Chandler Bing has quietly become one of Vanderbilt’s most impactful players. The freshman began the year with inconsistent playing time but has slowly grown into one of the team’s most reliable role players. Bing didn’t play over 20 minutes in a game until Vanderbilt’s rout of Mississippi State on Jan. 24. Since then, he has logged 20+ minutes in every matchup but one.
Now, the freshman is one of the most integral pieces of head coach Mark Byington’s squad. He is averaging 6 points per game since Jan. 24, but his impact is most evident on the defensive end. Commodore fans can find him matching up with opposing guards on the perimeter and forwards in the interior. Bing is also physical on offense, routinely finishing at the rim through heavy contact.
The Atlanta native’s impact has helped propel Vanderbilt into a more complete, well-rounded team. The Commodores will need Bing’s stifling defense and offensive physicality to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
Disruptive press
Mark Byington’s defensive game plan typically features aggressive, pressing guards backed by man-to-man matchups. Though Bing stands at 6’6, 220 pounds, he often takes on the high-press role because he has the ability to keep up with elusive opposing guards. When he does, his physical superiority over opposing backcourts creates favorable matchups for the Commodores.
Bing’s evolving ability as a press defender has made Vanderbilt more stable on the defensive end. When Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles are the only players on the perimeter, the Commodores can lack size and physicality. Bing brings both to Vanderbilt’s backcourt defense.
Interior quick hands
Bing competes ferociously in the interior as well. Just as his size separates him from smaller perimeter defenders, his agility and awareness allow him to hold up inside. The Atlanta, Georgia, native’s quick hands routinely disrupt finishes at the rim, while his frame is sturdy enough to slow downhill drivers.
When Bing tracks drivers from the perimeter to the basket, he pokes balls loose and still recovers to contest at the rim. That duality matters. He can gamble with active hands and occasional ball-watching, but his recovery ability allows him to erase those risks, closing out and contesting effectively under the arc.
Offensive physicality
As Bing has grown in playing time, his offensive ability has evolved significantly. The freshman began the season visibly timid at the 3-point line, reluctant to drive to the basket against physical SEC opponents. He has rebuked that narrative almost completely.
Over the past month, Bing has flashed the occasional in-transition triple but has become primarily effective in the paint. The Commodores feature prolific perimeter shooters; Tanner, Miles and Tyler Nickel all thrive from beyond the arc. Additionally, forward AK Okereke’s primary offensive production comes from the mid-range, further emphasizing the need for interior pressure. Bing’s physicality driving toward the rim, along with his ability to create second-chance points on putbacks, fills that gap in Vanderbilt’s offense.
Bing’s growth as a Vanderbilt Commodore is a microcosm of a season of adaptation for Byington’s squad. The freshman has evolved into a solid, trustworthy component of the SEC Tournament runners-up, and the Commodores will need his two-way physicality to compete at a high level in March and April.
The Commodores will face off against McNeese at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City Thursday, March 19, at 2:15 p.m. CDT.
