No. 19 Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball (20-4, 7-4 SEC) rebounded from its loss to unranked Oklahoma by defeating the Auburn Tigers (14-10, 5-6) on the road for its first win in Neville Arena in 10 years. The Tigers previously beat Florida and Texas — two of Vanderbilt’s losses this season.
The victory was a team effort, as four players finished in double digits: Tyler Tanner (25), Jalen Washington (22), Devin McGlockton (12) and Tyler Nickel (10). While the Tigers nearly staged a late-game comeback, the win was convincing overall: The Commodores only trailed for 20 seconds the entire game.
Paint paradox
Vanderbilt’s roster has been infamously undersized the past few seasons. There were hopes in the preseason that the additions of Jalen Washington and Mason Nicholson would remedy the size issues from Mark Byington’s first season in 2024-25, but Vanderbilt has continued to be physically outmatched. Before playing Auburn, Vanderbilt lost the rebounding battle in four games and went 1-3 in those games, with the sole win coming at home over Alabama.
The Tigers outmatched the Commodores physically once again, winning the rebound battle 36-27, including 18 offensive rebounds to Vanderbilt’s 10. However, Auburn only scored 6 points in the paint in the first half, its lowest mark in two seasons. The Tigers finished the game 11-for-27 on layup attempts after starting 1-for-10, and while Vanderbilt’s defense should be credited, a more efficient game from Auburn could have flipped the script.
McGlockton revival
Devin McGlockton has taken a smaller workload this season, perhaps thanks to more help from teammates, but the senior has continued to contribute in all phases — a talent especially evident today. McGlockton finished with 12 points, 4 offensive rebounds and 3 blocks on a perfect 4-for-4 from the field. The Boston College transfer may be having a quieter season than last, but he proved the talent never left with his performance against Auburn.
The veteran’s leadership was also especially evident on Tuesday. After taking a hard fall going for a rebound with 14 minutes left in the game, McGlockton immediately got back up and hustled to the other end. Though just an anecdote, there were many small moments throughout the game where the forward’s grit shone through.
While he fouled out with five minutes left in the game, McGlockton’s effort set the tone mentally for his teammates.
Washington’s monument
Washington delivered an absolute gem in a critical game for the Commodores. The transfer from North Carolina scored a career high of 22 while headlining the strong defensive effort in the paint. Those 22 points came on incredibly efficient 7-for-8 shooting — including a perfect 2-for-2 from deep.
The center was Vanderbilt’s most impactful player in the win, finishing with the best plus-minus of any player (+16). Notably, McGlockton was the second-best at +15.
Washington fouled out like McGlockton, but his scoring effort was enough to give his team a strong cushion with him off the floor in crunch time.
Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball will continue its historic season when it hosts Texas A&M on Feb. 14 at 12 p.m. CST.
