No. 22 Vanderbilt is back at Memorial Gymnasium on Friday night, looking to keep its perfect start rolling when Prairie View A&M comes to Nashville for a 6 p.m. CT tip.
The Commodores enter at 3-0 and have spent the early part of the season making a loud statement. They’ve won all three games by at least 20 points, and their 21 straight nonconference victories are the most in program history. That streak is also the second-longest active one in the country, trailing only Nebraska’s 25-game run.
Vanderbilt’s latest performance came Tuesday night, when it powered past Memphis 105-81 behind a huge second half. Ace Glass was the headline act, scoring all 23 of his points after halftime to help blow the game open.
He finished 8-of-12 from the field and 5-of-9 from three, with 19 of those points coming in the first 7:18 of the second half. He also hit back-to-back triples in the first 1:07 after the break to ignite the surge.
The scoring was spread around, too. Tyler Tanner added 17 points, Berke Büyüktuncel scored 16, and Bangot Dak and Sebastian Williams-Adams each finished with 11.
Five Commodores reached double figures in all, and Vanderbilt paired that offense with a strong effort on the glass and in the passing game, outrebounding Memphis 44-29 and piling up 20 assists. The Dores also knocked down 15 threes for the first time since the 2025-26 season opener against Lipscomb.
Defensively, Vanderbilt tightened the screws after halftime and never let Memphis back in. The Tigers shot just 12-of-35 from the field in the second half and were limited to 4-of-19 from beyond the arc for the game.
Glass has been a major reason for the early surge. He co-leads the SEC with 11 made threes and is shooting 42.3 percent from deep. Against Memphis, he started 0-for-2 in the first half before catching fire and taking over the game.
The analytics crowd has taken notice as well. Vanderbilt is seventh in KenPom through three games and owns a top-10 offense and defense according to the site.
Friday’s game will air on SEC Network+ and can also be heard on 94.9 The Fan and the Vanderbilt Athletics app, with Kevin Ingram and Tim Thompson on the call. Vanderbilt men’s basketball season and single-game tickets, along with mini-plans, are also on sale.
In Other News...
Alabama Just Got The Keelon Russell News Fans Needed
Alabamas quarterback situation got a little clearer this week, and that matters for a Vanderbilt defense that is preparing to see one of the SECs most dangerous teams come to town. Freshman Keelon Russell was banged up in the win over LSU, but he still managed to put together a big night, accounting for 216 total yards and three touchdowns as the Crimson Tide kept rolling.
The early availability report now points toward Russell being on track for Saturdays trip to Nashville, which is the kind of update Alabama wanted as it tries to stay on course for a College Football Playoff berth. The Tide are sitting at No. 3 nationally and close to locking in a spot, so any sign their young quarterback can keep moving the offense is a welcome one as the stakes keep rising. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Faces A Brutal Alabama Reality Ahead Of SEC Test
Greg McElroy is not leaving much room for suspense heading into Alabamas trip to face Vanderbilt. The former Crimson Tide quarterback and current analyst laid out his view on his podcast, pointing to Alabamas offense as the kind of engine that can create separation quickly, while also noting the Commodores issues with turnovers as a major concern in a matchup like this.
For Vanderbilt, the challenge is less about style points and more about finding a way to make the game feel smaller. McElroy said the Commodores would need to keep Alabama from getting too many chances, which is the sort of formula that can keep an underdog alive for a while. Whether Vanderbilt can actually force that kind of game is the central question hanging over a SEC test that already looks steep on paper. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Faces A Roster Concern Ahead Of Another Alabama Test
Vanderbilts next challenge arrives Saturday morning at FirstBank Stadium, when No. 3 Alabama comes to town for an 11:45 a.m. CT kickoff on SEC Network. Before the matchup, the Commodores released their initial injury report, and it already gives a clearer picture of the roster situation heading into another difficult SEC test.
The list includes EDGE rusher Edwin Kolenge and offensive lineman Ted Gregoire among those out, along with several other players already sidelined by season-ending injuries. On the positive side, Vanderbilt does not have anyone tagged as doubtful, questionable or probable for the game, leaving the status sheet relatively straightforward even as the depth chart takes another hit. [Read more 🡒]