Vanderbilt Players Vow to Avenge Loss to Tennessee

Despite falling to their in-state rival, Commodores say they'll get another chance to beat the Volunteers

Feb. 23, 2026 at 12:37am

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After losing to Tennessee at home, Vanderbilt basketball players AK Okereke and Jalen Washington vowed to get another shot at their in-state rivals, saying "We're gonna play them again." Though disappointed by the defeat, the Commodores remain focused on their goals for the season, which include challenging the program's wins record, earning a high NCAA Tournament seed, and advancing past the first round.

Why it matters

The Vanderbilt-Tennessee rivalry is a heated one, with the Commodores looking to end a recent stretch of losses to the Volunteers. This game was an opportunity for Vanderbilt to pick up a marquee win at home, but the team came up short. However, the Commodores are determined to get another chance to beat their rivals and keep their season goals on track.

The details

Vanderbilt led late but was unable to hold on, with key players Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles dealing with the flu. In the final minute, Ak Okereke missed a fadeaway jumper and Tyler Nickel missed a crucial 3-pointer that could have swung momentum. Tennessee guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie celebrated the win by flexing in front of the Vanderbilt crowd.

  • Vanderbilt and Tennessee will meet again on March 7 in Knoxville.

The players

AK Okereke

A Vanderbilt senior forward who vowed the team would get another chance to play Tennessee.

Jalen Washington

A Vanderbilt senior big man who echoed Okereke's sentiment about facing Tennessee again.

Tyler Tanner

A Vanderbilt star player who was dealing with the flu and missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the end of the loss to Tennessee.

Duke Miles

A Vanderbilt player who was also impacted by the flu and returning from a prolonged absence.

Ja'Kobi Gillespie

A Tennessee guard who celebrated the win over Vanderbilt by flexing in front of the home crowd.

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What they’re saying

“The best thing about it is that we're gonna play them soon. That's all that's on our mind, really. We'll focus on the next game first and then we'll play them again.”

— AK Okereke, Vanderbilt Forward

“We're gonna play them again. It's [about] just improving on what we did wrong, or didn't do well, in this game and it's just building on what works for us and keeping our heads up because we've still got six games to play and we still got goals we want to reach.”

— Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt Big Man

What’s next

Vanderbilt will have another chance to face Tennessee on March 7 in Knoxville, where the Commodores will look to avenge their home loss and keep their season goals within reach.

The takeaway

Despite the disappointment of losing to their in-state rival at home, the Vanderbilt players remain focused on their larger objectives for the season and are determined to get another shot at beating Tennessee. This resilience and forward-looking attitude could serve the Commodores well as they aim to make this their most successful campaign in program history.