Missouri Tigers basketball team shifts focus to Vandy, prospect of back-to-back SEC wins

The Missouri Tigers men’s basketball team broke a 21-game Southeastern Conference losing streak this week, defeating LSU 83-67 at Mizzou Arena for its first conference victory in 669 days.

Now, when the Tigers welcome Vanderbilt to Mizzou Arena on Saturday, they will look to do something they have not done in the regular season since March 4, 2023: win back-to-back SEC games.

The Commodores (13-2) are projected to be an 11-seed in the NCAA Tournament, per Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology. Vanderbilt is 1-1 in the SEC after winning 80-72 at LSU and losing 76-64 to No. 14 Mississippi State at home.

As for the MU-Vandy series, it has been a back-and-forth affair with the home teams holding a firm advantage. The Tigers are 9-8 all-time vs. the Commodores, boasting a perfect 7-0 mark at home. Last time out, it was Vanderbilt that came out on top, winning 68-61 on Feb. 3, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Vanderbilt is led by former James Madison coach Mark Byington. During his four-year tenure with the Dukes, Byington guided the team to an impressive 82-36 record.

Last season, he orchestrated a historic campaign, leading James Madison to a 32-4 record and a Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship. Under Byington’s leadership, the Dukes pulled off a memorable upset over Wisconsin in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Vanderbilt guard Jason Edwards paces the Commodores with 17.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. The junior scored a season-high 30 points on Dec. 8 in the Commodores’ 83-74 victory over TCU.

Edwards is a transfer from North Texas who was a first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection. Last season, he scored 650 points, the fifth-most in school history, and averaged 19.1 points per game.

Fellow junior Devin McGlockton offers a matchup nightmare with his 6-foot-7, 230-pound frame. The guard averages 11.2 points and 8.2 rebounds a game. McGlockton spent the previous two years at Boston College.

Missouri will welcome Vanderbilt at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Mizzou Arena. With a win, the Tigers would improve to 13-3, 2-1 in the SEC.

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