March is nearing, and Vanderbilt (20-4, 7-4) remains firmly in the SEC conversation. After an 84-76 road win at Auburn, the Commodores return home to face Texas A&M on Saturday, Feb. 14.
Let’s get to your Vanderbilt basketball questions.
Q: When Duke comes back, how close to 100% do you think he’ll be? Same with Frankie Collins.
A: I think Duke Miles will be pretty close, maybe 85-90%. It was an injury that had clearly been bothering him for a while and caused him to miss a few games when conference play started. Obviously, he came back, but now he is missing time again. Mark Byington gave a very positive update on Miles following the Oklahoma game. The head coach stated Miles was “motivated” and that he has been “jogging,” which are all good signs. Miles did not travel with the team to Auburn, and I’m hearing it is so he could stay back and rehab since all of the resources he needed are here in Nashville.
As far as Frankie Collins goes, it’s much harder to say. He hasn’t played in a game since December 17. The normal recovery time for his injury (torn meniscus) is four to six weeks. It seemed as if things were trending in the right direction, but there have been some setbacks. Following the Oklahoma game, Byington also gave an update on Collins.
“From everything I know. I wish it was closer… We aren’t giving up on him.”
The head coach stated in his first sentence that, to his knowledge, Collins plans to return this season. I think the verdict is still out on whether or not he suits up this season. I fully expect Miles back sooner.
Q: Are we likely to keep Tyler Tanner another year?
A: I’d have to imagine Tanner’s mind isn’t quite made up yet. If he were to stay in college, I don’t believe that the transfer portal is in play. If anything, the sophomore could get selected in the NBA Draft. I’ve seen a lot of different mock drafts, but the general idea is that he’d be selected in the late first round or early second round. At this point, it’s up to him as to whether or not he thinks another year of college would hurt or help that stock.
I see a world where he comes back for one more season and then declares. I think one more year could get his stock to the best that it’ll be. But with a lot of season left, I can’t imagine Tanner has made up his mind yet.
Q: Has Mason Nicholson’s status changed?
A: No, it hasn’t. I don’t expect him to suit up for another game this season. Nicholson has not left the team and has been at every game, but is not available.
Q: Is there any info on transfers or international prospects?
A: No, not at this time. I’d expect the buzz to begin when conference tournaments start taking place. Some teams will have their season ended at this time, and though the portal doesn’t technically open until after the NCAA Tournament, players will begin to make decisions well before that.
Q: Is Tyler Tanner’s thumb okay? What is the deal with the tape?
A: There is nothing serious going on with his thumb. For most of the season, Tanner has worn the tape on his wrist, but there appeared to be some additional aid in the Oklahoma game. In the press conference, Tanner was asked about it.
“I jammed this in the summer. It’s nothing too bad for me; just catching the ball hurts a little bit. Just catching the ball made it worse… I hit my fingers on the backboard (on a blocked shot),” Tanner said following the loss.
Q: Who are the high school prospects we have coming in?
A: Ant Brown Jr., Ethan Mgbako, Jackson Sheffield, Mavrick Hawkins, Baylor Allen and Chase Byington.
Q: Will the success Byington is building here impact the approach he takes to nonconference scheduling?
A: Yes, I believe so. Schools are becoming so careful with who they schedule in nonconference play because of metrics. They don’t want it to turn into a “bad loss,” or could even find a team that may provide a more quality win. If Vanderbilt continues to climb, more high-quality teams may become interested in playing it.
Q: Is there any update on Byington’s contract status?
A: At the moment, an extension is not being discussed. Byington has been vocal about the program’s NIL needs, and improvement in that area will be necessary. As a result, extension talks are unlikely to take place until after the season.
Q: Do you think Byington will land any more high schoolers from the 2026 class?
A: Personally, no. I get there is the whole Tyran Stokes sweepstakes, but my understanding is that Kansas is the heavy favorite in that one, with Kentucky following. Vanderbilt was a little late to the party, as well. Byington already has six freshmen coming in, three of whom (Brown, Mgbako and Sheffield) will contribute immediately. Brown and Mgbako will probably see the floor the most.
Unless it’s a guy like Stokes, it would take a lot for him to bring in another freshman. Vanderbilt is going to need experienced guys that it’ll have to get from the portal.
Q: Floor and ceiling for the NCAA Tournament?
A: The floor should be the Round of 32. Vanderbilt is currently projected to be a 4-seed, which would give it a favorable first-round matchup. It’s difficult to declare a ceiling with the injuries, but right now, I’d say the Elite 8.
By that point, all teams are either hot at the right time, very skilled, or both. If Vanderbilt makes it to that point, I think it could run into a big man who could cause a lot of trouble.
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