Unexplainable, unfathomathable, unbelievable. Unacceptable.

How else do you describe a game in which Vanderbilt entered as an 18.5-point favorite and lost to a team that's projected to finish last in its league and 315th in KenPom?

It would feel that way in year one, but in Year 5?

Vanderbilt was down 15 points at one point in the second half, it couldn't guard anyone for much of that stretch and by that point boo birds came out in the Memorial Gymnasium crowd.

It's worth noting that Tyrin Lawrence, Ven-Allen Lubin and Lee Dort were held out due to injury, but that can only explain away so much. Vanderbilt likely would've won this one with those three. The NET doesn't care though, frankly.

A team that's supposed to be deeper and longer didn't look that way on Monday night.

Nothing that Jerry Stackhouse showed confidence in this offseason showed up in Vanderbilt's opener.

A day that started with eerie rumors of Vanderbilt's best player in a walking boot ended in an eerie feeling inside Memorial Gymnasium.

A feeling that says: how does this even happen? Where does this thing go long term?

What happened to doing what the Romans do and beating the hell out of everybody?

Vanderbilt didn't do that tonight, it feels like they'll pay for it in a few months down the road.

Three quick takes:

That won't help the NET, or anything.

Stackhouse has harped on the NET all offseason. It doesn't matter how you play the algorithms if you don't win your buy games, though.

For a Vanderbilt team already up against it in the preseason metrics, this feels about as detrimental as can be. That's a quad four loss in all likelihood.

Worse than that, it's a demoralizer for a team full of hope, if you can't beat a team ranked at the bottom of the Big South, who can you beat.

Vanderbilt has always gotten better as the season has gone on, but its gotta help itself early in the year.

It's obviously worth noting Vanderbilt's injury situation

Stackhouse's team was missing three rotation pieces including two starters and what's likely its best player in Tyrin Lawrence.

Lawrence missed Tuesday's opener with an ankle injury, Lubin sat out a hip injury and Dort was unavailable due to a foot injury. All three appeared on Vanderbilt's sideline without any braces or boots.

Lubin along with Lawrence both sported a slight limp, although neither should be out for extended periods of time. In fact, Stackhouse said he expected them to play in his last talk with the media.

Vanderbilt struggled to get rolling without its star and two best frontcourt players and looks to really need the trio moving forward, perhaps as early as next Tuesday's matchup with UNC Greensboro.

Rotation decisions will be questioned, but Vanderbilt has to get more from its mainstays

Stackhouse's rotation decisions put an odd taste in people's mouths, particularly his decision to sub in walk-on Graham Calton for Colin Smith in the middle of the second half, but he's gotta get more from the guys he's relying on.

Ezra Manjon missed much of the first half due to picking up two early fouls and just 5-for-12 from the field for 19 points. Evan Taylor went 3-for-12 from the field for nine points. Smith charted just three points and his classmate Paul Lewis went 3-for-8 from the field for seven points.

Criticize Stackhouse's decision making all you want, it feels like there’s a place for it. But he's gotta get more from his guys. Especially when they have to step up in the absence of their teammates.

Something's gotta give here. It feels like this one is more than just an opening night loss. Vanderbilt has to prove it's not.

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