College basketball insider Joe Lunardi gave a promising prediction for the tournament hopes of the Vanderbilt Commodores.

The Vanderbilt Commodores experienced a level of success in the 2024 season that they have not seen in over a decade. Finishing the year with a 7-6 record, the

The Vanderbilt Commodores have gotten off to an incredible start in the first season under new head coach Mark Byington.

The Commodores (17-4, 4-3 SEC) have been receiving votes in both the AP and USA TODAY Coaches Polls for most of the season but have yet to crack the rankings. Vanderbilt has not been ranked in the AP poll since 2014, though the Commodores were ranked in the Coaches Poll in January of last year.

In the contest, Alabama went on to be upset by the Commodores, falling by a final score of 66-64 to an unranked Commodores team. With this result, the Crimson Tide now sit at 17-4 overall for the 2024-25 season, as well as 4-3 in SEC play.

Michigan State ascended to its highest ranking in the AP Top 25 men's college basketball poll this season on Monday with a move up one spot to No. 7 after another perfect week in Big Ten play. The Spartans went 2-0 on the week with wins over Illinois and Rutgers to improve to 8-0 in conference play.

Former Tennessee Titan Khari Blasingame will be in Super Bowl 59 with Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles against Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs.

Saturday played out Vandy’s way. The Commodores forced 17 Kentucky turnovers while committing just five of their own. New coach Mark Byington’s team leads the nation in points off turnovers and, sure enough, Vandy doubled Kentucky in that department 14-7.

Vanderbilt entered the Associated Press women's basketball Top 25 on Monday at No. 23, its first ranking in more than a decade, while Texas returned to the top five and Ohio State and Duke both jumped back into the top 10.

Vanderbilt joined the rankings for the first time since December 2015. The Commodores are No. 24 after defeating Kentucky 74-69 on Saturday. The Wildcats dropped from No. 9 last week to No. 12 in this week's poll.

Kentucky men’s basketball returns to the road Saturday when the Wildcats play the Vanderbilt Commodores in an SEC matchup at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. EST. Karl Ravech and Jimmy Dykes have the television broadcast on ESPN.