Vanderbilt’s Year?
No matter what their seed, for the last 20 years it seems like penciling in Vanderbilt for a first round exit in the NCAA Tournament has been a good strategy. The Commodores have continually underachieved when it has come to March. The latest example was just last year when fifth seeded Vanderbilt fell to the 12 seed, Richmond. The year before that it was 13th seeded Murray State that pulled off the upset. Two years before that, Vanderbilt was again the number four seed, but again fell in the first round; this time to Siena. See the pattern?
The Commodores have done better as the sixth seed. In 2004 and 2007 they reached the Sweet Sixteen from that position. Since the field expanded in 1985, the Commodores have lost their first game six times. They reached the Sweet Sixteen four times. Not since 1965, and for the only time, has the program advanced to the Elite Eight. Can this year’s team buck that underachieving trend? Can they advance past the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1965?
The path to the Final Four should be a little easier for this year’s team. That is because this squad returns five starters and is expected to earn at least a top three seed. If that happens, Vanderbilt will not likely lose their first game. There is a big difference between most 13 and 14 seeds. Thirteen seeds tend to be underappreciated conference winners who head into March believing they can win. Just look at last year’s 13 seeds…Princeton, Oakland, Morehead State and Belmont. Morehead State beat Louisville and Princeton and Oakland barely lost. Belmont was forced into a bad matchup against Wisconsin, but many thought they were a team that could win a game or two. The 14 seeds faired much worse, with Indiana State, Bucknell, St. Peter’s and Wofford all losing relatively handily.
But getting past the first game should not be an issue for a team with national title hopes. Yet, everyone will be looking at the Vanderbilt matchup to see if it is possible for this team to again fold under the pressure. The difference this year is the depth and experience of this team. They have been here before. Most of the impact players have lost twice in their opening game of the NCAA Tournament during the last two years. Will they make it three in a row or finally step up and play to their potential when it matters the most?
Read the in-depth men’s basketball preview for this team
