Live Blog: No. 24 Vanderbilt Basketball at No. 23 Tennessee

Vanderbilt looks to get back on track in what could be a must-win game.

Feb 21, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores forward Devin McGlockton (99) reacts after a made three point basket made by forward Tyler Nickel (5) against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half at Memorial Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Can Vanderbilt return to form in the final game of the regular season?

That is the question every Vanderbilt fan has been asking for the past two or three weeks as the Commodores have limped their way to the finish line of the regular season. Vanderbilt is coming off a 89-86 overtime win over Ole Miss Tuesday night in which Tyler Tanner played the role of Superman and willed Vanderbilt to a victory in a game it had to have.

Vanderbilt has lost three of its last five games heading into today and one of those losses came against the opponent it is playing against this afternoon, No. 23 Tennessee.

The last time these two teams met, Tennessee beat Vanderbilt in Nashville 69-65 in a game where Vanderbilt missed key open shots down the stretch that would have made a huge swing toward the Commodores. But it was Tennessee’s Nate Ament that made a couple big time shots that led the Volunteers to victory.

Now, Vanderbilt gets a chance at redemption against its rivals to close the regular season.

For Vanderbilt, it is hoping that forward Tyler Nickel and guard Duke Miles bring their A-game to Knoxville. Nickel has been in a bit of a shooting slump over the last couple of weeks while Miles is still working his way back into a rhythm after returning from a six-game absence on Feb. 21 when Tennessee visited Memorial Gymnasium. 

If Vanderbilt wants to win, those two guys will need to play a huge role in the game today.

Tipoff between Vanderbilt and Tennessee is set for 2 p.m. CT on ESPN

Follow the live blog here for live updates from today’s Vanderbilt-Tennessee game.

Live Blog

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2nd Half

• FINAL: Vanderbilt holds on and wins 86-82 on the road over Tennessee. The Commodores at worst will be the No. 5 seed in the SEC Tournament and will get a double-bye if Florida beats Kentucky.

• Tyler Tanner calmly sinks two free throws to make it 86-80, but Tennessee get an alley-oop with 6.8. 86-82 Vanderbilt as Mark Byington calls timeout.

• Tyler Tanner received the inbounds pass and slipped. The call is a travel. Tennessee got the ball but missed a three. Tyler Nickel to the line with a 82-78 lead with 25.4 and Nickel made both.

• Vanderbilt leads 82-77 with 37.3 to go. Vanderbilt with the ball. It is all about hitting free throws here.

• AK Okereke has fouled out with 47.6 to go. Vanderbilt leads 80-73 with Tennessee going to the line for two free throws.

• Tennessee calls timeout after a JP Estrella dunk. Vanderbilt up 79-73 with 1:02 to go. Again, Vanderbilt just has to hit its free throws and also defend the perimeter.

• AK Okereke goes 1/2 at the line and Tennessee hits a three. Vanderbilt leads 77-71 with 1:15. Commodores cannot afford to miss many more free throws.

• Fans have started the head for the exits here with Vanderbilt up 76-68 with 1:31 remaining. Vanderbilt just needs to take care of the ball and knock down free throws to win.

• Chandler Bing has been big time this second half with three different baskets that have quieted the crowd, including a corner three. Vanderbilt leads 74-66 at the under 4 minute timeout.

• The the lowest Vanderbilt's lead has gotten this half. Commodores lead 65-57 with 7:10 to go. Teams have been trading baskets the past few minutes, but Tennessee has gotten a couple stops and scores to make this under 10.

• Tennessee is doing all it can to punch back, bringing Vanderbilt's 17-point lead back down to single digit before AK Okereke made a tough and-1 play. Vanderbilt up 55-44 with 11:25 to go. Commodores are handling the adversity and this crowd well when it has gotten loud.

• Vanderbilt leads 46-34 at the first media timeout of the second half. Vanderbilt's defense continues to be the story today, forcing 11 Tennessee turnovers.

1st Half

• And just like that a 6-2 Vanderbilt run takes the lead back up to 10 points. Commodores up 32-22 with 1:05 to go.

• Vanderbilt calls timeout after Tennessee hits a three and gets a transition dunk seconds later. Vanderbilt leads just 26-20 with 3:35 in the first half.

• BREAKING: Arkansas takes down Missouri 88-84 in overtime. Step 1 for Vanderbilt is done. A Vanderbilt win and a Kentucky loss later today gives the Commodores a double-bye.

• Vanderbilt up 26-15 with five minutes to go in the first half. Vanderbilt has defended well and forced Tennessee into unusual mistakes because of it.

• Tennessee has started to punch back with a 6-3 mini run, but Vanderbilt is still up 18-8 at the under 12 timeout. Vanderbilt should expect Tennessee to punch back. This is a tough and physical Volunteers team.

• It is now 15-2 Vanderbilt. A start on the road that Vanderbilt has been searching for weeks for. The Commodores are doing everything it needs to win this game.

• What a start for Vanderbilt as the Commodores are up 11-2 to start this game. Vanderbilt has gotten into transition and its half court offense is rolling early on.

Pregame

• Score update: Missouri leads Arkansas 45-44 with 16 minutes to go.

• Today is a huge game for the SEC standings because the conference tournament bracket will be finalized tonight. If Missouri loses to Arkansas, Kentucky loses to Florida and Vanderbilt wins today then Vanderbilt will get a double-bye for the SEC Tournament. If the Commodores lose, they can be seeded anywhere from sixth to 10th.

• Players from both teams have made their way to the court to start stretching and warming up. 

• I expect a great crowd here in Knoxville. This stadium is easily one of the toughest environments in the SEC, if not, the country. It will be a new-look Tennessee team that Vanderbilt sees today as Nate Ament will not be here, but the Volunteers will have JP Estrella, who did not play in the first matchup between these two teams.

• Vanderbilt Commodores On SI is in-house today for the final game of the season as Vanderbilt plays on Thompson Boling Arena. It will be Joey Dwyer, Tyler Jorden and I today bringing the coverage to you guys as the Commodores play one final time before the SEC Tournament, which we also plan on being at.