Live Blog: No. 24 Vanderbilt Basketball at Ole Miss

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

Feb 28, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores guard Tyler Tanner (3) fives forward Tyler Nickel (5) during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

It may not be do or die for No. 24 Vanderbilt men’s basketball, but it sure feels like Vanderbilt needs this win tonight.

The Commodores meet up with Ole Miss for the second time this season a week before the SEC Tournament begins. It is a game that was originally scheduled to be played in Nashville on March 4, but a January ice storm that hit across the southeast forced the two teams to flip home games. That is what brings us to today.

This is a game that both teams desperately want to win. For Vanderbilt, the Commodores are entering Oxford losing three of their last four games. Vanderbilt has backslid all the way into the eighth spot in the SEC and is now fighting to avoid playing on the first day of the conference tournament.

Vanderbilt could still even get a double-bye if it wins out, but the Commodores would likely need some help in that scenario. The biggest point of emphasis for Vanderbilt today is to just come out alive. The Commodores need a win to feel good about themselves again and to avoid sliding further behind in the SEC standings and in the NCAA Tournament projections.

For Ole Miss, the Rebels have one one game since they beat their rival Mississippi State on Jan. 17. Ole Miss is holding onto the 14th spot in the conference currently.

The first matchup between the two was an intriguing one. Vanderbilt led for quite a bit of the game, but Ole Miss stayed in striking distance and was a corner three-pointer away from sending the game into overtime.

Now, Vanderbilt needs to take care of business, and it is going to start with being more efficient defensively and getting its offense going.

Tipoff between Vanderbilt and Kentucky is set for 8 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.

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

Live Blog

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Overtime

• FINAL: Tyler Tanner comes up with the rebound off a missed three-pointer from Ole Miss and Vanderbilt escapes Oxford with a 89-86 win over the Rebels. What a win in a game that Vanderbilt needed quite frankly.

• Tyler Tanner has 10 points in overtime. Vanderbilt leads 89-86 with 16.3.

• Redemption for Leverett as he gets the defensive rebound off a missed free throw. Looks like Chris Beard iced his own player with the appeal. 87-86 Vanderbilt with 17.9 seconds.

• Jayden Leverett fouls Ole Miss 90 feet away from the basket with 18 seconds and Ole Miss gets two free throws. Ole Miss made the first free throw, but is now appealing the previous play. The amount of stoppages down the stretch and in overtime is ridiculous. Appeal is unsuccessful and Ole Miss loses a timeout.

• AK Okereke fouls out with 48 seconds left in overtime. Vanderbilt leads 87-83.

• Tanner does it again, driving to the basket for two and making the free throw. Eight points in overtime as Vanderbilt now leads 84-79 with 3:02 left.

• Tyler Tanner might be taking this game over. He has five in the overtime with Vanderbilt up 81-77.

• Each team has two players that have fouled out in this game. Vanderbilt will be without Devin McGlockton and Jalen Washington in overtime.

2nd Half

• We have free basketball in Oxford! Duke Miles misses his shot attempt on his drive to the basket and brings overtime upon us.

• Vanderbilt appealed that Malik Dia tripped AK Okereke on the previous possession and the appeal was successful. Dia will get two free throws from the foul he drew and then Vanderbilt will shoot two free throws and get the ball with 26 seconds.

• Jalen Washington fouls out in a tie game with 26 seconds left. Ole Miss going to the line to try to break the 74-74 tie. Vanderbilt is going to have a possession to tie or take the lead.

• Tanner misses his second free throw and Ole Miss gets the rebound and Malik Dia drove it to the basket and drew a foul for a three-point play. Ole Miss leads 74-70 with 1:17 left.

• So there was a stoppage in the middle of Tyler Nicke's free throws in which Vanderbilt challenged for a hook and hold on Ole Miss. That was unsuccessful and Vanderbilt lost a timeout. Then, Ole Miss appealed saying that Vanderbilt did a hook and hold and that appeal was successful. So Vanderbilt lost a timeout and gave Ole Miss two free throws and the ball. Game is ow tied at 69 with 2:48 after all of that.

• Vanderbilt trails again, now 67-65 with 3:34 left. It is the final media timeout after AK Okreke drew a shooting foul. He will have the chance to tie the game back up on the other side of the break.

• Tyler Tanner gives Vanderbilt the lead back with 5:15 to go with his 23rd point of the game. It is the first lead of the second half for Vanderbilt. A 7-0 run is exactly what the Commodores needed.

• Vanderbilt's got it down to a 64-62 deficit with 6:32 to play. Plenty of time for Vanderbilt to retake the lead and gain control.

• A heldball bring us to the under-8 timeout. Vanderbilt trails 62-58 with 7:35 to go. The Commodores have to make a 8-0 run or something soon because these teams are essentiall trading baskets right now, and that is not something Vanderbilt can afford.

• AJ Storr jumped into Jalen Washington, drew a foul and nailed a circus shot for an and-1 opportunity. That is how you know it is just not Vanderbilt's day perhaps. That shot felt like a microcosm of the game as a whole. 60-55 Ole Miss with under nine minutes to go.

• Vanderbilt has not had an ideal start to the half with Ole Miss up 50-46 at the under 16 timeout. Vanderbilt just has not shot the ball well whatsoever. The Commodores have missed open threes and missed shots at the rim. Vanderbilt is shooting 35 percent for the game and 21 percent from three. 12:44 to go, so the under 12 timeout should happen pretty quickly.

1st Half

• HALF: Chandler Bing got his second foul with 0.1 on the clock before halftime and gifted Ole Miss two points going into half. Vanderbilt had a bad start, came back to take the lead but now trails 37-33 going into the locker room.

• What a first half comeback for Vanderbilt coming back down 12 points to take a 33-32 lead with under two minutes before halftime. Tyler Tanner has started to take this game over, which is what Vanderbilt needs.

• The Commodores simply cannot lose this game. This is a game Vanderbilt needed to win to get right and grt back on track. Losing this game would be devastating.

• Not the start Vanderbilt wanted coming out of the gates down 15-3 and 17-6, shooting 2-for-14 to start.

Pregame

• Vanderbilt and Ole Miss are both on the court warming up with stretches and shooting around. I would expect Ole Miss to have a good atmosphere given that its regular season is coming to an end. The Rebels still finish the season with a home game against South Carolina, though.

• Vanderbilt Commodores On SI will be covering tonight’s game hybrid-style. Joey Dwyer will be in-house in Oxford, Mississippi covering the game while I will be managing the live blog of the game remotely due to the Vanderbilt baseball game being played today as well. Should be a very interesting game and a game that Vanderbilt needs to have to feel good about itself.