Vanderbilt basketball hopes to turn the program back around in year one with Mark Byington.
The tradition continues! CBB Review is again ranking the top 100 teams heading into the new college basketball season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Vanderbilt basketball.
The Jerry Stackhouse experiment did not go according to plan for this Vanderbilt program, going 70-92 in the five years and failing to make it to the tournament. Now, a new chapter starts under Mark Byington, who led his James Madison team to a 32-4 record and a Round of 32 appearance. Vanderbilt basketball hasn’t won a tournament game since 2012, and hope to change that sooner rather than later.
This year’s roster is going to look very different than the one that went 9-23 a year before. They return just two players from last season, with the top nine scorers all graduating or transferring.
However, they’ve done a great job bringing in transfers. The two most notable are AJ Hoggard and Jason Edwards, who are both coming off great seasons with their teams. It might take some time to get on the same page, but the talent level is there in terms of the players acquired.
The SEC isn’t getting any easier, and if they don’t want to end at the bottom, they’ll have a lot of work to do. Mark Byington has found success at Georgia Southern and James Madison, so Vanderbilt should be no problem for the talented coach.
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Head coach:Â Mark Byington (1st season at Vanderbilt, 13th season overall)
2023-24 record: 9-23 (4-14)
2024 postseason finish:Â No Postseason
Notable departures:Â
- Ezra Manjon (14.7 PPG, 3.8 APG, 3.2 RPG)
- Tyrin Lawrence (13.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.5 APG)
- Ven-Allen Lubin (12.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 0.5 APG)
- Evan Taylor (8.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.2 APG)
- Jason Rivera-Torres (6.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.6 APG)
- Tasos Kamateros (4.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.1 APG)
- Isaiah West (2.8 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.7 APG)
Notable non-conference games:Â
- vs. Nevada (Nov. 21)
- Charleston Classic (Nov. 21-24)
- at Virginia Tech (Dec. 4)
- vs. TCU (Dec. 8)
Projected Rotation
PG: AJ Hoggard (6-4, 220, Gr.-Sr)
2023-24 stats: 10.7 PPG, 5.2 APG, 3.1 RPG, 1.4 SPG (Michigan State)
SG: Jason Edwards (6-1, 175, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 19.1 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 42.5 FG%, 80.7 FT% (North Texas)
SF: MJ Collins (6-4, 190, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 7.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.7 APG, 84.4 FT% (Virginia Tech)
PF: Devin McGlocktin (6-7, 230, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 10.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.3 APG, 57.5 FG% (Boston College)
C: Kijani Wright (6-9, 235, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 3.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.4 APG, 58.4 FG% (USC)
6: Grant Huffman (6-4, 190, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 12.8 PPG, 5.3 APG, 5.1 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 45.3 FG% (Davidson)
7: Chris Manon (6-5, 215, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 12.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.2 SPG, 56.4 FG% (Cornell)
8: Tyler Nickel (6-7, 220, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 8.8 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.3 APG, 39.9 3P%, 82.0 FT% (Virginia Tech)
9: Alex Hemenway (6-4, 190, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 5.2 PPG, 1.4 APG, 0.6 RPG, 42.1 3P% (Clemson)
10: JaQualon Roberts (6-8, 230, So.)
2023-24 stats: 2.3 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.3 APG
Vanderbilt Basketball Team MVP: Jason Edwards
The former Dodge City CC member surged into the Division 1 scene last year, averaging just under 20 points per game with North Texas. He can do it all offensively, scoring 37 points on 10-15 shooting against Tulane, and hit the 30-point mark four other times last season. North Texas gave him the green light all season, and he took advantage. His efficiency is lacking at times, but as he gets older and has less of a role, he’ll adapt and take smarter shots.
Vanderbilt will look for a go-to guy, especially early in the season as they try to build rotations and build chemistry. Edwards can be that, and as long as he gets help defensively, he can really shine on this Vanderbilt basketball team.
Vanderbilt Basketball make-or-break player: AJ Hoggard
Every college basketball fan should know who AJ Hoggard is. Many people thought Michigan State would be a top 5 team last year in big part to Hoggard, but he unfortunately took a step back last year. Now, with a fresh start, Vanderbilt and college basketball fans are hoping we see the Hoggard that led Michigan State to the Sweet 16 two seasons ago and was at many times the best player on the court.
From a passing standpoint, he’s one of the better guards in the country. He’s averaged over 5 assists a game, and his unselfishness has made up for his inability to score at times. They’ll need both from him, and he’s more than capable. If we see the Hoggard from the end of junior year, we might have an All-SEC player on our hands. However, if he can’t take a leap, this Vanderbilt team will really struggle.
Key analytic: Points per game and Points Allowed per game
It’s not the most exciting statistic, but it is certainly worth mentioning. Vanderbilt scored 67.9 points a game, tied for 294th best in the country, and allowed 75.9 points a game, tied for 275th. Not to state the obvious, but if you aren’t scoring a lot, and allowing a lot, bad things happen. James Madison, Mark Byington’s former school finished 16th in points scored and 94th in points allowed.
The way this team is currently set up, they should be a lot better scoring-wise. What they’re really going to have to work on is defense. Alabama, Kentucky, and Florida all finished top 5 in scoring last year in the country, so unless they can find a way to improve the defense, they won’t stand a chance against those programs. If they can find a way to balance both sides of the ball, Vanderbilt basketball can shock some teams and find themselves in bubble talks.
Vanderbilt Basketball 2024-25 projections
Projected conference finish: 14th in the SEC
Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Appearance
I am a former college classmate of Mark Byington, so I’m absolutely pulling for him to succeed, but it most certainly will not be this season. The postseason ceiling is nowhere near an NCAA Tournament bid as this will be a team that will need a lot of luck not to finish last in the SEC.