Vanderbilt's Furious Comeback Falls Short, Commodores Lose to Missouri 81-80
What a roller coaster of a basketball game.
Vanderbilt entered the contest riding a two-game win streak after victories over Auburn and Texas A&M. The Commodores looked to move up in the standings and continue to fight for a double-bye in the SEC tournament. Missouri entered the matchup in desperate need of a Q1 win. The Tigers were sitting as the “first team out” of the NCAA Tournament field, per ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi.
Vanderbilt started the game the right way. Tyler Tanner connected with Jalen Washington for an alley-oop to get things underway.
Devin McGlockton followed that up with a three-pointer followed by back-to-back buckets as the Commodores jumped out to an early 9-4 lead. That’s when the offense began to stall. After scoring nine points in the first two minutes, Vanderbilt managed just six points over the next 11 minutes of game action.
A Tyler Nickel three-pointer with 7:03 remaining in the first half jolted the Commodore offense to life, somewhat, cutting the Missouri lead to five at 23-18.
The Commodores and Tigers battled back and forth through the rest of the half, and Missouri took a 36-30 lead into halftime. The Tigers shot 46% from behind the arc and hit six three-pointers in the first half. For context, Missouri has averaged just 7.3 made three-pointers per game during the 2025-26 season. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, shot just 27% from three and 37% from the field overall.
Vanderbilt entered the second half down only six despite the poor shooting numbers, and fans likely felt some optimism about the surmountable margin. Unfortunately, after a McGlockton three-point jumper to open the half, the Commodore offense went ice cold again. Vanderbilt scored just eight points in the first eight and a half minutes of the second half.
Missouri extended the lead out to 21 points, 65-44, with just over eight and a half minutes remaining. Vanderbilt began to chip away at the deficit. A Tyler Nickel corner three pulled Vanderbilt to within 10 points with 6:44 remaining.
Vanderbilt continued to apply pressure, forcing chaos and turnovers. AK Okereke, Tyler Tanner, and Chandler Bing all hit threes and the Commodores cut the deficit six points with 2:30 on the clock.
Vanderbilt forced a miss and AK Okereke hit a fallaway in the paint, cutting the Tiger lead to just four, 76-72, with 2:26 remaining. A Tyler Tanner and-one pulled the Commodores to within one possession with just over a minute to play.
Vanderbilt forced another stop and had a chance to cut the lead to one or tie the game. Tanner drove to the basket and dished to Chandler Bing in the corner. Bing took the shot and missed, Missouri secured the rebound, and Vanderbilt fans felt the all-too-familiar sting of a comeback that falls just short – reminiscent of what happened recently against Oklahoma.
Anthony Robinson made one of two free throws, extending Missouri’s lead to four, 79-75. Bing scored on a putback shot off a Tyler Nickel missed three, cutting it to 79-77 before Missouri called a timeout.
Missouri inbounded the ball, and T.O. Barrett was fouled with six second left. Barrett hit both free throws, seemingly putting the game away. Tyler Nickel raced down the court and hit a deep three from the top of the key, cutting the Missouri lead to just one, 81-80, with 1.8 seconds remaining.
Mark Mitchell attempted to throw the ball downcourt but came up short, Tyler Tanner intercepted the pass. Tyler Tanner launched a halfcourt heave that looked true off his hand, but the shot rimmed out.
The Commodores once again lost by one point after a furious comeback attempt.
Missouri defeated Vanderbilt 81-80.
Vanderbilt will take on Tennessee this Saturday, February 21, at 1 p.m. in Memorial Gym.
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