Inside Mark Byington's Encouraging Long-Term Conclusion From Memphis Win

Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington knows his team wasn't at its best in Memphis, but he believes he learned something valuable about it prior to its overtime dominance.

Dec 13, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores head coach Mark Byington and forward Ak Okereke (10) talk during a break in action against the Central Arkansas Bears during the second half at Memorial Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Mark Byington was bracing for a demoralized huddle as he met with his coaching staff and approached his team between the end of regulation and the start of overtime at Memphis’ FedEx Forum. What he found as he looked over at his team was perhaps the most encouraging part of Vanderbilt’s 77-70 win over Memphis. 

The rest of the night was relatively ugly for Byington’s team, but his approach towards his team indicated to him that they’d be alright despite Devin McGlockton’s two missed free throws and Tyler Nickel’s missed corner 3 at the end of regulation. As Byington looked over, Nickel, Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner and Vanderbilt guard Duke Miles were leading the huddle. 

“[They] were really running the huddle and they were excited to be in overtime. And even with the mistakes that got us to overtime, they were already moving past it,” Byington said on the postgame radio. “They wanted another opportunity. And so a lot of times as a coach you feel like you got to go pick your team up. I didn't have to do that.” 

Dec 17, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores guards Frankie Collins (1) and Tyler Tanner (3) high five during the second half against the Memphis Tigers at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Byington said in the months following his arrival at Vanderbilt that he wouldn’t really know what he had in his team until they were down on the road and had to respond. Vanderbilt had been in a close game against Western Kentucky in Atlantis and on the road against UCF prior to its win over Memphis, but Wednesday marked the first time this group has really broken a sweat this season. 

The undefeated start that Vanderbilt had built while picking up four quad-one wins appeared to be heading toward the wayside as regulation expired and Penny Hardaway’s Memphis team took any bit of momentum Vanderbilt had prior to the moments in which it failed to covert down the stretch. Hardaway’s team had slowed the game down, forced Vanderbilt to play a grinder of a game and appeared to have it right where it wanted it. 

Yet, Vanderbilt blitzed the Tigers at the start of overtime and eventually outscored them by seven in the period. Byington’s team was more composed, resilient and had the look of one that knew how to win. On the other end, Hardaway took the podium postgame and declared that his team hadn’t yet learned how to win. Each perspective was easy to see fleshed out as Byington’s player-led team sealed a road win in overtime. 

“They were already excited to play and I thought in the overtime, getting a lead in this game and once we got up four points it felt like more because scoring was hard and we were playing good defense, they were playing good defense and and then we made enough free throws down the stretch to be able to separate the game,” Byington said. “To have the courage and to have the resiliency to come back and, knowing you're on the road and in a tough environment and (to) play good in those last five minutes was—I was really impressed with the team.” 

Dec 17, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores head coach Mark Byington reacts against the Memphis Tigers during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Byington says that his team should take confidence in the idea that it was able to win a road game that he says felt like an SEC game despite an uncharacteristic offensive performance in which his team turned it over a season-high 20 times. The outing on the surface doesn’t appear to indicate much about Vanderbilt’s staying power–particularly when it’s paired with a lackluster performance against Central Arkansas–yet Byington appeared to learn something intriguing about his team that he didn’t know prior to his team’s trip. 

Vanderbilt has the appearance of a player-led team, it appears. That matters as it pursues its aspirations of becoming an SEC contender and taking advantage of its group of old guys. Byington’s team is seventh in the country in Division-I experience and appears to have a mental make up that would support Byington’s intentional effort to build an old roster. 

“Some of these guys (I) have only been coaching 11 games now,” Byington said, “So, when you're doing that, you learn a lot about your team on the road. So, proud of the guys and proud of their effort and um a lot of mistakes made but at the same time to be able  to just find a way to get a win and that's what we needed.”