Vanderbilt Commodores Host Kentucky Wildcats in High-Energy SEC Matchup

Vanderbilt had a packed gym on Saturday for their matchup against the Wildcats.

Jan 25, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores forward Jaylen Carey (22) celebrates his slam dunk against the Kentucky Wildcats.during the first half at Memorial Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

In a weekend SEC showdown, the Vanderbilt Commodores (16-4, 4-3) hosted the Kentucky Wildcats (14-5, 3-3) for some high-energy, gym rattling basketball. The Wildcats entered the matchup ranked No. 9 in the nation, marking Vanderbilt's third consecutive game against a nationally ranked opponent.

Just as they did with No. 6 Tennessee, Vanderbilt took care of business and took down another ranked opponent in a 74-69 win. The physicality of the game was astounding for both teams on the floor with dynamic efforts making for incredible SEC basketball on a Saturday afternoon.

Early in the game, the two teams seemed to be evenly matched on the floor, trading baskets on either end. The Commodores were able to extend their lead, however, after numerous Kentucky turnovers ignited Vanderbilt in transition.

Kentucky walked into Memorial Gymnasium a little cold, coming off a week-long break from any gameplay. The Wildcats are also playing without senior forward Andrew Carr (back injury), a crucial piece of the Kentucky offense.

Kentucky's Ansley Almonor stepped up in place of Carr, proving to be a tough competitor for the Vanderbilt defense.

The Commodores led at the half 41-27 after an impressive series of scoring runs off of Kentucky's turnovers. Vanderbilt also took advantage of the offensive boards, giving themselves multiple second-chance shots to elevate their game.

Vanderbilt's Jason Edwards lifted his team early on in the game, going into the half with 12 points to his name but slowed down as the game continued. He ended the game with 18 points and four assists.

Tyler Nickel emerged beneficial for Vanderbilt, sinking a few clutch shots from beyond the arc to energize his team. Along with his energizing shots, Nickel made momentum-shifting rebounds on both sides of the court. He ended Saturday's matchup with 11 points and four rebounds.

Freshman Tyler Tanner left it all out on the court for Vanderbilt, executing key plays in the paint in the second half. Under-recruited and coming off the bench, Tanner has been Vandy's hidden gem this season, seizing critical opportunities for the Commodores in the final minutes of games.

Things began to unravel for the Commodores after halftime, as Kentucky came out playing with a newfound sense of urgency, cutting Vanderbilt's lead drastically. Kentucky's comeback brought out the big blue in Tennessee, creating an insanely charged atmosphere in the Commodores' home arena.

Despite the shift in energy, Vanderbilt maintained strong decision-making, executing smart offensive plays and committing significantly fewer turnovers than the Wildcats. The shots just weren't falling in the early minutes of the second half for the Commodores, severely dampening the Vandy crowd.

Regardless, Vanderbilt was able to dominate the final minutes of the game to pull out another win against a top ten team. The Commodores will look ahead to their matchup against Oklahoma on Feb. 1.