Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt Adds Two Players from Transfer Portal

Commodores' coach Mark Byington has his work cutout for him this offseason with just six players left on the roster, but is beginning to add to it.
Taylor Hodges|
North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jalen Washington (13) and Mississippi Rebels guard Matthew Murrell (11) chase a loose ball during the first half of a first round NCAA men’s tournament game at Fiserv Forum.
North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jalen Washington (13) and Mississippi Rebels guard Matthew Murrell (11) chase a loose ball during the first half of a first round NCAA men’s tournament game at Fiserv Forum. | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

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Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington has a lot of work to do to fill out the men’s basketball team roster that was left with just six players after players ran out of eligibility or entered the transfer portal.

Byington received his first commitments in this transfer portal cycle Friday night when former North Carolina forward Jalen Washington picked Vanderbilt over schools like Mississippi State, Missouri and Ohio State, according to On3. The Commodores also received a commitment from Jacksonville State center Mason Nicholson.

Washington spent the last three seasons with the Tar Heels, playing in 93 games with 16 starts (all during this past season) and averaged 5.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game as a junior.

Nicholson, who is listed at 6-foot-10, 280-pounds, can provide the Commodores a dominant presence in the paint. As a junior, he averaged 7.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game for the Gamecocks, but also made just 51.5 percent of his free throws. Vanderbilt had just two players average five rebounds a game or more. Jaylen Carey was one of those two, but entered the transfer portal two weeks ago, and Devin McGlockton led the team with 7.9 rpg.

Players Leaving

  • Karris Bilal
  • Jaylen Carey
  • MJ Collins
  • Jason Edwards
  • Alex Hemenway
  • JaQualon Roberts\
  • Jordan Williams

Incoming Players

  • Jalen Washington
  • Mason Nicholson

Vanderbilt Commodores On SI:

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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