Vanderbilt's 16-0 start is tied for its best in program history. A look inside the Commodores' unbeaten streak

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Vanderbilt made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in eight years last season, the Commodores' first led by head coach Mark Byington.

This season, Vandy's upped the ante.

With an 84-73 win over LSU (12-4, 0-3 SEC) on Saturday, the No. 11 Commodores (16-0, 3-0) tied their best start in program history.

Vanderbilt also won 16 straight games to start the 2007-08 campaign, during which it won 26 games — the Commodores' second most in a single season all-time — and earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament before surprisingly bowing out in the first round to Siena.

The metrics suggest this year's group is better fit for a run.

In fact, whereas Kevin Stallings' 07-08 squad ranked 47th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 88th in adjusted defensive efficiency, Byington's crew this season is fourth in adjusted offensive efficiency and 11th in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

Vanderbilt has five players averaging more than 10 points per game, including three who are scoring more 14 per contest. That trio accounted for 56 points in Saturday's win over LSU, which could have used leading scorer Dedan Thomas Jr., who is sidelined by a lower-leg injury at the moment.

Vandy sophomore guard Tyler Tanner led the way with 20 points. Senior forward Tyler Nickel was close behind with 19 points, plus 10 rebounds. And graduate transfer guard Duke Miles, who came via Oklahoma and High Point and Troy before that, piled up 17 points and five assists.

The Commodores also got nine boards from do-it-all senior forward Devin McGlockton, who's the team's top rebounder.

A closer look at Vanderbilt's early success

The Commodores have played only one ranked opponent so far, but they handled business in that game. It took place earlier this week in Nashville, where Vanderbilt defeated No. 13 Alabama 96-90.

Of Vandy's 16 wins, 13 have been by double digits.

The Commodores take care of the ball. Their 13.5% turnover percentage is the 12th lowest in the nation, per KenPom. They're committing only 10 giveaways per game.

Vanderbilt is shooting 36.8% from deep, a top-50 clip from that range this season. On the other end, it's 13th nationally in block percentage (15.3%) and 16th in steal percentage (13.4%), according to KenPom.

The Commodores are multiple in the way they can win. They have experience and enough depth to make a run.

They'll continue to be tested, though, with a handful of ranked opponents still to come in SEC play.

Another one of college sports' recent turnarounds

Vandy men's basketball has a proud history. The Commodores have made the Sweet 16 six times — including twice since the turn of the century — and all the way to the Elite Eight in 1965.

But during that seven-season NCAA Tournament drought from 2017-24, they finished with a losing record five times, including with just nine wins three times.

Byington came in and immediately returned Vanderbilt to the AP Poll and March Madness. He took James Madison to the dance the season prior to earning the Vandy job.

While at JMU, Byington overlapped with now-Indiana head football coach Curt Cignetti, who has turned the Hoosiers into a national title contender on the gridiron.

Byington's turnaround isn't as seismic as that transformation in Bloomington — or as surprising as the one Clark Lea has pulled off while coaching Vanderbilt football — however, it's still notable, especially as Commodores remain unbeaten on the hardwood well into January.

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