Vanderbilt Earns Surprising 5-Seed in NCAA Tournament

Commodores expected to be higher seed after strong SEC Tournament run

Mar. 16, 2026 at 7:06pm

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Despite a strong season that included 10 Quad 1 wins and a deep run in the SEC Tournament, the Vanderbilt Commodores were surprisingly seeded as a 5-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Head coach Mark Byington and players like Duke Miles expressed disappointment with the lower-than-expected seeding, but the team is focused on preparing for their first-round matchup against McNeese, a 28-5 team viewed as a potential upset threat.

Why it matters

Vanderbilt's seeding has become a point of contention, with many analysts and fans believing the team deserved a higher seed based on their impressive resume. The lower seeding could make Vanderbilt's path to the later rounds of the tournament more difficult, raising questions about the NCAA Tournament selection process.

The details

Vanderbilt was projected as a 4-seed or even a 3-seed by many bracketologists prior to Selection Sunday. The team had a strong body of work, including 10 Quad 1 wins and 17 wins in the top two quadrants. However, the NCAA Selection Committee ultimately decided to seed Vanderbilt as a 5-seed, citing the quality wins of other teams. This means Vanderbilt will face a potentially dangerous first-round matchup against McNeese, a 28-5 team known for its ability to force turnovers and shorten games.

  • Vanderbilt was projected as a 4-seed or 3-seed prior to Selection Sunday.
  • Vanderbilt was ultimately seeded as a 5-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

The players

Mark Byington

The head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores basketball team.

Duke Miles

A guard for the Vanderbilt Commodores basketball team who expressed disappointment with the team's seeding.

Tyler Nickel

A wing player for the Vanderbilt Commodores basketball team who said the team is focused on preparing for their first-round matchup rather than worrying about their seeding.

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What they’re saying

“One of the things I told the guys earlier, I was like, whatever number they put beside us, ignore it. It does not make a difference. We are playing a good team.”

— Mark Byington, Head Coach, Vanderbilt Commodores (SI.com)

“Before the show even started, we kind of said it doesn't matter what number we get. Everybody in the tournament is good. So we try to not even think about that. So really, we're just excited to play. I was going to be excited no matter what number we were.”

— Tyler Nickel, Wing Player, Vanderbilt Commodores (SI.com)

What’s next

Vanderbilt will face McNeese in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. If they win that game, they could face Nebraska in the second round.

The takeaway

Vanderbilt's surprising 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament has sparked debate about the selection process, but the team is focused on preparing for their first-round matchup against a dangerous McNeese squad rather than dwelling on their seeding.