Tyler Tanner scored a game-high 34 points, dished out seven assists and grabbed five steals while leading No. 24 Vanderbilt to an 89-86 overtime victory over Ole Miss on Tuesday in Oxford, Miss.
The Commodores (23-7, 10-7 Southeastern Conference) improved their potential NCAA Tournament seeding, picking up a Quad 2 victory and winning for only the second time in their past five games.
The Rebels (12-18, 4-13 SEC) were unable to make it back-to-back wins after snapping a 10-game losing streak on Saturday when they prevailed at Auburn.
Tanner converted a three-point play on a drive to the hoop and subsequent free throw to open the scoring in overtime, and the Commodores never trailed in the extra period.
Ole Miss had a chance to tie the game with 18.9 seconds left on a pair of free throw opportunities by Ilias Kamardine after he was fouled while rebounding a missed 3-point attempt by Vanderbilt’s Tyler Nickel. Kamardine missed the second attempt, however, and the Commodores’ Jayden Leverett collected the rebound and called a timeout with 17.9 seconds left.
Tanner drew a foul on the ensuing inbounds play and hit both free throws with 16.9 seconds to go.
Patton Pinkins’ 3-pointer attempt in the closing seconds bounced off the rim. Tanner came away with the long rebound and dribbled out the final seconds.
Duke Miles and AK Okereke each finished with 16 points for the Commodores. Vanderbilt’s Devin McGlockton fouled out after pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds.
Pinkins led the Rebels with 16 points and went 9-for-10 from the free throw line, missing his last attempt. Kamardine totaled 14 points and seven rebounds, and AJ Storr also scored 14 points.
Malik Dia had 11 points for Ole Miss but fouled out after Vanderbilt challenged a play, which led officials to rule a flagrant foul on Dia after review. Dia hooked Okereke’s leg after he lost the ball, allowing Miles to pick it up and hit a game-tying jumper with 41 seconds left in the second half.
Miles nearly gave Vanderbilt the win in regulation when he drove to the rim with five seconds left, but he missed on an attempted reverse layup.
