It is a huge weekend upcoming for Vanderbilt athletics, and it all begins Thursday evening with Vanderbilt basketball taking on Virginia in an exhibition game at 6:30 p.m. CT.
The Commodores are coming off a 20-13 season that ended at the first round of the NCAA Tournament when No. 10 seed Vanderbilt fell to No. 7 Saint Mary’s in a close game. Vanderbilt head coach Mark Byington is looking to take his squad back to the “Big Dance.”
Byington took the podium Tuesday afternoon at SEC Basketball Media Days to preview his team for this upcoming season.
“This year the roster changes. There is new guys, new excitement. The most important part of my team right now, you’ll see ’em around here today, is the three returning players in Tyler Tanner, Tyler Nickel and Devin McGlockton. Having them back gives us a big step forward compared to where we were a year ago. We’re excited about all the challenges that come throughout the season,” Byington said.
Friday, Vanderbilt baseball returns to the diamond to close out its short fall season as it takes on Murray State at Hawkins Field, starting at 4:30 p.m. CT. The two schools will play two, seven-inning games as a part of the David Williams Fall Classic. Gates for the game will open at 3 p.m.
On Saturday, No. 17 Vanderbilt football takes on No. 10 LSU at FirstBank Stadium as both teams look for their sixth win of the season and become bowl eligible. Vanderbilt’s goals for the rest of this season are still in front of it and this weekend is a perfect opportunity to continue to build its impressive resume.
Finally on Sunday, Vanderbilt soccer hosts in-state rival No. 4 Tennessee at 4 p.m. CT. Vanderbilt soccer has rattled off three consecutive victories and hopes to keep that going throughout the rest of the week.
Vanderbilt men’s golf at The Bryson Invitational, Day 3.
There were no games scheduled yesterday.
Vanderbilt football is looking for its first win over LSU for the first time since 1990. It is the fourth time that the Commodores and Tigers have played in a ranked matchup, but it is just the first time it has happened since 1947.
This Saturday marks the first time since 2020 that LSU is taking a trip to Nashville. In the seven times Vanderbilt has beaten LSU, six of them have come at home. The Commodores are 5-1 and coming off their first bye week after suffering their first loss of the season to Alabama. BUt Vanderbilt is a dangerous team. It is one of seven teams in the country to be ranked in the top 25 in rushing offense and defense.
19 days
“The Vanderbilt team of today plays the game the way it was meant to be played. The Commodores prosper on diligent execution of basic patterns and marvelous insouciance under pressure, and then—back to the gimmick board—they come on to beat you by completely implausible means.”
– SI writer Curry Kirkpatrick in 1967