No. 18 Vanderbilt Edges Ole Miss in Close Game

Tyler Tanner's 24 points lead Commodores to 71-68 victory over Rebels

Feb. 1, 2026 at 1:47am

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No. 18 Vanderbilt held off a late comeback attempt by Ole Miss to win 71-68 in a close Southeastern Conference matchup. Tyler Tanner led the Commodores with 24 points, while AK Okereke added 17 points, including a crucial free throw in the final seconds. Ole Miss was paced by 16 points each from Malik Dia and AJ Storr, but their final two 3-point attempts fell short as Vanderbilt hung on for the victory.

Why it matters

This was an important conference win for Vanderbilt, who improved to 19-3 overall and 6-3 in SEC play. The Commodores were able to grind out the victory despite being short-handed in the backcourt due to injuries. For Ole Miss, the loss drops them to 11-10 on the season and 3-5 in league play as they continue to search for consistency.

The details

Vanderbilt led for the entire game, building a 31-23 halftime advantage. The Commodores slowed the pace and leaned on Tanner to run the offense with their other point guards out. Ole Miss struggled mightily in the first half, committing 9 turnovers and only making 8 field goals. But the Rebels made a late push, cutting the deficit to 3 points in the final minutes before Vanderbilt held on.

  • Vanderbilt led 31-23 at halftime.
  • With 2:05 left, Mike James hit a 3-pointer to give Vanderbilt some breathing room.
  • In the final seconds, Ole Miss had two 3-point attempts to tie the game but both missed.

The players

Tyler Tanner

A key player for No. 18 Vanderbilt, scoring a team-high 24 points to lead the Commodores to victory.

AK Okereke

Vanderbilt forward who scored 17 points, including a crucial free throw in the final seconds to help seal the win.

Malik Dia

Ole Miss guard who scored a team-high 16 points in the losing effort.

AJ Storr

Ole Miss guard who also scored 16 points for the Rebels.

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What’s next

Vanderbilt will look to build on this win as they continue SEC play, while Ole Miss will try to rebound and get back on track in the conference standings.

The takeaway

Vanderbilt showed its ability to win a close, grind-it-out game despite being shorthanded, relying on the playmaking of Tyler Tanner and the interior presence of AK Okereke. For Ole Miss, the loss highlighted their continued struggles to find consistency this season as they search for their identity in SEC play.