at Memphis a year ago. The Commodores also hold a slim edge in the all-time series, 9-8, heading into this matchup.
The biggest early-season calling card for Vanderbilt has been its defense. The Commodores held Bellarmine to 47 points and Wake Forest to 51, and that 47-point opener was their stingiest outing since 2022.
It was also their lowest-scoring season opener allowed since 2015, when they held Austin Peay to 41. In the shot clock era, it’s only the fifth time Vanderbilt has kept an opening-day opponent under 50.
Through the first week, the Commodores are allowing just 49 points per game, best among high major teams and sixth nationally in scoring defense.
Tyler Tanner has been right in the middle of it all. Against Wake Forest, he posted his second career double-double and his first one built on points and rebounds, finishing with 17 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. He’s leading Vanderbilt at 18.5 points per game through the opening week and is also averaging 4.0 assists.
The early results have pushed Vanderbilt up to No. 22 in the AP Poll and No. 19 in the Coaches Poll. The Commodores have now appeared in 19 straight AP polls, the longest run in school history. The previous mark was 18 in a row across the 1964-65 and 1965-66 seasons.
Tuesday’s game will stream on SEC Network+. Fans can also listen on 94.9 The Fan and the Vanderbilt Athletics app with Kevin Ingram and Tim Thompson on the call.
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Jared Curtis Gives Vanderbilt A Reason To Believe On Offense
Jared Curtis had reason to smile after Vanderbilts 25-23 win over Mississippi State, a result that gave the freshman quarterback his first conference victory and offered a clearer glimpse of what the offense can become. Curtis pointed to the Commodores improved running game and cleaner execution in key moments, while Clark Lea said the young quarterback has grown into a more confident presence as the season has gone on.
Curtis has also become more vocal as he settles in, a meaningful development for a team still trying to establish consistency on that side of the ball. For Vanderbilt, the encouraging part is not just the win itself but the way Curtis is starting to connect his own comfort level with the offenses broader progress, leaving the Commodores with something tangible to build on as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Faces A Brutal SEC Test Against Alabama's Surging Offense
Alabamas win over LSU in Week 10 only sharpened the focus on what comes next for Vanderbilt, because the Crimson Tide arrive in Nashville looking every bit like a team that has found its rhythm on offense. The matchup is a difficult one on paper for the Commodores, who have already had a rough go of it in SEC play and now draw a ranked opponent with real momentum.
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Vanderbilt Faces Its First Real Test In A Heated Memphis Showdown
Vanderbilts early-season momentum gets a more serious measuring stick Wednesday night when Memphis comes to Nashville to close out the home-and-home series in an in-state rivalry game. Both teams are 2-0, so this one arrives with a little more edge than a typical November matchup, and it gives the Commodores a chance to see where they stand against a familiar opponent with plenty of local bragging rights on the line.
The matchup also comes with a roster wrinkle for Vanderbilt, as guard Gabe Nesmith remains sidelined by a leg injury. That leaves the Commodores to keep sorting out their rotation while trying to protect an unbeaten start, and it adds another layer of difficulty against a Memphis team that has looked sharp out of the gate. The game is set for 6:15 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. [Read more 🡒]