Memorial Magic is Back; Column

Memorial Gymnasium felt magical inside of it Wednesday night — the kind of magic that once defined Vanderbilt Basketball but hasn’t consistently lived on the hardwood in Nashville for years.

Before tipoff, I made the mistake of calling it a “new era.” Fans were quick to correct me. This wasn’t something new. Instead, it was a return.

Wednesday night was old school Vanderbilt basketball — a throwback atmosphere paired with a statement win over the Alabama Crimson Tide. In a way, it was reminiscent of the last time Memorial Gym hosted a matchup between two top 13 teams on Jan. 5, 1974 — a game Vanderbilt won in the final minute to remain undefeated. Still, Wednesday’s win had its own sense of aura to it, fueled by a dominant offensive performance and the loudest home crowd the arena’s held in a long time.

“I love this environment,” Devin McGlockton said post game. “It’s the best environment I ever played in. When we get the fans involved, it’s hard to beat it.”

That crowd hasn’t always been there this season, though. Both Mark Byington and women’s head coach Shea Ralph expressed discontent with the inconsistent fan support during nonconference play.

“We've got to do more with Memorial,” Byington said after Vanderbilt’s 92-62 win over Eastern Kentucky in November. "You’re going to like this team. But at the same time, I feel like we need to make this a great environment, whether it's who we are playing, the time of the day or anything else, come join us now. Be a part of this now and don't wait."

That’s a tough ask during buy games, especially when Vanderbilt Football is thriving and chasing a College Football Playoff berth. But while Vanderbilt fans may have waited longer than Byington would’ve liked, they’re here now. That’s what matters.

“The fans were unbelievable,” Byington said after the game. “What a crowd, what an atmosphere. You want to get a win for that kind of support.”

You could feel it as soon as the gates opened at 7 p.m. CST. Students sprinted to claim the courtside front row, a familiar group that was backed by a suddenly much larger cohort than usual.

“I’m in math class today, overhearing people talk about Duke Miles’ availability,” one of those front-row seniors told Vandy OnSI. “If people are talking about the game [in class], then it’s going to be a good crowd.”

He nailed it.

By the time the starting lineups were introduced, empty seats were scarce in a sea of Black and Gold, with some crimson red scattered through it. The student section wasn’t just packed to the brim — it was alive. It was loud. And it impacted the game.

Memorial Gym is absolutely packed.

To. The. Brim. pic.twitter.com/6bD9Ux0M2e
— Tristan Rutman (@tristanrutman1) January 8, 2026

Vanderbilt’s fed off the crowd’s energy immediately, jumping out to an early 11-3 lead after three-pointers from Duke Miles and AK Okereke and two strong finishes at the rim from Tyler Tanner. The crowd's energy showed up most on defense, with the Commodores forcing eight first-half turnovers against the No. 2 ranked KenPom offense in the nation entering Wednesday.

At its peak, the noise rivaled anything Memorial has heard in recent years — a reflection not just of how far this program has come, but of how quickly winning can re-awaken a student body and a fanbase. The belief that filled FirstBank Stadum in the fall has officially spilled onto the hardwood.

And it should have.

Byington’s earned this environment. It’s earned the right to play in primetime in front of a packed home crowd. Vanderbilt entered SEC play a perfect 13-0 — a start that didn’t always seem possible in the conference’s smallest and most academically focused school. Even with a sizable contingency of Alabama fans, this didn’t feel like a road game in its own arena for Vanderbilt. Not even close. That alone marks significant progress.

“The best crowd I was ever at was against Arkansas in 2023 and we were down double digits and came back to win,” the front row student said. “I think if you get a good front row, it cascades backwards. It’s about getting loud and getting [Alabama] out of rhythm.”

He pointed out tonight’s student giveaway — a Stranger Things themed shirt — was the same one given out against Arkansas three seasons ago, a 97-84 Vanderbilt win fueled by a 21-point second half margin.

Fast forward to today, and it was another second-half blitz that gave Vanderbilt its signature SEC victory, one that moved it to an undefeated 15-0 and silenced critics of its nonconference schedule in the process.

If Wednesday night was any indication, Memorial Gym is alive again, and its students and fans are starting to believe in what this team can accomplish.

“It’s a special place,” Byington said. “[The fans] make it special.”