Duke Miles Status up in the Air for Vanderbilt Basketball's Matchup With South Carolina

Dec 17, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores guard Duke Miles (2) calls a play against the Memphis Tigers during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Vanderbilt star Duke Miles is a game-time decision to return to the lineup for the Commodores SEC opener against South Carolina, per the SEC’s mandated availability report.

Miles missed Vanderbilt’s non-conference finale against New Haven on Dec. 29 with an illness. Vanderbilt listed Miles as “questionable” prior to the game, but he did not make an appearance in the game. It was the only game that Miles missed this season.

Friday night’s SEC availability report listed Miles as questionable for Saturday’s game against South Carolina. The Vanderbilt guard went through practice throughout the week prior to Vanderbilt’s SEC opener, though.

Vanderbilt’s Duke Miles (undisclosed) is trending towards playing in today’s SEC opener at South Carolina, per Mark Byington.

DNP in last game.

Averages 17.1 PPG.

Byington on Miles: “If warmups go well, he will go.”
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 3, 2026

Miles is Vanderbilt’s leading scorer and averages 17.1 points, 4.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. The veteran guard is shooting 48.8% from the field and 35.7% from 3-point range.

Vanderbilt is Miles’ third college stop, but has been his most successful thus far. The Vanderbilt guard took the jump from the midmajor level to the SEC last season, but was often used as a complementary player to eventual lottery pick Jeremiah Fears.

That role isn’t one that Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington thought Miles was limited to. When Byington scouted him before Vanderbilt’s matchup with the Sooners he saw the capability for more within Miles’ game.

“He kind of was stuck in the offense playing with the lottery pick,” Byington said. “We were worried about him, especially if he was being used more and kind of used in a different way. He is a guy that can impact the game offensively, make shots. He’s very cerebral. Like, a high level intelligence that’s very impressive.”

Byington’s evaluation has paid off as Miles has transformed into a star for Vanderbilt. Now Vanderbilt will await his status ahead of Saturday's SEC opener.