Vanderbilt basketball couldn’t get by Saint Mary’s in March Madness

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CLEVELAND — Vanderbilt basketball’s season ended Friday with a 59-56 first-round loss to seventh-seeded Saint Mary’s, denying the 10th-seeded Commodores an NCAA Tournament victory that would’ve been the program’s first since 2012.

Here are some postgame takeaways from Rocket Arena:

This was never Vanderbilt’s type of game

Even as the Commodores led most of the way, climbing in front by 12 early in the second half, this was a physical, defensive slog that always figured to benefit the Gaels.

Ultimately, it did.

Vanderbilt missed two potential game-tying 3-pointers in the final seconds to fall just short.

A prominent Saint Mary’s stat entering this game: It was 24-0 when scoring 70 points. That’s because its well-respected defense kept opponents from reaching 70 in 28 of 33 games. It’s the brand of game Saint Mary’s preferred, and it was unlike what Vanderbilt has wanted this season.

Perhaps predictably, the Gaels made a rally in the second half that allowed them to inch ahead. Wasn’t the first time this season that the Commodores have struggled to make a lead stick in the second half, but the culprit here was a horribly timed offensive slump just when it seemed they might be about to pull away for good.

Instead, a 9-1 run by Saint Mary’s came as Vanderbilt struggled to do anything offensively, going about five minutes without a field goal as the Gaels finally heated up. With 6:54 remaining, they took the lead for the first time since the game’s opening minutes.

After struggling to make shots early, Saint Mary’s was 5-for-9 from 3-point range after halftime, and it was the difference in the game.

A nod to the defense

Vanderbilt has achieved plenty this season because of coach Mark Byington’s offense. This afternoon, though, was more about highlighting its defense.

It produced one of its best defensive performances of the season, trapping and harassing Gaels shooters from the jump. At halftime, Vanderbilt’s 29-22 lead had a lot to do with a 10-0 edge in…

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Publish date : 2025-03-21 22:13:00

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