Vanderbilt Basketball Wins Despite Struggles

Commodores defeat Ole Miss despite off-shooting night and missing key players

Jan. 31, 2026 at 9:55pm

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Vanderbilt basketball defeated Ole Miss 68-65 on Saturday, despite shooting just 25% from 3-point range and being outscored 49-19 in bench points. The Commodores were without veteran guards Duke Miles and Frankie Collins, but got key contributions from AK Okereke (17 points) and Mike James (9 points in 26 minutes) to secure the victory. Vanderbilt head coach Mark Byington praised his team's ability to grind out the win despite not playing their best, noting the Commodores' versatility in being able to win both high-scoring and low-scoring affairs.

Why it matters

Vanderbilt's win over Ole Miss demonstrates the team's resilience and ability to win in different styles of games, which will be important as they look to secure a top seed in the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. Despite not playing their best, the Commodores were able to avoid a potentially damaging loss to an unranked opponent.

The details

Vanderbilt shot just 25% from 3-point range and 71% from the free throw line, but still managed to defeat Ole Miss 68-65. The Commodores were outscored 49-19 in bench points and had to rely on contributions from role players like AK Okereke (17 points) and Mike James (9 points in 26 minutes). Vanderbilt also turned the ball over 9 times in the first half, but was able to limit Ole Miss' offense and never trail in the game.

  • Vanderbilt defeated Ole Miss on Saturday, January 31, 2026.

The players

AK Okereke

A Vanderbilt forward who scored 17 points in the win over Ole Miss.

Mike James

A Vanderbilt guard who played 26 minutes and scored 9 points in the victory.

Mark Byington

The head coach of the Vanderbilt basketball team, who praised his team's ability to grind out the win despite not playing their best.

Duke Miles

A veteran Vanderbilt guard who did not play in the game due to injury or illness.

Frankie Collins

A veteran Vanderbilt guard who did not play in the game due to injury or illness.

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What they’re saying

“We weren't at our best. I started my pregame speech with the guys, and it was even more accurate at the end, and I said, whatever it takes to be won today. And I knew we weren't coming in this game at our best. Injuries, illnesses, fatigue, just a lot of things going on and oldness fought really hard and we knew they were going to play that way. We just had to figure out somehow, some way to be able to win the game.”

— Mark Byington, Vanderbilt Head Coach

“It really just shows that there's some versatility in the ways that we can win. We can win the gridfests that are in the 60s, we can win the high paced, high scoring affairs. And, that's really what it comes down to.”

— AK Okereke, Vanderbilt Forward

“I think we can play any way we have to. We're confident that whatever game we have to play, whether it's low or high scoring, we can win.”

— Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt Guard

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This win highlights Vanderbilt's resilience and ability to grind out victories even when they are not playing their best basketball. The Commodores' versatility in being able to win both high-scoring and low-scoring affairs will serve them well as they look to secure a top seed in the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament.