Exclusive: Inside Duke Miles' Memorial Gymnasium Arrival In Vanderbilt Basketball's Win Over Alabama

NASHVILLE—When Duke Miles has it going and is feeding off the energy in the building, there’s no better celebration artist in college basketball.

Miles says his favorite moves are Steph Curry’s “shutdown” night-night celebration–which he uses when he seals games–and James Harden’s cooking celebration. The Vanderbilt guard began his demonstrative actions before this group played a regular season game. His first impression to Memorial Gymnasium came in Vanderbilt’s exhibition game against Virginia as he brought out a grenade celebration after a made 3.

Like it or not, Miles wears his emotions on his sleeve more than just about anyone in the SEC and he isn’t stopping anytime soon. That’s who he is. That’s how he’s gotten here. It was only natural that when Miles made Memorial Gymnasium erupt in the first half of Wednesday’s game after a four-point play, he sat on the floor and strummed an invisible guitar.

“It was for the crowd, honestly,” Miles told Vandy on SI. “You know how I keep my celebrations in the bag, so I got to keep the tricks.”

Jan 7, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores guard Duke Miles (2) reacts after a made three point basket against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first half at Memorial Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Miles’ bag of tricks was about as deep as nearly anyone's on Wednesday night as he went for 19 points on 5-for-12 shooting, went 2-for-5 from 3-point range and 7-for-7 from the free throw line. The veteran guard also ripped five steals from Alabama’s prolific backcourt to alter the game defensively.

The outing was fitting justification for the demonstrative “DUKEEE” chant that the Memorial Gymnasium crowd greeted Miles with on Wednesday night. Vanderbilt was 2-0 in Miles' brief absence prior to Wednesday night, but seemingly everyone in the building knew that if this group is going to go where it wants to, it needs Miles to be a focal point.

“We love when Duke’s out there,” Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner said. “Obviously he’s a key piece to our success and he helps us out so much. So it was great for him to be back out there.”

As Miles emerged from the Barrett Victory Tunnel with just over an hour until game time on Wednesday night and seemingly stared a hole through the air ahead of him, he knew that he’d have to fight through the residual knee pain that kept him out of Saturday’s SEC opener against South Carolina. He knew that he wasn’t going to let that define his night, though. Any concern Vanderbilt had about what Miles was battling was quickly put into its place upon the realization that this is Duke Miles, after all.

If Miles’ character itself didn’t inspire belief in his ability to go to battle, a missed layup did the trick. Miles shot his way down the floor and was too out of control to convert around the basket in an otherwise forgettable moment, but Miles moving with that type of purpose indicated that he was the Duke Miles Vanderbilt knows again rather than the sidelined version of himself that sat on the sideline in the days before and after the holiday.

“I feel pretty good,” Miles said plainly as if to brush off any assertion that he would let what Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington described as an “annoying” knee injury sideline him for any extended period of time. Anything other than an answer like Miles gave would’ve been off brand.

This is the same guy that lost teeth in a game last season and kept it pushing. It’s the same guy that’s been knocked down, told he was just a midmajor player and that he was a three-and-D player at this level at best.

The journey has been tumultuous for Miles to get here and has included stops at three schools prior to this–none of which were the ones Miles was chasing. This is what he’s done it for, though. This is what he and those around him always had in mind. A night like Wednesday makes all of it worth it.

“I was probably the most pumped person in here,” Miles’ dad Marcus--who was a fixture in Memorial Gymnasium's section L on Wednesday--told Vandy on SI. “I don’t know if anybody saw me this animated. This was a personal one. We’re from Alabama, die hard Alabama football fans. But him being an in-state guy, you always want to play for in-state people and I don’t think they put the respect on him that he felt he deserved out of high school and when he was in the portal. Certain games he marks on his calendar. That was one.”

Miles’ dad says he believes his son “showed he belongs here and the role he’s been given is much needed and much deserved” through his first 13 games in a Vanderbilt uniform–all but one of which he’s eclipsed double figures. The idea that there’s any sort of question as to whether Miles’ dad is speaking in unequivocal truth appears to be naive.

After Wednesday night, Miles doesn’t need anyone to make the case for him. What he did on Wednesday indicated that he’s a legitimate All-SEC contender. He won’t forget this as he makes that pursuit, though.

“It was very special,” Miles said Wednesday night. “When you come here and you get a big win like this, you get the crowd going, you get the chills and you get a thrill going through your body.”