Vanderbilt’s Bracketology and March Projections Heading into Selection Sunday

NASHVILLE – Anytime a Vanderbilt player or coach has been asked about the future this season, they have all had similar answers about focusing only on the next game. However, with Selection Sunday coming up, it’s hard not to look beyond tomorrow to what awaits Vanderbilt in the NCAA Tournament.

Vanderbilt star guard Duke Miles mentioned that the team felt they had to get a big win against Florida to influence seeding.

“Coach [Mark Byington] came into the game saying, ‘We needed to win this game.’ Obviously, for bracket play, just to help us with our seedings,” Miles said to VandyOnSI. “We look at each and every day and each and every game as an important game. So we don’t look that far ahead, but we’re trying to get that higher seed for sure.”

What Seed Will Vanderbilt Be in the NCAA Tournament?

Based on current projections, Vanderbilt has safely moved itself into a No. 4 seed with its two big wins in the SEC Tournament. Beating the SEC No. 1 seed and No. 4 nationally ranked Florida Gators is the biggest resumé booster heading into Sunday, and the Commodores should be fairly comfortable with expecting to see a “4” next to their name when it is called.

If Vanderbilt were to lose to Arkansas in the SEC Title game, the feeling currently is that it still will receive a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, if Arkansas were to win big and embarrass Mark Byington’s team, there would be more of a chance of Vanderbilt moving back to the five spot.

Who Will The Commodores Play in the NCAA Tournament?

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has become known for his projections when it comes to the NCAA Tournament, and its seeding and matchups. Lunardi’s Saturday night projection currently has the Commodores matched up with the Northern Iowa Panthers.

If Vanderbilt is a No. 4 seed, the other current projected No. 13 seeds that they may face are Utah Valley (playing California Baptist in the WAC Championship Saturday night), Hofstra (winners of the Coastal Athletic Association) or North Dakota State (winners of the Summit League).

If Vanderbilt were to fall to a No. 5 seed, the current projected No. 12 seeds that it may face are Akron (winners of the Mid-American Conference), McNeese (winners of the Southland Conference), Yale (winners of the Ivy League Conference) and High Point (winners of the Big South Conference).

Where Will Vanderbilt Play in the NCAA Tournament?

The NCAA and selection committee typically reward the highest-seeded teams with locations closest to their campus’s geographic location. The list of NCAA Tournament first-round locations is: Buffalo, NY; Greenville, SC; Oklahoma City, OK; Portland, OR; Philadelphia, PA; San Diego, CA; and Tampa, FL.

Assuming the teams currently ranked above Vanderbilt are placed in the location closest to them geographically, Vanderbilt’s options of where they may end up seem to lessen. The current ESPN Bracketology projections for where all the No. 4 and No. 5 seeded teams will be playing are either in Portland, San Diego, or Tampa.

For Vanderbilt fans, that may sound like a strong likelihood of ending up on the West Coast, but with the Commodores currently being listed as the lowest-ranked No. 4 seed according to bracketmatrix.com, the team’s options may be that limited. The projections can and will change between now and the Selection Show, but it may be wise to mentally prepare for a trip either out West or to the Sunshine State.

What’s Next For Vanderbilt?

Vanderbilt takes on Arkansas tomorrow at 12 CT in the SEC Championship Game. The game will be played in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the home of the NHL’s Nashville Predators. Vanderbilt only played the Razorbacks once this season, back on Jan. 20. That game ended in blowout fashion as Arkansas outplayed Vanderbilt and won 93-68.

Vanderbilt is looking to win its first SEC Tournament Championship since the 2011-12 season. With it only being Mark Byington's second season at the helm, winning the title would be that much more special.

Does Vanderbilt NEED to Win the SEC Championship?

The short answer is no.

Vanderbilt is already locked into an NCAA Tournament spot and should be fairly confident in receiving a No. 4 seed. It is hard to imagine the Commodores moving up any higher than that, and it seems that it would take another Arkansas blowout to drop Vanderbilt back down to a No. 5 seed.

Tyler Tanner playing in the SEC Tournament semifinal against Florida — Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner (3) drives against Florida guard Urban Klavzar (7) during their semifinal game of the 2026 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, March 14, 2026. | DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Talking with the Vanderbilt players after their win over Florida on Saturday gave the impression that they were just happy to be playing good basketball at the right time and weren’t too concerned about where they ended up.

“Whoever we play, we’re going to be ready for it,” Tyler Tanner told VandyOnSI postgame.

When Will Vanderbilt Find Out Its Opponent?

Following the conclusion of the SEC Championship Game, the team will head back to campus to find out its destination and opponent. Vanderbilt will hold a private team viewing of the NCAA Selection Show in the Huber Center on Sunday evening.

The Selection Show will reveal the bracket live on CBS starting at 5 p.m CT. VandyOnSI will have all the coverage of both the SEC Championship and the Selection Show.