No. 22 Vanderbilt Defeats No. 4 Florida, Reaches SEC Final

Commodores dominate Gators in semifinal matchup

Mar. 14, 2026 at 10:54pm

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No. 22 Vanderbilt earned a decisive 91-74 victory over No. 4 Florida on Saturday in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament. Tyler Tanner led the Commodores with 20 points and 8 assists, while Duke Miles added 15 points and 7 assists.

Why it matters

This win propels Vanderbilt, a surprise team this season, to the SEC tournament final, where they will look to claim the conference championship. The loss is a setback for Florida, one of the top teams in the country, as they aim to secure a high seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

The details

Vanderbilt controlled the game from start to finish, shooting 52% from the field and outrebounding Florida 38-28. The Commodores' balanced scoring attack and crisp ball movement proved too much for the Gators to handle.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

The players

Tyler Tanner

A key player for Vanderbilt, scoring 20 points and dishing out 8 assists in the win.

Duke Miles

Contributed 15 points and 7 assists for the Commodores.

Vanderbilt

The No. 22 ranked team in the country, who earned a spot in the SEC tournament final with this victory.

Florida

The No. 4 ranked team in the country, who suffered a setback in their quest for a high NCAA Tournament seed.

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What they’re saying

“This was a complete team effort. Our guys executed the game plan perfectly and played with tremendous energy and focus.”

— Jerry Stackhouse, Vanderbilt Head Coach

What’s next

Vanderbilt will face the winner of the other semifinal matchup in the SEC tournament final on Sunday, March 15, 2026.

The takeaway

Vanderbilt's impressive win over a top-5 opponent demonstrates their potential to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, while Florida will need to regroup and refocus ahead of the big dance.