“I Got My Groove Back”: How Duke Miles Found Himself Again at the SEC Tournament

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt guard Duke Miles shook his head confidently, skipping toward the Commodores’ sideline as he chest-bumped his teammate Jalen Washington and high-fived assistant coaches with under a minute left. Miles had just assisted in what was a dagger alley-oop he threw to Washington that put Vanderbilt up 73-68 over Tennessee and ultimately out of reach for the Volunteers.

That was just one of many plays that Miles made in a 30-point performance that made Vanderbilt fans assuredly say, “he is back.”

In a game where both Vanderbilt and Tennessee struggled to get going offensively, it was Miles who orchestrated a masterclass of offense. When Vanderbilt’s shooting percentages were off, especially from the three-point line, it was Miles who showed up and was the one that got Vanderbilt going offensively.

By the end of the game, Miles’ 30-point performance came on 11-for-14 shooting and 4-for-5 from three-point land. Additionally, Miles also had five assists, making him responsible for 40 of Vanderbilt’s 75 points in the game.

Miles was able to find open spots on the perimeter, drive to the lane and find guys open around the floor. Given how effective Miles has been this season, the way in which Tennessee played Miles defensively was perhaps more surprising because of how often the Volunteers allowed Miles to play so confidently and freely the entire game.

From Miles’ perspective, the reason he was able to do all those things didn’t have all that much to do with him.

“I think it was simply the fact because they were so focused on Tyler Tanner, one of our greatest players. I saw they were blitzing him and so that was leaving me open. So whatever the defense gave me, I just took it,” Miles told Vandy On SI.

Miles' performance was perhaps his best one of the season. But the road to get to it was not easy. Miles missed six games between January and February with a meniscus injury. It had been something that he did his best to play through, but it eventually got to a point where he needed surgery to repair it and get back to full health.

“It was very challenging. It was very depressing and it just put me in a dark mental space. I kind of fought through it and played with it through January. I just realized if I wanted to be back and be healthy and be able to push up quickly that I had to do a surgery,” Miles said.

Since Miles’ return in Vanderbilt’s first matchup against Tennessee Feb. 21, it has taken some time for him to get back into a rhythm. Firstly, Vanderbilt had to reassess its rotation in his return, which created a little bit of rust in the Commodores. With the absence and return of players, it may take time for teams to readjust and get used to the normal lineup it was before injuries happened.

That was the case for Vanderbilt. It did take Miles a few games back to get his legs back under him. But it felt like only a matter of time before the guy that had played such a pivotal role in one of the best seasons in program history would get rolling again.

Miles’ performance Friday was the one fans have been waiting for and it was still better than anyone could have imagined. Miles was everywhere on the floor. Whether it was driving to the hoop, finding open guys or taking the ball away, Miles put on a do-it-all game that gave Vanderbilt its first win over Tennessee at the SEC Tournament since 1951.

Going into the game and looking toward the rest of the season was if or when Vanderbilt’s supporting cast was going to return to form. Everyone knows what Tanner brings to the table each night, but it was still seeking more support of late from guys like Miles.

When Miles’ delivered on that need against Tennessee, there was a palpable energy and look in his eye. Whether it was going back to huddle or just the way he walked up and down the floor, Miles was oozing confidence that translated into the outcome of the game.

As Miles himself declared to Vandy On SI, he feels like he is back in rhythm.

“Coming back and just getting my rhythm back and my feel and everything back just makes everything much easier,” Miles said. “Yeah for sure, I feel like I got my groove back. My teammates lean on me and they were pushing me each and every day, so it helped me get up and grind even harder.”

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