Vanderbilt Guard Tyler Tanner Thought Half-Court Heave Would Fall

Tanner's last-second shot just rimmed out, giving Nebraska a 74-72 win over the Commodores.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 4:56pm

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Vanderbilt Commodores guard Tyler Tanner spoke about his thoughts when he hoisted a halfcourt shot that would have beat Nebraska in the NCAA Tournament. Tanner's half-court heave looked like it was going in, but it ultimately rimmed out, giving Nebraska a 74-72 win over Vanderbilt.

Why it matters

Tanner's near-game-winning shot at the buzzer was a heartbreaking end to Vanderbilt's tournament run. However, the sophomore guard's breakout season has provided hope for the Commodores' future under second-year head coach Mark Byington.

The details

Tanner exploded for a game-high 27 points in 38 minutes, also grabbing 2 rebounds, dishing out 4 assists, and coming up with 4 steals. He shot 9-of-21 from the field, 3-of-10 from 3-point range, and 6-of-9 from the free-throw line. Despite the loss, this was a breakout campaign for Tanner, who moved into a full-time starting role and averaged career-bests of 19.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 2.4 steals per game.

  • The Vanderbilt Commodores were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament on March 22, 2026.

The players

Tyler Tanner

A sophomore guard for the Vanderbilt Commodores who had a breakout season, averaging 19.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 2.4 steals per game.

Mark Byington

The head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores, who has helped turn the program's fortunes around after they missed the NCAA Tournament for seven consecutive seasons prior to his arrival.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, it's pretty bad, being that close especially.”

— Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt Commodores Guard

What’s next

The Commodores will look to build on their back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances under Coach Byington and continue to develop Tyler Tanner as a key piece for the future.

The takeaway

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Vanderbilt's season was a success, with Tyler Tanner emerging as a star and the program continuing to make progress under Coach Byington. The Commodores have reason for optimism heading into the offseason.