Vanderbilt Commodores Star Guard Stepping Up Performance During SEC Play
The Vanderbilt Commodores were defeated by the Mississippi State Bulldogs in their most recent game 76-64, snapping their seven-game winning streak, dropping their record to 13-2.
It was a major step up in competition, as the Bulldogs were the first top-50 team based on KenPom rankings the Commodores have faced off with this season. There will be more stiff tests in the coming weeks as the SEC is loaded with NCAA Tournament and championship-caliber squads.
Vanderbilt is going to face plenty of challenges, but they can rest easy knowing that their offense is in the hands of guard A.J. Hoggard.
A graduate transfer who spent the first four years of his collegiate career with the Michigan State Spartans, he has plenty of experience playing in hostile environments and massive matchups.
One of the better high-major point guards available on the transfer portal, he opted to join a remade Commodores program led by first-year head coach Mark Byington. It is a decision that the school has been thrilled with to this point.
Through 14 games, 13 of which he started, Hoggard has averaged 11.1 points with 4.2 assists per game, running Byington’s offense successfully. He rounds out his stat line with 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals, as he is making plays on both ends of the court.
Currently in the midst of the best shooting season of his career, making 42.6% of his attempts from the field, he has taken his performance to another level out of the gate of SEC play.
He has taken a leading role on the offensive side of the ball, picking up the slack for Jason Edwards, the team’s leading scorer who has battled a thigh injury suffered against the LSU Tigers.
In that contest, Hoggard scored 17 points, knocking some game-saving 3-pointers down the stretch to help his team to a victory in their conference opener.
Against Mississippi State, he tied a season-high with 18 points; he also scored that amount against the Nevada Wolf Pack back on Nov. 21.
While that scoring output wasn’t enough to help Vanderbilt get a victory, it continued an impressive trend for the experienced guard, who did most of his damage in the second half. Thus far, Hoggard has scored 26 of his 35 points in the second half, stepping up when his team needs him most down the stretch.
That kind of steady late-game performance is something that can help set the Commodores apart from the competition as there is almost certainly going to be some contests that go right down to the wire in a deep SEC.
Knowing they have an unflappable guard leading the way will certainly make like easier for Byington, as Hoggard is an extension of the coaching staff on the floor.
A player of his caliber has made the transition under Byington, who brought in nearly an entire new roster, that much smoother. Hopefully, his late-game heroics continue as Vanderbilt is on a mission to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017.
