It looked like Vanderbilt didn’t have the same pep in its step as it has in the past and it looked as if Michigan had this one in hand, but Vanderbilt still found a way to win on Saturday.
The Commodores will advance to the third round of the NIT after their 66-65 win over Michigan at Memorial Gymnasium.
"That was an awesome postseason game, I thought our guys came out and they really set the tone early, they fought back which we knew that they would, it was a back and forth game, they got a bit of separation from us late but our guys just kept battling," Vanderbilt coach Jerry Stackhouse said.
"That was Memorial Magic if you've ever seen it before, I thought we just kept fighting and found a way," the fourth-year coach added.
Michigan started Saturday morning’s contest on a 5-0 run but was trailing 17-5 just minutes later after a 17-0 Vanderbilt run that was propelled by a stretch of high-level play from Colin Smith and a windmill dunk from Tyrin Lawrence.
Vanderbilt held the lead for 8:55 of the half but Coach Juwan Howard’s Wolverines chipped away at Vanderbilt’s lead and went into the break leading 30-29 behind 13 points from freshman point guard Dug McDaniel.
Smith and Lawrence led the Commodores with 11 and seven points respectively before the break.
Michigan held on to that halftime lead for nearly the entirety of the second half but a 9-0 Vanderbilt run put the Commodores back ahead with 12.5 seconds to go after a Michigan turnover that led to a Hunter Dickinson goaltending call on a Tyrin Lawrence layup.
That run and basket was led by a full-court press that made Michigan uncomfortable and allowed Vanderbilt to climb back into this one.
“Just working the game, working the game which we talk about all the time. We were able to make them make some mistakes late, young team they’ve lost some games like that before,” Stackhouse said.
Dug McDaniel flew down the lane in the final seconds and attempted a floater that fell short, Hunter Dickinson made an attempt to put the shot back on a tip in but that didn’t fall either and Vanderbilt walked off the floor victorious because of it.
Stackhouse attributes that stop to what Quentin Millora-Brown did to wear down Dickinson all day.
"It wore him down, if he's not banging and he's not doing all the things that he did during that game, Dickinson would probably tap that ball in," Stackhouse said.
Vanderbilt stays alive
It felt as if the Commodores were on the ropes for the entirety of the second half of Saturday’s contest, but the Commodores found a way to win. Again.
Vanderbilt has won seven-straight games at Memorial Gymnasium and will have a chance to make that eight with a win later this week.
The story of Saturday night’s game was resiliency. Vanderbilt looked dead in the water but found a way to win and to keep its season alive.
Stackhouse says that this game is a testament to how far his team and program has come.
"Our guys have grown up, they've gotten better, they understand what's asked of them."
Three quick takes:
Guardplay wins in March.
Hunter Dickinson scored 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting on Saturday afternoon, but what ultimately decided the contest was guardplay.
Manjon and Lawrence combined for 41 points on Saturday while shooting 16-for-27 from the field.
What allowed Vanderbilt to overcome that outing from Dickinson and all that he did to challenge it was the Commodores’ guard play.
“With two good guards you’ve got a great chance to win, we’ve got outstanding guards,” Stackhouse said.
Vanderbilt was outrebounded 39-23 and shot just 6-for-23 from 3-point range but was able to overcome that behind Manjon and Lawrence in particular.
Pencil Colin Smith into next season’s starting lineup
It took a few months, but Smith now looks the part of an SEC starting forward.
The freshman always provided value with the lineup versatility he provided, his rebounding and his energy but Smith seems to have hit a new level recently. Not only statistically, but in terms of comfortability.
The 6-foot-8 freshman is knocking down shots from beyond the arc at one of the highest clips of anyone on Vanderbilt’s roster, he’s taking his man off the bounce and creating his own shot as well as bringing the ball up the floor in certain sets.
Smith finished Saturday’s contest with 11 points while shooting 4-for-9 from the field.
“Colin got us off to a great start, he was unbelievable there in the first half,” Stackhouse said.
As we look ahead to next season there are likely three locks to start every night, four if Jordan Wright opts to use his final year of eligibility, Smith has likely played his way into solidifying one of those spots.
Depth will be a key to Vanderbilt dancing next season
Along with Smith, Stackhouse has to like what he’s gotten from his backcourt of Manjon, Lawrence, Jordan Wright and Paul Lewis. Where the fourth-year coach may be concerned is whether his team will have enough quality depth next season to be an NCAA Tournament team.
Vanderbilt’s SEC Tournament loss to Texas A&M and its NIT stint likely emphasized that concern.
When Manjon, Lawrence and Wright were worn down on the third day of the SEC Tournament it was apparent that the Commodores’ magic had run out that weekend. Nobody can escape dead legs so another piece or two may not have moved the needle that day, but Vanderbilt’s NIT run has shed some light on the Commodores’ potential need to find a way to increase their depth in the offseason.
Vanderbilt had complete control of its first-round matchup with Yale. But as its starters had to take a breather early in the second half, Vanderbilt’s lead dwindled.
The prolific backcourt that Stackhouse’s team possesses likely has enough depth as is and will add another year of development along with 2023 signee Isaiah West.
Where the Commodores could use a few more quality minutes is on the wing and in the frontcourt, especially after Myles Stute’s decision to enter the transfer portal.
It feels like Vanderbilt is one or two pieces away from being an NCAA Tournament-caliber team next season. Is that West? Does Wright return and make a leap? Is it a step up from Malik Dia, Noah Shelby or Lee Dort? What about JaQualon Roberts or Carter Lang making a difference early? Or does that have to come through the portal?
That will likely be the biggest decision that the Vanderbilt staff makes this offseason, how much and where they address the transfer portal could make all the difference next season.
For now, though, Vanderbilt is focused on this season and is alive.
