NBA Draft: Point Guards Duel as Vanderbilt Takes Down Alabama

Conference play in college basketball is officially underway, with several of the country’s top teams facing off already.

Two of those were No. 13 Alabama and No. 11 Vanderbilt, who matched up on Wednesday night. Alabama had three losses to its name, though all to ranked teams, including No. 1 Arizona and No. Purdue. Vanderbilt was undefeated heading into the game, though hadn’t yet faced off against stingy competition.

Vanderbilt eventually outlasted the Crimson Tide, 96-90, with two NBA Draft-bound point guards able to show off their game on the national stage.

Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner, one of the hottest names in the NBA Draft space right now, looked like the best player on the floor. A sophomore lead guard, he stands at an undersized 6-foot, though he has a reported plus-wingspan, and the athleticism to help him play much bigger than he is.

All in all, he passed the first true test of his year, scoring a game-high 29 points on 8-for-15 shooting, adding seven assists to four turnovers, four steals and three rebounds. He only hit one of his four attempted triples, but was able to get to the line frequently, hitting 12 of his 15 tries there.

Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner is such a cerebral talent & it’s no surprise why he’s stamped in my lottery for 2026.

Off-ball defense extraordinaire (3 STL), passing touch (7 AST), P&R poise, elite first-step & scoring efficiency (67.1% TS) all on display tonight vs. Alabama. pic.twitter.com/st5UEpjphp
— Mohamed (@mcfNBA) January 8, 2026

Opposite Tanner was Alabama’s Labaron Philon, who’s gained draft acclaim dating back to his freshman season last year. He stands at a spindlier 6-foot-4, and has near-doubled his offensive production from last season.

Philon was good in his own right, scoring 18 points on an efficient 5-for-9 shooting, hitting two of his five triples. He failed to make a major impact across the rest of the game, adding just one assist to four turnovers, one steal and one rebound. He played in just 19 minutes before leaving the game with what head coach Nate Oats was "full body cramps."

The Commodores were able to go up by as much as 13 late in the second half, staving off the attempted comeback from the Crimson Tide. Tanner continued to boost his stock, as he's done as season long, and it was far from a rough night for Philon in that regard.

All eyes will be on Tanner to see if he can continue his stellar play through a tough SEC slate. He's proved himself a capable scorer and defender against lesser teams, offering a cerebral handler and lane-jumper, and his performance against Alabama certainly has him off on the right foot in conference play.

Philon is a bit more proven with a solid season already under his belt, but scouts and decision-makers will be keen to see if his efficient splits hold up, especially from beyond the arc.