Nikita Rohila
Jordan Williams shoots a jumper against Texas A&M, as photographed on Feb. 13, 2024. (Hustler Multimedia/Nikita Rohila)
Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball opted for a fresh start in 2024 following another disappointing season under head coach Jerry Stackhouse, bringing in James Madison’s Mark Byington to lead a program reset. Byington, who led JMU to the NCAA tournament last season, arrives in Nashville with a reputation for successful rebuilds and a mission to restore Vanderbilt’s competitiveness.
Byington has essentially constructed an entirely new team in the transfer portal, with only two players returning from last year’s squad in JaQualon “JQ” Roberts and Jordan Williams — both of whom struggled to find consistent minutes and production in years past. Considering he was starting with nothing, Byington did an excellent job acquiring high-impact players, headlined by North Texas’s Jason Edwards and Michigan State’s AJ Hoggard. Like Ezra Manjon and Tyrin Lawrence did in 2023, this new-look Vanderbilt backcourt will have to anchor the team in 2024.
However, the team’s size remains a key concern. For the second-straight year, the Commodores enter the season undersized by SEC standards, with their tallest active players standing at just 6’8” (Jaylen Carey and Roberts). Last year transfers collectively grabbed 33.4 boards per game, below last season’s team total, suggesting that rebounding once again may be an issue.
Vanderbilt can compensate for this size difference in a number of other ways. The incoming transfers bring in significantly higher scoring and assist numbers as compared to last year’s squad, including an aggregated 6% increase in 3-point percentage. While some stats, like Jason Edwards’ impressive numbers, are from non-Power-Four competition, this overall scoring increase is promising for the Commodores’ offense. Coupled with Byington’s fast-paced, perimeter-focused scheme, the team’s improved shooting efficiency could allow Vanderbilt to blitz its opponents and make up for its lack of size.
Here’s a closer look at all ten transfers set to make their mark in West End this season.
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