Vanderbilt Cruises Past Texas A&M Behind Big Nights from Nickel and Okereke

Vanderbilt defeated Texas A&M 82-69 despite star player Tyler Tanner scoring just 4 points.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Vanderbilt was without guards Frankie Collins and Duke Miles, but the Commodores still managed to cruise past Texas A&M 82-69 behind strong performances from Tyler Nickel and AK Okereke. Nickel had a big offensive game, while Okereke stepped up to handle the ball and run the offense against Texas A&M's full-court pressure. Vanderbilt led by double digits for most of the second half, withstanding a late push from the Aggies.

Why it matters

This was an impressive team win for Vanderbilt, who was able to overcome the absences of two key players and get contributions from multiple sources to defeat a conference opponent. The Commodores showed their depth and ability to win in different ways, which will be important as they continue their push for a strong finish to the season.

The details

Vanderbilt jumped out to an 11-point lead early in the second half, 50-39, behind multiple three-pointers from Tyler Nickel and one from Chandler Bing. The Commodores continued to play stifling defense while controlling the pace of the game, and getting good looks on the offensive side of the court. Despite foul trouble from Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt never allowed the Aggies to get truly back into the ball game, holding a double-digit lead basically the entire second half.

  • Vanderbilt led 36-32 at halftime.
  • Vanderbilt jumped out to an 11-point lead, 50-39, early in the second half.
  • Texas A&M cut the lead to 7 points with just 6:33 remaining.

The players

Tyler Tanner

Vanderbilt's star and leading scorer, who had just 4 points in the game.

Tyler Nickel

Vanderbilt player who had a big offensive game, hitting multiple three-pointers.

AK Okereke

Vanderbilt player who stepped up to handle the ball and run the offense against Texas A&M's full-court pressure.

Chandler Bing

Vanderbilt player who hit a key three-pointer during the Commodores' second-half run.

Frankie Collins

Vanderbilt guard who missed the game.

Duke Miles

Vanderbilt guard who missed his 5th consecutive game but seems on track to return soon.

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The takeaway

This was an impressive team win for Vanderbilt, who was able to overcome the absences of key players and get contributions from multiple sources to defeat a conference opponent. The Commodores showed their depth and ability to win in different ways, which will be important as they continue their push for a strong finish to the season.